Kirkton Cross 1915

Blantyre's Ain Website

Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

High Blantyre

Kirkton Cross 1915

A great shot of Kirkton Cross facing towards Auchinraith, taken around 1915. The old Church halls are seen on the left of the picture, built in 1893.  High Blantyre Cross 1915

 

 High Blantyre Cross 2008 Douglas Street, now widened and forming the feeder road to the East Kilbride Expressway, is on the right. The Station Cafe tenement, Spier’s Laun, has been demolished, as have the white tenements to the right of it, although the Pub on the left still stands on the corner of Hunthill Road and Kirkton Cross.

 

Elizabeth Weaver: I used to go to Sunday School in that hall on the left. As 3 year olds, we sat on hard benches and were taught by Miss Davidson (French teacher at Calder Street too, I think?). She was very strict and I was frightened of her – a great first impression of School.
Blantyre’s Ain: Real Oral history Betty. Wee Jeannie Davidson was my Nemesis at Calder Street, she was always picking on me. In our first year she taught us that the French for John was Jacques. She went crazy when the whole class got it wrong in our exams. Unbelievable that she would get something so basic so wrong. She picked on her favourite who was called John on how he of all people should translate John as Jacques!
Irene Dickman: I remember Miss Davidson too,terrified the living daylights out of me. Used to get sweeties for sunday school in the wee shop in the white buildings on the right.
Elizabeth Dobson Grieve: Used to play badminton in the church hall on Monday’s with Jim Smiths tutelage. Loved it, until I discovered boys… lol
Elizabeth Weaver: That’s where many a romance started in days gone by. Didn’t enjoy Sunday School but even the Youth Fellowship – despite the holy-sounding name – had its moments!
Violet Elder: This brings back lovely memories. I remember Jeannie Davidson, she stayed not far from me in Morris Crescent. I was terrified of her.
William Houldsworth: I think Blantyre would be a much better place if it hadn’t been changed so much by planners with poor vision of the future…
Margo Haughen: That was our Sunday School on the left, where Kirkcare is now!
Elizabeth Weaver: Aye, I seem to remember she was never wrong…
Elizabeth Weaver: Violet and I sat on the same bench. Remember we had to sing “hurry penny, hurry, though you are so small… help to tell the children Jesus loves them all” when they took the collection? You had to wave your coin in the air while you sang. Mind you, if it was actually just a penny, Miss Davidson would suggest that your mother might send a bigger coin next time! Oh, and one day she told us that our daddies at home weren’t our real daddies… that God was our only real father. Some of us wee ones were very upset. I don’t think Miss Davidson liked weans…
Violet Elder: Your memory is amazing Betty, I had forgotten about the collection song. I don’t think she liked weans, I remember crossing to the other side of the road so as not to pass her house.

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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Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland

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