1953 Dixons Pit 1 Smiddy. Priestfield Terrace in background with Dixons 2 pit at rear

A beautiful drawing by Reg (Turner?) from October 1953. The scene is High Blantyre and the artist would have been standing in what is now Priestfield Cemetery, looking back along the road towards High Blantyre.

At the back, is Dixons Number 2 pit. On the left is Priestfield Terrace, a row of 16 coal miners homes. In the foreground though, is the Dixons number 1 smiddy, the focus of this article.

Actually, the onsite buildings were more than just blacksmith workshops. Originally this long building housed the smiddy, a storeroom, and the works offices. Sometime later an ambulance room was incorporated into it. By the time the drawing was done in 1953 the layout was from right to left as seen in the drawing, Union box,

1953 Smiddy Buildings shown at Dixons 1 with Dixons 2 opposite

stables, smiddy, ambulance room, canteen.

The original drawing is a little bigger. If you ever catch a glimpse of the entire picture, the chap with the beard was John Fraser, who had 45 years service behind him. (Thanks to Gordon Cook via Jean Robertson for this information).