Hullo Drapadew
It could be because of Blantyre's connection with David Livingston, African Explorer and Missionary. He was born there and his former home is now a museum. In my research, I've come across a fair number of people trying to prove a relationship to him.
Best wishes
Catriona
streets in blantyre.....
Moderators: Global Moderators, Russell
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Margaret
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:11 am
- Location: Gold Coast Queensland
blantyre
Hello Drapadew
My fasincation with Blantyre is that is where my Dad and his family were and as a wee girl in 1949 I visited there and god willing I will visit there again in 2007. It is great to get so many answers, like my question about Clackity/clickety bits on the boots of miners we got lots of wonderful memories from other folks lives. That is what is so wonderful about TS.
My fasincation with Blantyre is that is where my Dad and his family were and as a wee girl in 1949 I visited there and god willing I will visit there again in 2007. It is great to get so many answers, like my question about Clackity/clickety bits on the boots of miners we got lots of wonderful memories from other folks lives. That is what is so wonderful about TS.
Cheers
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
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Margaret
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:11 am
- Location: Gold Coast Queensland
Blantyre
Now tell me please Drapadew, where else on the net could I ask about Glagow miners and some kind soul while playing golf with a pal called Sam discussed my Great Grandad and came up with some answers for me. now I call that pretty great, seeing I am here in Aussie and you on the other side of the world. Once again many thanks for you help
now I call that pretty great, seeing I am here in Aussie and you on the other side of the world. Once again many thanks for you help Cheers
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
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drapadew
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:54 am
Blantyre Streets
So Margaret!
Do you want to talk about Blantyre Streets.
Across the Street where your Dad lived there was a BUS STOP!
It was right on pavement next to Rosendale Place.This is where the miners got on the bus to go to the various villages around Blantyre after they came out of the Greyhound Track, which was next to Bairds Rows.
Most of the time the miners always walked ther dogs home or if it was convenient they jumped on the bus with their dogs The rules of the bus line at that time was only 2 greyhounds were allowed to travel on the bus at any given time.
I had an aunt who was a bus conductress on this line,and one afternoon after the racing had finished her bus drew up to this particular bus stop and a miner tried to get on the bus with two dogs HEY!! NO WAY only two dogs on the bus at anytime she shouts at the miner, we have already got one dog upstairs(double decker bus) and thats all that is allowed.'Oh' please let me on its starting to rain,no way I could get fired if I let you on with those two dogs.Auh well you know what you can do with your bus ,Stick it up your a---, and as quick as one of his greyhounds she replies,I, and had you done that with one of your greyhounds I would have let you on the bus.Some of these bus conductress"s were a right scream.
The bus company at that time was called the Scottish Motor Transportation Co, I do believe it had been Nationalized just shortly after the war,when the Labour Government got in to power.
Hope you enjoyed your history lesson.
TDH
Do you want to talk about Blantyre Streets.
Across the Street where your Dad lived there was a BUS STOP!
It was right on pavement next to Rosendale Place.This is where the miners got on the bus to go to the various villages around Blantyre after they came out of the Greyhound Track, which was next to Bairds Rows.
Most of the time the miners always walked ther dogs home or if it was convenient they jumped on the bus with their dogs The rules of the bus line at that time was only 2 greyhounds were allowed to travel on the bus at any given time.
I had an aunt who was a bus conductress on this line,and one afternoon after the racing had finished her bus drew up to this particular bus stop and a miner tried to get on the bus with two dogs HEY!! NO WAY only two dogs on the bus at anytime she shouts at the miner, we have already got one dog upstairs(double decker bus) and thats all that is allowed.'Oh' please let me on its starting to rain,no way I could get fired if I let you on with those two dogs.Auh well you know what you can do with your bus ,Stick it up your a---, and as quick as one of his greyhounds she replies,I, and had you done that with one of your greyhounds I would have let you on the bus.Some of these bus conductress"s were a right scream.
The bus company at that time was called the Scottish Motor Transportation Co, I do believe it had been Nationalized just shortly after the war,when the Labour Government got in to power.
