Masonic Buildings

We next come to Church Street and the Masonic Buildings built in three stages, the first shop on this block was a Millinery Store which sold all kinds of cotton, needles, and lace for the local gentry. The next shop was a greengrocers.
The next large door on the block was the entrance to the Masonic Lodge or Masonic hall as we called it, big double door with brass fittings, quite impressive as opposed to the other doors around.

Mary Boyle: I remember this block well. First ground floor Flat was owned by my Aunt Cathy McQueenie. She used to park her ice cream van behind the telephone box.

Obviously, as time passed, the shops changed in both ownership and type of produce sold. Here we have Miller’s (not sure if this is Matha the Pole’s Shoe Shop before relocating). Entrance to the Masonic Lodge and Hall, Greenhorn Flesher’s, i.e. Butchers, then a Printers & Stationers and James Houston.

More recently we had Dr Hutchison’s surgery, Millinery, Greengrocers, Masonic Temple & Hall, Bowie’s Florist, fruit & veg, James Aitkenhead Butcher, later Craig’s the Butchers, where the cows sheep and pigs were strung up in the store, with some in the refrigerator, but most of the time they just hung up in the store.

Bob Craig was lucky that he was not far from the local slaughter house in John Street and could get his fresh meat very quickly. Then we had Mathieson’s the Jeweller, Scottish Clydesdale Bank, the Priory Bar and then Logan Street.

For those of you who are a wee bit lost, here is an aerial photo which puts it into perspective. Middle left, Stonefield Parish Church, Church Street, Masonic Buildings, Priory Bar then Logan Street. Drill Hall above Masonic Buildings.

Top of John Street, bottom right with Castle Vaults on corner of Glasgow Road.

Jean Gibson: It was Davidson the butcher, Craig’s was opposite Nessies school.

Moyra Lindsay: My mum started working in the fruit shop when she turned 14 that was in 1933. Mrs Young owned it then. Davidson’s lived in one of the semi detached bungalows opposite your gran in Broompark Rd. Mrs D was a lovely lady.

Mae Donnelly: I remember going in Bowie’s before school in the morning !

Robert McLeod-Wolohan: The Priory Bar was my local pub when I was a teenager, that seems so far away now, wish I could go back to the good old days lol.

Len Northfield: The slaughterhouse and butchers, before Peter Craig took it on, was my grandfather’s, Jimmy Aitkenhead.

John Mcgaulley: Davidson’s the butchers, I worked there in 1964

~~~

If you have any Photos… Send them to Bill

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