2012 The Dales, Blantyre Main Street
On 3rd January 2014, Catherine MacDonald Scott contacted me saying, “My friend’s mother lived at 244 Main St., Blantyre at the time of her marriage in 1939. I looked at Google Street View and found the address. Would these houses be the same ones as existed at that time or have they been rebuilt? Thank you.”
These houses are still there today and are the houses that would have been there in 1939. This whole block pictured is known as “Dales” (carved into the sandstone on the upper left and right). There is a block of flats to the right outwith the picture, modeled in similar style but are modern.
1922 Main Street looking Eastwards
The Dales are located at the junction of Broompark Road and Main Street (across from Blakeleys Pub). There used to be a detached single property at this location in the late 1800s which still existed post WW1. The fenceline of the property (before these houses were built) is shown in this 1922 photo near the back. On the 1936 Blantyre Map, the Dales are shown. The valuation roll between 1915 and 1920 indicates the House Dales went from 1 home to being many. Therefore the Dales were constructed between 1915 – 1936.
In 1859 this is what the Dales used to look like. A moderately sized property in a field at Causeystanes, entered into from Main Street. I strongly suspect the name Dales was attached to that property even back then and perhaps associated with the
1859 Main Street Map showing detached property
Dales at Blantyre Works. I did find a family of Dales living at Main Street, but later in 1891 and at Sneddon’s Laun, near the Church at the opposite end of Main Street. I don’t believe them to have had any connection to this property.
244 Main Street today in the modern photo is the end house that was right at the junction with Broompark Road.
On social media, Karen Hammond told me, “Aw I lived in 244 in 2004. Had my first child at that address : )“
Karen Borland then told me, “I also lived at 244 main St and had my two children there“
Moyra Lindsay added, “When we lived in the dales a mr and mrs Scott lived in that bottom flat. I still have a letter from her advising me and all other residents when they could use the drying green happy days!” and Catherine MacDonald Scott added, “From (at least) 1937-1939, the Moore family lived at 244 Main St. Two daughters, Mary (in 1937) and Elizabeth (in 1939), used that address on their marriage certificates. Their parents were Alexander and Jeanie (nee Dunsmore) Moore. There was also a son, David.“