High Blantyre 1904

Blantyre's Ain Website

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

High Blantyre

High Blantyre 1904

The spire of Blantyre Parish Church is visible in the background of this 1904 picture, taken just beyond the Cross.

Main Street, High Blantyre, looking west towards Kirkton Cross. The spire of Blantyre Old Parish Church is visible in the background of this 1904 picture. Its first minister, William Chirnside, was also the last Catholic priest at the Priory. The way he changed his beliefs like a pair of socks illustrates the religious turmoil of the Reformation, when scruples went out of the window as people desperately scrabbled to join the ‘right’ side. The Minister who wrote the Second Statistical Account used his position to complain that ‘the manse is falling apart’, quickly making the point that ‘Lord Blantyre is patron’!

Almost everything in this picture except the brick wall surrounding the Church has gone. A centenary memorial to victims of the Dixon’s Pit Disaster stands on the left and there is a sheltered housing scheme on the right where the Old Church Hall used to be at the junction of Hunthill Road and Main Street.

Almost everything in this picture except the brick wall surrounding the Church has gone. A centenary memorial to victims of the Dixon’s Pit Disaster stands on the left and there is a sheltered housing scheme on the right where the Old Church Hall used to be at the junction of Hunthill Road and Main Street. Looking West to High Blantyre Cross
Christina Frame: We used to watch for the gas lamp lighter man as he came along and lit up the lamp posts, amazing I loved it.
Archie McNulty: One of the last gas men in Blantyre was Bobby Glen, he would light the street lights up at night and extinguish them in the morning and during the day would empty the gas meter’s and give a rebate if any was due. He was still lighting up lights in Broompark Road and Auchinraith Road in the early 50’s.
Christina Frame: You mention the lamp posts. I used to sit at a big table by the window in 20 Muir Street, High Blantyre, and we used to watch. tehe

With thanks for the kind permission of Rhona Wilson and Richard Stenlake Publishers to publish photos from the book, “Old Blantyre“.

~~~

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

Back to home

Right to next page

Site Designed & Maintained by:
minisymbol21“In Pursuit of Excellence”

Copyright © Symbol Internet Marketing 2003 – 2023

haste-ye-banner1