Baird’s Rows

Baird’s Rows, Blantyre

Queen’s Coronation 1953 Just like everywhere else in the UK, the Queen’s Coronation was celebrated by all matter of means. Here in Baird’s Raws we had a party with cakes, milk and ginger, games afterwards and a massive bonfire.

The man in the picture worked at the Broadway Cinema… Anyone know his name?

Hello Bill, My name is George Rodgers and the person in the photo is my brother Charles. He as you said worked at the Broadway cinema. He passed away many years ago, George Rodgers William Clarkin sitting at bottom right wearing a collar and tie. My mom, Janette McKinnon Watson, is furthest right in plaid skirt, Dark hair. She is 15 years old at the time. From Janet Mooney USA. Sent in by Ellen Clarkin

Baird’s Rows consisted of three rows of tied Miners cottages belonging to Craighead Colliery. Purdie Builders of Coatbridge commenced construction of the houses in April 1878, in the area at present occupied by Park’s Bus Company, between Forrest Street, Glasgow Road and the East Kilbride Expressway.

Note from Bill: I was born in No. 66 Baird’s Raws which is the second last house on the right in the Top row of this photo but it is really the Middle Row. Water was supplied to the houses from Craighead Pit. The houses were numbered but there were no street names. (From, Blantyre, An Historical Dictionary by Neil Gordon)

Note from Bill…

I was born in Baird’s Row’s and lived there for the first four years of my life. I actually have a lot of memories from that time, including the time that I was pegged up on a washing line for stealing cabbage from a neighbours window cill, which she had put out to cool.

Craighead Miners with their Davy Lamps. My Dad would have worked with these miners. He used to tell the story about how they used the handles of pails to shape their bunnets, but I think he was just winding us up.

Anthony Smith 1936.

Craighead Colliery. Area called the Tumblers. My dad, Anthony Smith on the right.

Photo sent in by Anthony Smith

The weans o’ Baird’s Raws 1929-30 Just think how innocent they were back then. They wouldn’t even know why they had to stand still or kneel and probably didn’t know what a photograph was. And yet to come was the second World War and all the adversity that brought. I would just love to be able to trace their individual lives, now that would be a story worth telling.

Social Comments…

Maureen McGilligan Downie: That’s my Dad front row in the middle behind the ball James McGilligan.

Blantyre’s Ain: Wow Maureen, is he still with us?

Maureen McGilligan Downie: No, my Dad died 37 years come the 18th of December. (1977)

Jim McDougall: What a brilliant photo Bill . It brings back memories of growing up in Dixon’s Raws in the 40s.

Wendy Dalgleish: That’s when kids played in the dirt lol.

Brendan O’neill: My mum was a Baird’s raws wean.

Ann Stevens: My mum was a Baird’s Raws lassie. Her name was McKinnon and lived in bottom raw.

Heather Mcwilliam: What a great picture and what a range of facial expression.

Helen Dunsmuir: Great picture.

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If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

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