1905 Main Street Flute Band in Main Street
Isn’t this an incredible photo. Full of life, of excitement and so it should, for it’s never been publicly seen or published! Photographed by David Ritchie, my 2nd Great Grand Uncle (yes, ok, he is a distant relative). This was taken very near David’s own home. An early pioneer of photography in the town, David has captured the moment all these children ran after the Flute Band, heading down Main Street. Many of the children are barefoot.
About 100 people in this photo, quite the crowd for this small band. The new looking building in the background makes an impressive backdrop and you may recognise it, as it’s still there today. Then a clothier, now McLean’s Newsagents. Robert Dunsmuir told me on 28th November, “there were a few bands in Blantyre as the Conservative, Shamrock, Temperance, Thistle Flute Bands, most or all of these bands practiced in Dixons Hall.“
The tenement building beyond it now sits where Jimmy Mays cafe is and on the spare ground at the entrance to Kirkton Park. It is no longer there today. How wonderful this nice moment was captured.
Thanks to my distant relative Alex Bowie, for sharing this.