The first mine to open (and the last to close in 1953) was the Thankerton mine. Others followed swiftly and rapidly increased the size of the town, even attracting a steady stream of immigrants from abroad, particularly Ireland and Lithuania, so much so that the town is sometimes referred to as 'Little Lithuania' (or historically 'Little Poland', as contemporary evidence shows locals made little effort to distinguish the incomers' backgrounds). Factors adversely affecting integration for the first generation of these 'new Scots' included a language barrier, minority religion (most were Catholic) and hostility based on suspicion of taking jobs, undercutting wages and breaking strikes – therefore the Lithuanians in Bellshill and elsewhere tended to identify more closely with the Irish communities of each town who had similar issues. The rise in the migrant population (though severely impacted by the political landscapes of First World War and subsequent Russian Revolution which adversely affected the status of Lithuanians both in their homeland and in Britain) led to the opening of The Scottish Lithuanian Recreation and Social Club on Calder Road in the Mossend area, but much of the culture has faded over the decades, with younger generations sometimes unaware of their family's history due to a desire to assimilate into Scottish life and changes to distinctive surnames (either voluntarily or by obligation). Among the most famous of the descendents of this community was footballer Billy McNeill of Celtic and Scotland, while other mid-20th century players of the same heritage included Andy Swallow, Alex Millar, Matt Balunas and John Jack.