Batters Ironmongers

Batters Ironmongers, Glasgow Road

Everything from a horse shoe nail to an anchor.

Everytime I see the Two Ronnies Sketch, I think of Mr Batters. Four Caunels… Naw Fork Haunels…

Opposite the bottom of Church Street was Batters’ Ironmongers, which was owned by my Great Aunt and her husband Walter Batters. My Dad, Kenny Crombie, remembers at around the age of 8 being allowed to cut his first key! I think perhaps getting to use his hands so early on, planted the seed for him serving his apprenticeship with Harper’s garage and then to Robertson’s of Springwell. My sister and I were never allowed the ‘ginger’ or Kwenchy cups to make into ‘jubilees’ for fear our teeth would rot!

Also, my Great Uncle Jack Brown was the manager at the ‘Dookit’ and Great Aunt Daisy held dancing lessons. Their daughter Joyce followed Daisy’s footsteps too.

Many thanks for allowing me to ramble on, Carol Crombie (39)

Besides the Shop and Warehouse on Glasgow Road, the Batters family owned 15 houses in Church Street in 1915.

Just to clarify where we are in our journey from the East, on the North side of Glasgow Road.

Stonefield Parish Church on the left with Walter Batters Ironmongers on the right. The turreted building on the right is the Castle Vaults at the top of John Street.

Stonefield Parish Church on the left with Walter Batters Ironmongers on the right. The turreted building on the right is the Castle Vaults at John Street.

Aerial view of Forrest Street, Clark Street and John Street

Here we see Forrest Street, on the left, in relation to Clark Street, in the middle and John Street on the right.

The Streets on the South Side of Glasgow Road are Elm Street (top middle), Church Street and Logan Street, far right. The football park is Castle Park, home of Blantyre Victoria F.C.

You could get almost anything you wanted from Batters, little girl’s scraps, paraffin, nuts and bolts, springs, ornaments. The list goes on. They even branded some of their products like this chain pull, which is owned by Alison Walker-Hill’s family who live at the old Board Room in the workers’ village.

As you can see by your memories, Batters was a much loved shop by the people of Blantyre.

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Your Memories:

Helen Grieve: Their son was in my class at primary! They lived in Church Street then.

Amanda Palmer: Mrs Batters still lives across road from me in Church Street!

Helen Grieve: My scraps on a Saturday with my pocket money!

Margaret Mcculloch: Wish that shop batters was back, beats Asda any day.

Catriona Paterson: Best shop with the best smell, I bought my scraps from here when I was a wee girl, and I still have my scraps sadly the shop has gone……. oh the memories.

Rosemary Law: I remember sitting on the big chair next to the front door n the smell of the place.

Monica McFall Holmes: Yep Mrs Batters lives next door to my mum!! Lovin all the old photos on this page. X

Amanda O’Neill Gwynne: I remember my mum taking me here to buy Scraps.

Fran Flavia McDermott Mcwalters: Remember the smell of the shop to this day x

Jeanette Izzett: Loved the smell in the shop.

Mary Boyle: I bought my Mum an ornament for Mother’s Day from Batters when I was wee. It was an ashtray so being a non smoker she wasn’t impressed! Xx

Jane Barkey: Loved Batters even got my ornaments out of there. A lovely red glass dog, loved it.

Ivy Robertson: I still remember the carbolic soap smell.

Jan Ritchie: Great shop! You could get anything you needed! And Rosie! I loved the smell too! x

James Hunter: SMELL OF PARAFFIN.

Margaret Quinn: Bought my scraps there, spent hours deciding, could never afford thon big angels x

Helen Howe: Loved going to that shop for ma scraps cos they had good yins and a bit diff from other shops a still to this day love the smell in an ironmongers !

Jamie Boyle: I think the sketch from the two Ronnies fork handles could been filmed in there lol

Diane Cunningham: Loved the smell in it x

Marian Maguire Best wee shop in Blantyre, you could go in there for One nail.

Maureen McGilligan Downie: The 2 Batter’s Sisters lived in Church Street when me and Jim moved in they were lovely ladies that was (1988)

Marianne Timmions: It was like a Aladdin’s cave things hanging everywhere.

Orlando Ancilotti: Best smell of any shop ever.

Carol Summers: I loved Batters, and used to go in with my Grandad. I also remember the smell and used to think they sold every single thing in the world there! Happy memories

Amanda Price Campbel: I agree! The smell was fabulous!!

Sheena Thomson: I remember the smell when you walked in it sold everything.

Jane Barkey: Loved that shop bought a lot of ornaments in that wee shop a long time ago. Brought back memories.

Margo Haughen: Loved that shop…the Batters were my dad’s cousins, I think!!

Jackie Croft: I remember this shop x

Pamela Holland: It had two counters made of wood and depending what you wanted you went to that counter key cutting nails and school bus ticket was on the left counter

John McCourt: Could get anything from a needle to an anchor, remember it went on fire.

Audrey Marshall: Thanks for this x

James Faulds davt Thomson: it was Matha the poles that did the soles ect, Willie Pate for papers, Bradlly’s for bottle Senattigen wine or four crown, Regos for singles cics, Annie Botterell’s for fish and chips, Blacks the bakers, so many great shops and people

Etta Morrison: Loved going in here just for the smell..all the wee drawers with every size screw and nails..no matter what you asked for they could go straight to it..

Sadie Dolan: Loved this shop sold everything, it had the two counters one on left side and one on right the smell in it was amazing!!

Hazel Krawczyk: He was my papa and lived in Church Street till he passed away just up from the original shop in Glasgow Road !

Pamela Bushell: Remember it well they sold everything under the sun you name it they had it I was also a paper girl for Willy pate loved my wee job delivered the Sunday papers brings back lovely memories

John Murray: Was this that place that was on the same street as Pate’s the Newsagents? Still have an Eveready torch that I got from there that was bought in 1979.

Laurie Allan Crothers: What a great wee shop it was. You’re right Sadie, it did sell everything.

Nancy McFadden: Remember the Christmas window and buying scraps there.

Helen Gilchrist Young Baird: Loved that shop, especially for scraps.

Nadine Gallagher: Best shop ever often think of this shop. Never forget the smell xxx

Carol Crombie: It was my great-uncle who owned it and I have only a faint memory of the shop – sadly

Eleanor Duncan Nailon: loved going there for my scraps defo can remember the smell bring back great memories x

Bruce Baldwin: One of the great wee shops Asda killed off .. Loved it as been said. u could get almost anything here

Joe Jones: Remember it Well

Jeanette Lee: I was a Saturday girl there many years ago and loved it

Colin Balfour: Remember ma dad sending me there for a pound of felt nails for his hut when I was a wee lad

Joe Kane: Great shop it had everything the smell was amazing

Andy Lynch: Walter Batters were Santa Clause

Georgina Durnan Mackie: That was the best days xx

Billy Mckinlay: Went to school with His son George

John Crothers: They sold everything you needed

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If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

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