Hope you enjoyed your history lesson.
TDH
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drapadew
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:54 am
Margaret.
Where your dad lived in Bairds Rows there was no street as such, running down from the Main Street to the homes of the miners,it was basically a cart path, I would say it had to be about 10ft wide,just enough room for a cart and horse to pass through and pretty rough on occasions,The path followed down past the Rows on to the Blantyre Celtic Football ground where it ended.I cannot ever remember it being called by a name,other than the street going down to the B.C.F.Ground.
At the end of the football ground were some fields with cattle usually grazed. Blantyre in the 1930's--40's--50's was still very rural, so it was not uncommon to see livestock being driven through town.Further on you came to the Blantyre Oil Works, whose main entrance was in Forrest Street the next street over(North).After the oil works you hit the L.M.S.R. Railway lines.This was the main railway line for carrying the coal into Glasgow from the surrounding coal mines.Over the railway lines was the "Clyde Braes".This was a sloping area of grass and gorse where you could most times find the miners and their sons either swimming in the river Clyde or just hanging around.In my memory of these times we always seemed to have great weather and always ran around in our bare feet.This was also a great area for the local couples to do their courting or Winching as we called it then.Directly across the Clyde was the town of Bothwell There was a suspension bridge where you had to pay a toll to cross between the two towns or you had to walk a few miles by the main road to get between.
If we retrace our steps back up to the cart path entrance with the main road, on the corner was a Newsagents come Post Office,whose name I have forgotten.On any Tueday morning you would find a lot of my pals and I queuing up for our Comic Cuts.I am sure your dad was probably among the crowd.These comic books were a big thing in our lives,and if you were late getting there, they most times were sold out and you had to go and see if someone would allow you to borrow theirs after they were finished with it.At this time, which was through and shortly after the war,a comic was considered a very precious item especially to negotiate with You just had to know what had happened in that weeks episode or you were out of the conversations for the week at school and around in general.We had the Wizard,Hotspur,Rover,Dandy,Beano and a few others,all great stuff for us kids in them there days.
Most of Buildings on the Main Street were of the Tenement type (See Rhona Wilson's book "OLD BLANTYRE") On page 39 there is a good illustration of the Main Street Blantyre and the tenement type buildings.If you have the book and look at this page 39 it represents about half of the Main Street of Blantyre,I never thought of using this book for illustrating the streets but now that I have, I think it would be very practical to carry on doing so.If you do not have the book we can always wait until such time when you have Bought,Borrowed or Stolen it from somewhere
My reason for using this book!!
When you look along this photo on page 39 to the far left as far as you can see, that is the area I am writing about. Page 34 gives a closer view again.If you look as far as this page shows on the left side there are two horse carts,and right in between where the carts are would be the entrance to the cart path leading down to Bairds Rows.It also helps to refresh my memory of the area and I am sure gives you a greater understanding of what and where in town I am writing about.
I did think of copying the photos of both pages to the gallery,but I do not know if that would be an infringement of copywrite?
Stenlake Publishing, I.S.D.N.1-872074-78-2. I have no known association with either Rhona Wilson or Stenlake Publishing.
Regards
TDH
Where your dad lived in Bairds Rows there was no street as such, running down from the Main Street to the homes of the miners,it was basically a cart path, I would say it had to be about 10ft wide,just enough room for a cart and horse to pass through and pretty rough on occasions,The path followed down past the Rows on to the Blantyre Celtic Football ground where it ended.I cannot ever remember it being called by a name,other than the street going down to the B.C.F.Ground.
At the end of the football ground were some fields with cattle usually grazed. Blantyre in the 1930's--40's--50's was still very rural, so it was not uncommon to see livestock being driven through town.Further on you came to the Blantyre Oil Works, whose main entrance was in Forrest Street the next street over(North).After the oil works you hit the L.M.S.R. Railway lines.This was the main railway line for carrying the coal into Glasgow from the surrounding coal mines.Over the railway lines was the "Clyde Braes".This was a sloping area of grass and gorse where you could most times find the miners and their sons either swimming in the river Clyde or just hanging around.In my memory of these times we always seemed to have great weather and always ran around in our bare feet.This was also a great area for the local couples to do their courting or Winching as we called it then.Directly across the Clyde was the town of Bothwell There was a suspension bridge where you had to pay a toll to cross between the two towns or you had to walk a few miles by the main road to get between.
