..........Lady Mary's Lodge was known originally as Blearylinn with various spellings. It was a farm on the Hamilton estates situated between Quarter and Limekilnburn. In 1841 it was occupied by James Semple a farmer of 60 years old. He had occupied the Lodge since 1802. In 1851 we have a Thomas Semple aged 67 also a farmer who was born in Glassford. It is more than likely he was a relative of James and the Hamilton Estate records give the rent paid by James Semple's heirs from 1856 to 1862 however this does not tie in with the census records of who is living in the Lodge. By 1861 it had been converted to a gamekeeper's Lodge for the use of The Dukes of Hamiltons Gamekeeper James Taylor and his family. Various alterations were subsequently made to the building, having 5 windows, and it was at this time that the name of Lady Mary's Lodge appeared. The name may have derived from the names of the wife and daughter of the 11th Duke of Hamilton who married Princess Marie of Baden in 1843. Their daughter, Mary Victoria, married Prince Albert of Monaco in 1869. The 12th Duke married Lady Mary Montagu in 1873 and their only daughter Mary became Duchess of Montrose in 1916. Residents of Quarter recall that the Lodge was used by the wife and daughter of the 12th Duke.
..........The Lodge in 1871 had by now 6 windows and was occupied by Adam Lothian also a gamekeeper with his family. In 1881 now having 9 windows the property was occupied by William Ford a widower aged 36 years who had been born in Hamilton and lived in the Lodge with his son William 12 years, Joseph 10 years and Jessie his daughter of 6 years all born in Boness, Linlithgow. Also living with him was his cousin and housekeeper Elizabeth Reid of 18 years born in Hamilton.
...........From about 1900 the gamekeeper was a Mr. Robert Robertson and, with his wife Maggie Baird Robertson, they were in occupation until about 1925 when we have a Mr. Andrew Meikle and his wife Eliza. Mrs. Meikle is reported to be still living in the house in 1934 and in 1946 we have a Misses Baird.

The Miners of Quarter

From the Hamilton Advertiser - November 8th 1947.

Sunday Night Tragedy at Quarter Colliery

Fireman and Oncost Worker Found Dead

..........Not until two wives became anxious and made inquiry about the non-return home of their husbands was a double tragedy discovered in the main coal road of No. 1 pit, Quarter Collieries, about 9 o'clock on Sunday night. As a result of the women's enquiries the colliery manager and an assistant went down into the workings and found the men dead near the bottom. They were James Ritchie 58, colliery fireman, 19b Limekilnburn Road, Quarter and Alexander Kerr 67, rope splicer, 35 Limekilnburn Road, Quarter.
..........The two men, who were on their regular Sunday shift doing repair work and feeding the ponies, were alone in the pit It being Sunday, the winding apparatus was not in operation and their method of descent and assent was by stair shaft - in miners terminology, "blin pit." When they did not return home at their regular hour - about three o'clock - it was assumed by their families that they were working late, and it was not until later that real anxiety was felt.
..........Quarter Colliery is the oldest in Lanarkshire and is a naked-light pit. It is believed that the men's death was caused by the accumulation of damp. A post mortem was held on Monday, the result of which is not yet known. James Ritchie, who was a Civil Defense warden during the war and was secretary of the Quarter Miners Welfare Society, is survived by his wife and a grown up family of one son and three daughters. His comrade Alex Kerr, who in his younger days played as a forward in the old Quarter Huttonbank F.C. leaves a wife, one son and two daughters. Following a service in Quarter Church, the funerals took place to the Bent Cemetery, Hamilton on Wednesday.

Pit No 7 Quarter Colliery

Miner's Rows at Laigh Quarter

Craig Tractor Services replaced the mine offices but it also has been replaced by housing.