The High Blantyre Old Parish Church Halls, built in 1893 lasted 96 years. Located on the junction of Hunthill Road and Main Street, the halls were made of stone and were a prominent party venue in the town. Whether a christmas party, Brownies, Guides, Scouts, Cubs, Sunday School, Panto, weddings or a good old fashioned knees up, the Church Halls were well used. Within our ownership is a detailed account of the income fundraising held in 1892 and the expenditure of local contractors during 1893 to actually build the hall. Much of the funding was raised by the Church themselves by means of a local bazaar (fete), and from generous donations from residents throughout Blantyre.

The total cost of the building was £1,534, a significant sum even then, which by today’s standards equates to approximately £300k. By far the most expensive component was the masonry work to the external stonework, which accounted for over half the building cost, a factor why so many buildings these days avoid building using stone.

The downstairs had toilets and separate rooms used by Sunday School and for storage. The Upstairs was largely the party hall, which if i recall correctly had a stage at the eastward end. We’d love to hear your stories about the halls, which i’m sure touched the lives of many Blantyre folks. Meantime, here are some photos taken, just before they were knocked down in the early 1990’s.