1954 Main Street, High Blantyre

This photo dates from approximately 1954 and shows High Blantyre Main Street. Pictured from the corner of Priestfield (roughly where the Apollo Bar) is today, the view looks Eastwards back towards Causeystanes and Auchinraith.

A few things like McLeans newsagents, the large Priestfield Tree and Blakelys pub will still be recognisable, but other features like the tenements facing on to Kirkton Park are now gone.

The 4 foot stone wall is also now gone, which separated the main street from Priestfield Farm. A few people including Alan Baird and Gordon Cook recently told me that they can recall a public toilet (or outside urinal) on the backface of the small wall. This can just about be seen under the tree itself, in the field.

When speaking recently to an elderly gentleman outside Priestfield Hall, he said he remembered the toilet as a child, or more to the point remembered the foul smell. People would cross the road to the tenement side, so they didn’t have to walk past the wall. His recollection was in the 1940s, this picture in the 1950s and Gordon and Alans memories I’m sure will relate to the 60s or even 70s. The toilet was clearly there for some time.

Here it is pictured in the 1950’s, set into the Priestfield Wall.