These photos were taken around 1908 at Barnhill Quoiting Green. This small sports field was located in what is now the beer garden of the Hoolets. In later years it looks likely to have moved from this small waste ground pictured, to behind the wall, in a larger more defined Quoiting green adjacent to Broompark Road itself. This is confirmed by later maps.

There were several quoiting greens in Blanyre, including one at Stonefield Park, Auchentibber and this one.

1908 Quoiting team at Causeystanes

Photographer David Ritchie lived nearby at the time of this photo and it is thanks to his wonderful glass plate negatives that such wonderful clarity and detail has been preserved. Although the identities of the men in the photo are not known, it is fair to say they were happy enough to be photographed, many of them dressed in their Sunday best suits. The quoiting green at Broompark was formed around 1908, so this is the earliest this photo can be.

I’ve zoomed in on some of the characters.

Thanks to Alex Bowie for sharing.