Mary stood up for everyone

The Paisley area is justifiably proud of political sons like Willie Gallacher and Jimmy Maxton who campaigned for better living and working conditions for ordinary people.

- 

Less well-known is Elderslie carpet-weaver and Red Clydesider Mary ‘Granny’ Barbour who died 50 years ago last month.

Mary stood up to unscrupulous landlords who threatened to impose hefty rent increases on poor families during the First World War — or evict them from their homes — when fathers and husbands were fighting and dying on foreign battlefields. The unprincipled landlords mistakenly thought the women would be too scared to oppose them.

Born in Kilbarchan on February 22, 1875, Mary was the third of seven children parented by carpet weaver James Rough and his wife, Jane Gavin.