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Post by pwm437 on Nov 14, 2007 21:34:11 GMT 1
Prowling among the mountain of notebooks, scraps and newspaper cuttings I came across some information on James Griffiths.
He will be remembered by the fateful events of 15th July 1969.
Glasgow police made their way to an address at Holyrood Crescent, off Great Western Road to arrest a murder suspect, one James Griffiths. As the police approached, Griffiths started firing a gun at them, and one of the most remarkable afternoons in the history of Glasgow crime. As he continued to fire, members of the public dived for cover.
Griffiths fled across the north end of the city firing at anything that moved. He was finally cornered in a flat at 26 Kay Street in the Springburn area.
Chief Superintendent Malcolm Finlayson, who was by this time armed, crept up the close, to outside the door of the flat where Griffiths was holed up.
Finlayson pointed his revolver through the letterbox, and fatally wounded Griffiths.
The list of those shot by Griffiths was as follows ;
William Hughes (65) shot in Possil Road : DIED
D.C. William Walker (28) shot in Barrington Drive
James Kerr (57) shot in Henderson Street
Robert McAdam (57) shot in Barrington Drive
Samuel Collins (65) shot in Holyrood Crescent
Ian Watson (23) shot in Great Western Road
Mary McKinnon (46) shot in Holyrood Crescent
Ian Shaw (17) shot in Possil Road
Irene Reid (18) shot near a playground
John Currie (24) shot in Napiershall Street
Peter Paterson (38) shot in Possil Road
Jack Kerr (22) shot in Holyrood Crescent
Valerie Boyd (21) shot (location not known)
A black day for the city.
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Isabel
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Post by Isabel on Nov 14, 2007 22:33:59 GMT 1
I lived in Hillkirk Street in Springburn at the time this happened and the first we knew anything was wrong was when a neighbours children came running into the street shouting that a man had a gun next to the swingpark. The back of the flat looked onto the park and all the children were told to make their way home by the police. A short time later armed police came into the street looking for a high vantage point that over looked Kay Street but there wasn't any. I have never heard or seen so many police cars etc in my life. I also saw an army lorry fleeing up Springburn Road towards Kay Street.. It took Springburn quite a while to get back to normal esp the streets near where this happened. Hillkirk Street was two streets away from Kay Street.
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Post by pwm437 on Nov 16, 2007 16:23:03 GMT 1
Thanks for your very personal account of the events of that day weanie.
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pitbull
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Post by pitbull on Jan 8, 2008 23:20:03 GMT 1
i read that i a book called the paddy meehan story the guy , paddy was innocent and this english guy who was a lunatic was believed to be the culprit.
usually i always root for the baddy but am glad he got shot thru that letterbox that day big difference between films and real this guy watched too many gangster films.
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 18, 2009 15:29:12 GMT 1
I knew paddy meehan, pitbull he got life for a murder I think it was in ayr, that he didnt do, a guy called waddell who I also knew, did the murder, yrs after waddell went on the telly and admitted to the murder, he was charged, and got life, paddy meehan was released after yrs in prison he always protested his innocence, and stayed in solitary, all that time. he fought for a pardon, but I dont know if he got one?  ?. |
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Post by brownlee on Feb 18, 2009 18:53:40 GMT 1
Meehan got a pardon. Lived his fianal years in East Kilbride I believe. Waddell and someone called 'Tank' McGuinness were almost certainly the real killers of Mrs Ross in Ayr, the crime for which Meehan was charged. They (Meehan and Griffiths) passed near the area the night of the murder, and their fate was a combination of misfortune and stupidness on their part. Even more unbelievably, McGuinness was actually stopped by police near the Ross home on the night of the crime but tricked his way out of arrest claiming he was drunk and had missed the last bus home to Glasgow. Waddell did not get 'Life' Patrick he was killed in 1982 in a fight.
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Post by brownlee on Feb 18, 2009 19:02:57 GMT 1
McGuinness died in a street brawl in Janefield Street, Parkhead c.1978.
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Post by Waverley on Feb 18, 2009 22:14:02 GMT 1
McGuinness died in a street brawl in Janefield Street, Parkhead c.1978. Nobody was ever charged with his murder... |
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 19, 2009 13:44:11 GMT 1
was that pat mc guinness charlie? ? |
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 19, 2009 13:50:12 GMT 1
brownlee surely waddell got charged with the murder, and you said he was killed in a fight in 1982 was that in prison? |
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Post by brownlee on Feb 19, 2009 18:07:53 GMT 1
Cannot remember the exact circumstances Patrick but I do not think Ian Waddell was ever charged with Nrs Ross's murder. He was a free man when he himself was murdered.
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 19, 2009 20:17:22 GMT 1
I have found out ian waddell was charged, but at the edinburgh high court, lord robertson managed to persuade a jury to accquitt Ian waddell, who had committed, and admitted the murder because he himself believed meehan still did the murder, even after meehan was granted a free pardon.
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 21, 2009 0:55:41 GMT 1
theres an old saying what goes around, comes around, and in waddell,s case this was spot on.
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Post by brownlee on Feb 22, 2009 14:12:09 GMT 1
As with McGuinness too.
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 22, 2009 14:49:35 GMT 1
those who live by the sword die by the sword.
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Post by holywell37 on Feb 22, 2009 18:42:04 GMT 1
The cliche police will get you, patrick, if you're not careful. Only kidding.
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patrick
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Post by patrick on Feb 22, 2009 19:16:28 GMT 1
It wasnt me your honour I was fitted up by the polis, in the 60s there were a lot of people convicted of crimes they did not comitt, at the same time some got away with ones they did do but had very clever barristers,there was a certain wee man from the soo side, who got away with ones he done,but he was fitted up for one he didnt do so if the polis wanted you bad enough in the 60s they would get you,I must add not all of them were crooked. holywell37, I know youre only kidding I can take a laugh.
tt--
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Post by brownlee on Feb 24, 2009 19:15:03 GMT 1
Am I correct in remembering that Griffiths panicked when he heard the cops were coming for him but it was not connected to the Ayr murder and that it was a minor offence and thats what led to the shoot out?
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Post by Dean Griffiths on Dec 31, 2021 2:18:16 GMT 1
james Griffiths was my Dad and the police went after him for the murder of mrs A Ross that he had nothing to do with yes he was a bad man a bank robber but if the police would have done there job right he would have not been put in a place where he was shot like a dog putting a gun though a letter box and shooting dead a man like that
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