If we retrace our steps back up to the cart path entrance with the main road, on the corner was a Newsagents come Post Office,whose name I have forgotten.On any Tueday morning you would find a lot of my pals and I queuing up for our Comic Cuts.I am sure your dad was probably among the crowd.These comic books were a big thing in our lives,and if you were late getting there, they most times were sold out and you had to go and see if someone would allow you to borrow theirs after they were finished with it.At this time, which was through and shortly after the war,a comic was considered a very precious item especially to negotiate with You just had to know what had happened in that weeks episode or you were out of the conversations for the week at school and around in general.We had the Wizard,Hotspur,Rover,Dandy,Beano and a few others,all great stuff for us kids in them there days.
Most of Buildings on the Main Street were of the Tenement type (See Rhona Wilson's book "OLD BLANTYRE") On page 39 there is a good illustration of the Main Street Blantyre and the tenement type buildings.If you have the book and look at this page 39 it represents about half of the Main Street of Blantyre,I never thought of using this book for illustrating the streets but now that I have, I think it would be very practical to carry on doing so.If you do not have the book we can always wait until such time when you have Bought,Borrowed or Stolen it from somewhere
My reason for using this book!!
When you look along this photo on page 39 to the far left as far as you can see, that is the area I am writing about. Page 34 gives a closer view again.If you look as far as this page shows on the left side there are two horse carts,and right in between where the carts are would be the entrance to the cart path leading down to Bairds Rows.It also helps to refresh my memory of the area and I am sure gives you a greater understanding of what and where in town I am writing about.
I did think of copying the photos of both pages to the gallery,but I do not know if that would be an infringement of copywrite?
Stenlake Publishing, I.S.D.N.1-872074-78-2. I have no known association with either Rhona Wilson or Stenlake Publishing.
Regards
TDH
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Margaret
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:11 am
- Location: Gold Coast Queensland
Bairds Row
Hello Drapadew
I have just printed out your last history story, and so much enjoyed it. When I lived in Kilmarnock as a 7 year old,(way back in 1949) I loved the Comic Cuts to and my favourite was Beano, so much so that my Aunt had them sent to me in New Zealand for several years.
Now just to set my family and Bairds Row who, when and where;: My Grandfather lived there as a 16 to 20 year old, he then married Elizabeth Finlay and they moved to Turnpike Road & Spingwell Terrace, High Blantyre ( on my Dad's birth cert says Robetsons Land, Springwell, Blantyre he was born in 1898) . My Gran and Grandad are both burried in High Blantyre cemetry.
You were talking about the cart path and the photo's of the horse and cart, both my Grandad and Grt Grandad had horse and cart my Great Grandad had 6 horses (according to census) sounds quite a lot to me for a man of meager means. When my Grandad lived in Bairds Row in 1891 age 16 he was working as a wagon shifter in 1901 he was working as a Coal Pit Bottoman.
Please keep the stories of Blantyre coming really enjoy them and with your permission would love to add them to my family history files, so that my children/grand children will know something of their Scottish heritage. The book Old Blanyre, I dont have but my family from Hamilton are arriving here in 14 days time for a holiday with us so I will see if they can get it for me when they return to Scotland.
Have a great 2006.
I have just printed out your last history story, and so much enjoyed it. When I lived in Kilmarnock as a 7 year old,(way back in 1949) I loved the Comic Cuts to and my favourite was Beano, so much so that my Aunt had them sent to me in New Zealand for several years.
Now just to set my family and Bairds Row who, when and where;: My Grandfather lived there as a 16 to 20 year old, he then married Elizabeth Finlay and they moved to Turnpike Road & Spingwell Terrace, High Blantyre ( on my Dad's birth cert says Robetsons Land, Springwell, Blantyre he was born in 1898) . My Gran and Grandad are both burried in High Blantyre cemetry.
