1859 WIlliam Johnstone’s Laun, High Blantyre

Mr William Johnstone was a baker, during the 1850’s and 1860’s at High Blantyre. He is recorded as providing the meal for the local curlers or the ploughing societies and had premises in High Blantyre’s Main Street. This consisted of a double tenement near Kirkton, and included a bake-house, the Post Office, two shops (1 of which was to become a public house) and some houses. These were likely known as Johnstone’s Laun.

These buildings were once located to the immediate west of the site of the current Masonic Hall and old Apollo Bar location, actually on Main Street, although Mr Johnstone’s buildings were well before the halls. William died in 1861. It is unknown who took over the property upon William’s death, but it is known that Mr James B Struthers took over the buildings in 1873. Mr Struthers had a relative named James Struthers who was a shoemaker and lived nearby. James B Struthers set about building the concert hall and stabling on vacant land advertising it as ready for functions by 1879. This is the building we now know today as the Masonic Halls. There is no trace left of Mr Johnstone’s buildings on Main Street.

I have marked up an 1859 map to put this in context and attached a modern photo to show you where Johnstone’s Laun used to be.