TheMoonlighter 499 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 The Arlington Baths were built in 1871 and stand on Arlington Street in the West End of Glasgow.Arlington Street almost bordered the touchline of Rangers home at Burnbank where we played for one season from 1875-76.I had thought, that due to our Founders love of sport, that there was a fair chance that they, or team-mates or family, may have been members of the Arlington Baths.So i set off last week and chapped their door.I was lucky enough to be greeted by the current Chairman of the Arlington Baths who was delighted when i explained the possible link with the Rangers Pioneers.As we sat in the Lounge my eye caught a War Memorial with names engraved of members who'd fallen during the two World Wars. Listed were :Peter McNeil's son John Fraser McNeilandTom Vallance's son Harold Vallance.John Fraser McNeil was 2nd Lieutenant with the Royal Field Artillery Regiment , he made it to within two months of the Armistice before he died in France on 9th September 1918 aged 31.Harold Vallance joined the 7th Battalion of the Highland Light Infantry . He died in September 1918 just 6 weeks before Armistice day. The members books for the Arlington Baths are held at the Mitchell Library. Dubwiser has had an initial look but we'll dig into this more thoroughly as the weeks progress.It's a link to our past that another establishment in Glasgow is delighted to share with us. The Arlington Baths.http://www.arlingtonbaths.co.uk/about/463/ Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwallowsHisOwnSpunk 7,798 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Fantastic Find Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Allanger 625 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Tremendous work Moonlighter.Keep us posted with any further info mate Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKGER 138 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 good to see a place like that is still serving its original purpose. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoonlighter 499 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 good to see a place like that is still serving its original purpose.It's incredible inside.It has held it's grandeur and decadence really well. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MKGER 138 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 It's incredible inside.It has held it's grandeur and decadence really well.sounds good mate, i love places like that, reckon theyd let me in just for a nosey? Wouldnt wanna blag that i am interested in joining but i would like a peek...would make a change to spending all my money a PRW before the game! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SectionRedHMS 190 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 It's posts like this that make this forum that much more enjoyable.Keep up the sterling work. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoonlighter 499 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 sounds good mate, i love places like that, reckon theyd let me in just for a nosey? Wouldnt wanna blag that i am interested in joining but i would like a peek...would make a change to spending all my money a PRW before the game!Chap the door and tell them you'd like a look around.They couldn't have been nicer when i was there. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambyloyal 20 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Good work again moonlighterDo vallance or McNeil have a resting place in France as I plan to visit the Somme again later on in the year and it woul be nice to visit their resting place Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoonlighter 499 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 Good work again moonlighterDo vallance or McNeil have a resting place in France as I plan to visit the Somme again later on in the year and it woul be nice to visit their resting placeJohn Fraser McNeil is buried at the Lingy-St. Flochel British cemetery in the town of Averdoingt near Arras.I'm not sure about Harold Vallance, i'll have our records checked later tonight. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambyloyal 20 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Great stuff arras is close to the ulster tower which is around the area I will be Cheers mate on that 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dan_ger 1,454 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Brilliant find Live just down the road at the bridge and have heard about the baths from quite a few folk. No-one ever mentioned a Rangers connection. Be brilliant to find out more! Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMoonlighter 499 Posted July 30, 2012 Author Share Posted July 30, 2012 Good work again moonlighterDo vallance or McNeil have a resting place in France as I plan to visit the Somme again later on in the year and it woul be nice to visit their resting placeUpdate.Harold Vallance is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery in France. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cambyloyal 20 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Update.Harold Vallance is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery in France.Cheers mate Your work is outstanding keep it up Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Getstiffed 8,863 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Sheer class Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alv1n82/bluenose 1 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Great work mate, keep us posted on anymore finds Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oso 122 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Harold Vallances burial details via the CWCG website.My linkdetailsVALLANCE, HAROLD LEONARDRank:Second LieutenantDate of Death:28/09/1918Age:29Regiment/Service:Highland Light Infantry 7th Bn. Grave ReferenceIV. G. 3.CemeteryABBEVILLE COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSIONAdditional Information:Son of Thos. and Marion Vallance, of Glasgow.From some of the information I have to hand I can fill in some gaps.At the age of 29, dying as a 2nd Lt in the 7th Bn then he will have been commissioned from the ranks given that the 7th Bn was raised at the start of the war. Also, given the attrition rate of junior officers meant that you would be unlikely to stay as a 2nd Lt for very long after a major battle. (There are instances of very junior 2Lts being promoted to Capt after a single battle as there was no-one else left to take up the role.) The British Army was running out of aristocracy and upper middle class public school educated young men to be officers. This meant they extended the opportunity to become an officer to those of lower middle class backgrounds especially those in the ranks who had shown themselves to be natural leaders whilst in the ranks. The one catch was that if you had been elevated from the ranks you had to be posted to a different Battalion from that which you had served in before.The 7th Bn was part of the 157th (Highland Light Infantry) Brigade of the 52nd Lowland Division. Other units were the 5th Bn HLI, 6th Bn HLI (2Lt Vallances original Bn), 9th Bn HLI and the 5th Bn A&SH. This Division was heavily involved in the 2nd Battle of the Somme, the 2nd Battle of Arras and the Advance on the Hindenburg line.Given that the cemetery was attached to three hospitals that existed in that area at various times in the war, it could be assumed that he had been wounded and had passed through the medical evacuation system. This would suggest that he was wounded during one of these three battles mentioned above, or as part of the daily attrition that occured in the First World War.I hope this helps. Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BRITNEY IS NOT FEELING IT 8,293 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 Fantastic find Moonlighter , thanks for keeping us informed ,really is amazing the connections our Club have Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
McBoyd 355 Posted July 30, 2012 Share Posted July 30, 2012 The Arlington is a fantastic place! I was a member for a good while, I had their pool to myself most of the time! Great to find out there was a link to our founders Quote Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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