Timber Houses

Aerial View of Timber Houses

A photo taken from Merry’s Pit Bing of the Timber Houses circa late 40s. Taken by Tracey McDougall’s grandfather, John Cameron – Who was born in 1924 in Watson Street beside High Blantyre Primary and also lived in Birdsfield Timber houses and also Calder Street with his wife’s family the Campbell’s, then Fernslea Avenue beside St. Blane’s Primary and later in Winton Crescent.

Aerial view of Timberland Look out for the Bus, Railway Line, Cemetery, Tractor, Bike, Family walking, Couple gardening, Prams and Air Raid Shelters.

A picture tells a hundred stories.

Sent in by Tracey McDougall

Your Memories:

Gary Doonin: Great photo notice the big field in left of photo between rear of houses on Auchinraith road and rear of timber hooses. That field is still there and used for equestrian purposes, a lot of people in Blantyre don’t know that field exists.

David Aitken: Man, I never knew that field was there, must check that out.

Elizabeth Weaver: I still can’t get my bearings – how do you get to that field?

Gary Doonin: James is correct the Kelly’s, a well known family in the area, had a timber hoose on Auchinraith Road but their house seems to be hidden by the timber hoose in the Birdsfield cul de sac. Talking of jumble sales James, it’s obvious you couldn’t move that icelandic jumper.

Jim McDougal: We moved in to the prefabs Main St across from the factories after in 1947, every one in those days had lovely gardens, all the garden paths were laid in red ash from the bing ,my brother Duncan and I after school with a barrow had to fetch load after load so dad could lay his paths, the bing also great for playing cowboys and Indians, aye those were great days growing up in High Blantyre, Brilliant photo Tracey.

Maggie O’Brien: Is it not Murray’s bing?

Gary Doonin: Locals called it Murrays but Merry’s was name of the pit owner. See my maws house on Auchinraith Road at top right of picture.

Blantyre’s Ain: Gary is absolutely right.

James O’Donnelly: I was going to mention that I recall you actually got the majority of your current clobber from the sale that day!

James O’Donnelly: I’m sure the last big house on the right was Kelly’s house (Kelly’s coal) where my mum’s family grew up. Ma aunty Celia and uncle Pat kept on the house after my grandma died. I remember my cousin Celia and I, when we’re about 10, organised a big jumble sale out the back garden in the the late 70s… It was really busy and we donated to an old folks home. It’s difficult to imagine something like that happening nowadays.

Christina Frame: Climbed that bing a few times and skinned my knees on the sharp red stones!!

George Mackenzie: We lived in the pre-fabs at the foot of Murray’s bing and I got the only leathering I ever got from my faither when he caught me sliding all the way down the bing on a shovel!

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