You were talking about the cart path and the photo's of the horse and cart, both my Grandad and Grt Grandad had horse and cart my Great Grandad had 6 horses (according to census) sounds quite a lot to me for a man of meager means. When my Grandad lived in Bairds Row in 1891 age 16 he was working as a wagon shifter in 1901 he was working as a Coal Pit Bottoman.
Please keep the stories of Blantyre coming really enjoy them and with your permission would love to add them to my family history files, so that my children/grand children will know something of their Scottish heritage. The book Old Blanyre, I dont have but my family from Hamilton are arriving here in 14 days time for a holiday with us so I will see if they can get it for me when they return to Scotland.
Have a great 2006.
Cheers
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
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drapadew
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2005 2:54 am
Margaret.
Great to hear that you are having visitors.I sure did enjoy Australia last year when i was over there.Sydney, Perth and Canberra regions.The Last time i was home, while i was in Glasgow i picked up the book 'OLD BLANTYRE " at Borders book store,which i think was on W.Nile St.this is a great source for this type of book,featuring a lot of the old villages of Scotland.Maybe your relations could still have the time to pick it up and bring it with them?
Just a thought!!
If not i will be in Scotland April this year,and if you do not have one by then i would be pleased to buy and send you one.
I would say that your GGranfather having 6 horses would be considered to be a man of some wealth in those days.
TDH
Researching for=
Dunsmuir,Dunsmore,Hart, Naismith,McIntosh,McLean Robertson,
Findlay, Finlay, Pollock,Jackson. Lanarkshire
Ralston, Mull of Kintyre,and Renfrewshire.
Carroll, Gallacher, Forrester, Wilson. Ireland
Great to hear that you are having visitors.I sure did enjoy Australia last year when i was over there.Sydney, Perth and Canberra regions.The Last time i was home, while i was in Glasgow i picked up the book 'OLD BLANTYRE " at Borders book store,which i think was on W.Nile St.this is a great source for this type of book,featuring a lot of the old villages of Scotland.Maybe your relations could still have the time to pick it up and bring it with them?
Just a thought!!
If not i will be in Scotland April this year,and if you do not have one by then i would be pleased to buy and send you one.
I would say that your GGranfather having 6 horses would be considered to be a man of some wealth in those days.
TDH
Researching for=
Dunsmuir,Dunsmore,Hart, Naismith,McIntosh,McLean Robertson,
Findlay, Finlay, Pollock,Jackson. Lanarkshire
Ralston, Mull of Kintyre,and Renfrewshire.
Carroll, Gallacher, Forrester, Wilson. Ireland
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Margaret
- Posts: 162
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2005 7:11 am
- Location: Gold Coast Queensland
books on blayntyre
Hello TDH
Missed the rellies by one day, but they have said that they will purchase the book for me when they get back to Glasgow, so many thanks for your offer but all under control. Just got hold of my GGrandfathers death cert, and the man who had so many horses sadly died in the Poor house of Govan.
Keep those stories about Blantyre coming really enjoy them and sure others do to.
Missed the rellies by one day, but they have said that they will purchase the book for me when they get back to Glasgow, so many thanks for your offer but all under control. Just got hold of my GGrandfathers death cert, and the man who had so many horses sadly died in the Poor house of Govan.
Keep those stories about Blantyre coming really enjoy them and sure others do to.
Cheers
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
Margaret
researching:: Morton, Miller, Finlay, McDonald, Bullock, Forrester. Glasgow and Kilmarnock areas
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nancy
- Posts: 257
- Joined: Sun Dec 19, 2004 11:15 am
- Location: paisley renfrewshire
Hi there Margaret and Drapadew,yes i'm fair enjoying your little stories about Blantyre and probably the rest of TS are as well. Aren't all those books with old pictures really good?Every time an Old Paisley one comes out,its a "must have" They really transport you away back. I think we passed through Blantyre yrs ago.Was there not a soft drinks company there?Robertsons or something? Keep the stories coming 
Cheers Nancy
Cheers Nancy