High Blantyre c1900

Main Street – High Blantyre

The tenement block containing the Bank, Post Office (run by Mrs Darling) and Dan Dove’s Butcher shop with the Stones Hotel where the Wall is between the two tenements at the far end.

New facilities, Main Street, High Blantyre

The tenement block has been replaced by a new range of facilities housed in a modern stone faced, brick row.

Another view of Main Street further along towards Auchinraith. Stones Hotel on the left through the stone pillars. Gas Lamp on the right.

Now, if you look at the woman and child in the coloured photo, probably the photographers wife and child, and see them in the first photo, when merged, proves that both of these photos were taken on the same day, as pointed out by Robert Brownlie.

Your Comments:

Brian Weaver: I remember the post office was very dark and serious. The butcher’s shop was run by Ian Hobson in the 1950’s and had sawdust on the floor.

George Mackenzie: My mother was born either in the post office building or round the corner in Cemetery Road. Remember your mum’s shop Betty and I think Mrs Darling ran the Post Office then as my Auntie Nettie took me up the street in my pram, and went into the Post Office. When she got home my mother asked her where I was and she’d left me in the pram outside the Post Office! These days they’d be contacting Social Services.

Elizabeth Weaver: The good old days, George, eh? When babies were left in prams outside shops and nobody thought anything of it. I bet they just laughed when they realised what had happened, too. I do remember Mrs Darling now – she always seemed to wear a smart suit.

Tracey McDougall: This building or some of it was still there is 70’s and early 80’s as Gino’s chippy used to be there – when Pearl worked in chippy! Also was a shop that sold homeware like glass ornaments and metal ornaments – I remember it as a child.

Tracy Stirling: I remember it too Tracey.

Elizabeth Weaver: Our mother, Jean Weaver (nee Scott) had a shop just along from the Post Office when Mrs Darling was still there (or it might have been when her daughter, Margaret ran the PO?). It was called Kiddi-Wear and Mum opened it in 1949, selling wool, baby linen etc – and later, ladies’ wear. Oh, and Doc Marten boots, before they became a fashion item.

Christina Frame: I remember that shop Elizabeth my sister in Law says she remembers a Mrs Weaver who ran a shop up there.

Geordie McClenaghan: There was a taxi office in there as well.

Christina Frame: I remember one Christmas Ian Hobson gave all the OAPs in High Blantyre a chicken for their dinner. I remember Mrs Darling, my mum used to clean the post office and Mrs Darling used to let me stamp with her rubber stamp onto pieces of paper I loved it !!

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

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