On reaching the County offices in Beckford Street, officials of the Sanitary Department heard the women’s complaints and explained at considerable lengths the proposed measures that officials were taking, earmarking land for new homes. The women heard how officials had been addressing the problem by recently providing homes at Calder Street, Fernslea Avenue and Springwells. The women left satisfied that their cause had been acknowledged.
However, the outbreak of war the next year, put bed to construction plans. During the war years Blantyre’s housing shortage continued with a deepening problem. Some families made do with living with friends, others took to squatting. In the immediate post war years, the problem was quickly identified again to officials and timber houses and prefabs were constructed to alleviate the issue.
Pictured is my Great Uncle Alex in the 1930’s in a pram of popular fashion at the time. He’s pictured in the garden of Danskins home, which is now the newsagents shop at the corner of Broompark Road, Stonfield Crescent. (formerly Collinses). I can only imagine troops of women and these prams marching headstrong into Hamilton.