Early 1900s The Clyde Row, shared by G Cook
The Clyde Row was a row of eighteen one bedroomed small homes on the Sydes Brae near Auchentibber. They were located just above Dickson’s old place, (where the present occupier sold plants till recently). The homes belonged to ironstone miners of the area and their families and opened out on to the Sydes Brae itself. They were built of stone and divided into 3 equal blocks of 6 homes ,each with a washhouse in the back garden. In the 1890’s one of the nearby quarries was immediately beside these cottages, directly across the road from the nearby Auchentibber Inn.
This rare photo shows the upper two sections of the three blocks of Clyde Rows, Auchentibber. The date is unknown, but estimated by the fashions as being in 1910s or 1920s. The photo shows a water tap outside one of the homes in the most southerly elevated block. The 1910 map shows the water pump served all 18 homes and is not shown on the 1898 map.
The Gallagher family lived at number 18. The Browns at number 5, the McWalters at number 2.
A health question was asked in the House of Commons about this row on 14th August 1893 by Sir Charles Cameron. The water supply had become contaminated from some nearby sewage, and the Sanitary Authorities served eviction notices on the eighteen houses and had the people removed. Sir Charles also asked if a temporary standpipe could not have been fitted up rather than evicting people, but the Secretary of State for Scotland Sir George Trevelyan had no decent answer for him. The landlord threatened to sue the authorities for loss of rent. Enteric (typhoid) fever had broken. It is unknown if there were any deaths by it. There was a new reservoir due to open soon at Glengavel (likely, the one on the Strathaven Muirkirk Road) but it didn’t come quick enough for these folk of that particular time.
2014 Clyde Row, Auchentibber
Today, the homes are no longer there. Clyde Row has a demolition date somewhere between April 1937 and Summer 1939. Indeed there are no ruins remaining either. All that’s left is a level grassed field. So many families had lived there and its hoped this will be remembered next time you drive by this field. Here’s a photo of what Clyde Row site looks like today. You can just imagine the doors being exactly where the hedge line was.
Does anyone know what ruined buildings just across from the Auchentibber Memorial are and also the ruins just further up from the memorial are. I thought they were the houses of Clyde row and the Auchentibber Inn but now I think I’m wrong any information would be greatly appreciated.