Nicholson’s Shop

Looking North on Station Road, we have Nicholson’s Shop on the corner of Woodburn Avenue across from Farm Road. They also owned the Piggery in John Street at one time. Every house in the village had a bin for the piggery, called a broke bin, which would be filled with food scraps and anything that would rot. Nicholson’s lorry would come on a certain day to collect.

There was a short cut into the Public Park through the fence behind the Building, very useful for the children to pop through the fence to get their sweets.

This shop was the hub of the village.

After the Nicholson’s, the shop was owned by Anne and Jim Barbour, who got Dougie Fraser’s wife, Ann, to manage the shop after her husband Dougie died in 1971, and she sold their shop in McCaffrie’s Building, Springwell closed. She retired in 1977, and the shop closed shortly after that. The building was demolished in the early 80s.

Elizabeth Wallace: Dougie and Ann Fraser owned their shop and later my gran sold the ground to Duncan’s the scrap dealers who had the scrap yard behind the building. McCAffrie did not own their shop or the part of the building that used to be there to where the billboards are just now .

Blantyre’s Ain: Hi Elizabeth, I am intrigued about your post on my page. Can I clarify a few things. You are commenting on the building in Springwell where Dougie and Ann Fraser had their shop and not on the Nicholson’s Building in Station Road? Are you saying that McCaffrie did not own their Pub in that building? You said that your Gran sold the land to the Duncan’s who had the scrapyard behind the building, so did your Gran own the land? Can you please clarify in as much detail as you can for the record. Thanks, Bill

Elizabeth Wallace: HI Bill, I am talking about the building in Springwell. My granpa Dougie was born in the back of the shop which was owned by his dad and later on he inherited the shop and the building which was attached to end of the shop (where the house and billboards are now) I do not know about the pub only that he owned the shop and at one time my Dad and Mum lived in the flat above the shop.

Elizabeth Wallace: Bill, I can only remember that at one end of the building it was a ice cream shop a few flats next, then a close to get access to the upstair flats then a butchers then Dougie’s shop, a flat next to it then a opening to get into the back of the building. There was a washhouse in the rear and allotments and to the back of them. Duncan’s scrapyard. Hope this helps.

Blantyre’s Ain: Elizabeth Wallace This is all fascinating info Elizabeth and it is great to have it recorded. Do you remember the other Scrapyard across the road, called Ireland’s?

Elizabeth Wallace Yes the workers used to come into the shop for their rolls as well as the men from the boltworks.

Elizabeth Wallace: Bill, there used to be a couple of houses down a wee bit from the shop where the small units are now. I remember that they got flooded at one time when the burn overflowed and the family stored some of their furniture in the shop.

Marion Robertson: My sister Fiona Glen lived upstairs in the corner flat above the shop, Karen Glen your bedroom paper had teddies and caravans in this flat lol, great memories and of course great wallpaper x

Fiona Glen: Marion, it was Wind in the Willows wallpaper in Karen’s room above the shop. I remember Mrs Fraser and the Barbour’s who had the shop below. Xx

Jeanette Allardyce Ward: I mind of this wee shop on Station Road. Used to get sent here for the Sunday papers. There was a wee shortcut through to the public park where u nipped through for your sweets wen u were in the big park.

Olive Rawlings: Lived in this building till the age of 16 . They were great days.

Marianne Timmions: I remember the Barbour’s that had the shop my dad was friends with the dad. I used to walk people’s dogs that lived in the building and I remember the derelict land behind it, we used to pick the raspberries that grew there, fun days ????

Fiona Glen: Hi Marianne, I knew your mum and dad from Station Road. We were the Weir’s from Station Road. I also stayed above the Barbour’s shop who were Anne and Jim Barbour. It’s a small world xx

Marianne Timmions: Loved that wee shop, yeah small world, unfortunately my parents are no longer here but loved living in Station Road x

~~~

If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

Site Designed & Maintained by:
“In Pursuit of Excellence”