What a difference a decade makes! This the eastern middle of Stonefield Road back around 2006. The location is the former Letham’s Garage, and until i saw this photo, i forgot that a brick wall was along the pavement for much of this vacant land.

Today, it has a couple of unfinished homes on it, allegedly abandoned due to contaminated ground from the former oil and gas works, which existed prior to the bus garage but more likely a casualty of the recession. However, on Monday 7th March, scaffolding went back up around the homes and workmen progressed works on the roofs. Security fencing was put around the site and excavators rolled in to progress the development, which will soon see a new street in Blantyre with 18 new homes.

On 5th November 1921, part of the front wall was damaged, and so were nearby homes when a large explosion in the gas works erupted during the night. The blast could be heard for 7 miles away.

What are your memories of Lethams or indeed, this site?

On social media:

Fairlie Gordon Work has restarted on those properties , passed buy it yesterday

KellyAnn Maguire Ramsay I used to lean against this wall for years waiting in the school bus!

Trisha Mcginty I always wonder why they stopped working on these houses

Michelle Evans I remember the letham’s bus song whenever we went on school trips.

Kenny Weir Union jack club

Wilma Hayburn McNulty They are finished now

Richie Gordon Entrance tae the jack that is

Irene Dickman I remember the Union Jack club. My mum and dad,Jenny And Harry McDade,went there a few times

Elizabeth Ann Ward I remember the guard dog lethams had. I used to talk to it everyday on the way home from school and one day decided to take it home with me. My mum sent me back to Mr Letham with the dog and apologise for taking it…..wasn’t much of a guard dog smile emoticon

John Duncan Union jack club burned down 5th nov best club in blan Janet

Sheona Brennan Live right across from it, have all my life, but today just noticed they are all No 71! Im sure the a b c d will added later

Sheona Brennan Almost ready for the residents to move in, they actually look good now they’re finished

Willie Frame Remember the Union Jack club and getting the bus to the Gers games

Marian Maguire Hope they build something nice, to improve stonefield road. This site has been an eyesore too long.

Gordon Dunsmuir My dad had a hand in running the Union Jack club back in the 80’s, got some fond memories of learning to play snooker there…🇬🇧

Amanda Dawson My Dad worked for Lethams for years doing all the long distance journeys for him in probably his only nice big coach! Every time we went past, Dad would be out cleaning that bus whatever the weather. That’s still what I imagine every time I drive by. He retired in 2001 at 60 yrs old just before Lethams closed but passed away the following year. ❤❤❤

Alan Lappin Our back fence was all that separated our garden & Letham’s yard. Once or twice, on way back from Blackpool it’d be a Letham’s bus, and rather drop us at Hamilton Bus Station, we got dropped off right at the door, brilliant times.
Also, as Richie said, the entrance to the Jack was around here. The biggest bonfire Blantyre had ever seen! 😂🔥🔥🔥

William Paul Gallagher You could sneak onto the buses parked in the garage at night and get warm and have wee snogging sessions with the girls – romance was alive and kicking for this 15 year old boy – thanks Lethams 😆

Anne Callaghan Lethams buses used to take us to school in Bothwell – some were really old-fashioned too !