This time to the mid 1970’s. This friendly lot are the staff at the Broo, Labour Exchange (Job Centre) at Boswell Drive, next to Blantyre High School. Can you name anybody? Oh, and yes, i DID spot the empty bottle of whiskey on the table. I can only assume this was some sort of celebration or office function.

1970s Staff at Broo, Boswell Drive

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Michael Connor Ma mum worked there. Eleanor. Not in the photo tho

Liane Prentice My mum Diane worked there from 1985 -2005. X

The Blantyre Project Liane – 2005, was that when the current flats were built on that site?

Stephen Allan The job centre was still there in about 2000 – 2001 when I was still at school. I left in 2002. Not sure when the flats were built tho as can’t remember.

Liane Prentice I think it was maybe the following year, my mum I think was one of the first to b moved to Hamilton. She was in Hamilton office October 2005-April 2006 when she went off sick. X

Mary Swan OMG-I haven’t seen this photo before. Yes Steven, it’s me and I was married at the time. Ok- here goes, on my right Kathleen McLaughlin (big Kath)sadly no longer with us, she was great fun and kept us on our toes, next Nancy Hunter, loved her lippy.Back row Jim Hunter the manager, then Ian Nelson, Peter McCluskey. I can’t remember the name of the next chap but he was a retired police officer, next Anna Wyllie or Anna banana as big Kath named her (her and Kath were some double act) and Betty Gallagher from East Kilbride at the end (very posh but lovely).I just can’t remember the name of the lady in blue standing between Kath and Nancy.Please note, it’s tea cups we had. Someone must have left the bottle there.
What fun we had, Hastie’s Farm or “Broons” as we called it, for lunch every Friday, we got paid weekly then.
Once a week there was a Manager’s meeting in Hamilton either on the Wednesday or the Friday morning. Big Kath brought in the tinned Italian tomatoes and as the youngest I got sent to Little’s the baker for the rolls and Peter Davidson the butcher for the sausages. Kath and Anna banana had the frying pan on for me coming back. Oh happy day’s, no wonder I loved my job.
Where did this photo come from??

Mary Swan The office closed in February 2006, Uddingston closed in the January and I moved there for a couple of weeks before it closed before moving onto Cambuslang.
Yes Michael, I worked with your mum, she was “Big E”, she also worked with my sister Esther in Cambuslang, how is she. Still working in Coatbridge? , please pass on my regards.

Betty Winning Charlie Whyte at the left wae purple shirt and tie. Another person who is no longer with us. Long before ma time. But recognise the faces Mary. And Anna was a character lol

Mary Swan Are you sure Betty, I thought it was Ian. I didn’t think Charlie was there at the same time as Jim Hunter. 😀

Elizabeth Daley thats not charlie white , too tall

Mary Swan Aye Liz, I am sure it’s Ian Nelson, he lived in Hardie Street.
Mary Swan Got it, the retired Police Officer standing next to Anna was Robert Mitchell, he came from the Lanark area and I think the lady in blue was Isobel Austin. No bad for an auld bird, that was over 40 year’s ago. I started in 1974, Kathleen and Anna in 1973

Mary Swan Thanks Louise I knew it was Ian, we used to sign the boxes together . xxx

Max Sneddon Some of them thought it was their money they were handing out.

Louise O’Neill The majority of them did a great deal to help & assist those who were unemployed & went above & beyond their work duties.
There were times when they were asked to ” observe ” the clients for evidence that they were working on the side as well as claimi…See more

Jim McDougall Some of them acted like little dictators , The way they spoke to you

Gordon Frew Used to love walking on the stones in the concrete outside it walking to Auchinraith in the morning

Ann Higgins Crossar Carla Daly Sophie Clinton – show this to both your mums. X

Tom McGuigan Bunch of arrogant bastards. Treated the unemployed like lepers

Hugh Lennon Tonner Tam our Charlie worked there and as you know he was a good guy Eleanor Connor I worked there for around 25 years from 1980….. and can I just say………the people of Blantyre are the Salt of the Earth !……even yet.. all these years later…. I love goin’ down to Blantyre and am sure to meet many auld pals who ” signed on ” ……Brilliant People

❤……Hiya to everyone

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Alan Baird you were the greatest eleanor xx

Eleanor Connor Awww, Hiya Alan….hope you’re doin’ well……I’m tellin’ you- the Blantyre folk would be hard to beat…..but you know that

😊…….take care Alan….

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Linda Halpin Sure were great laugh remember you well x

Eleanor Connor Hiya, Linda……God, if we didnae have a laugh it’d be a bad day

😊 …nice to speak wi’ you.

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Wilma Hayburn McNulty Megan Clark show your mum this xx

Mary Swan Tom McGuigan,that is just not true, we worked very hard to help our clients as much as possible. I look back on my career with pride and many people are still in the jobs that we helped them to
find.

Hugh Lennon Tonner Charlie Whyte was my cousin told me a few good stories about working there but couldnt repeat them.

Mary Swan Tom, we will have to agree to disagree on this. The 70’s and 80’s were difficult years, we had strikes, 3 day weeks, closure of Ravenscraig, re-location of Weir Pumps from Cambuslang but we did the best we could in the circumstances and I am sorry that you had such a difficult time. I must tell you though, that I started in Blantyre on 19th January 1974 and on my first day Jim Hunter who was the Manager said to me, “Always remember how fortunate you are to be on this side of the counter and not the other, remember that and you won’t go far wrong “. In 27 years, I never forgot that advice and always did the best I could.

Fran Mcdermott Walters I signed on one Friday,got.a job that day so never ever claimed from the Bru x

Catherine Davner their was few who thought they were something but most of them especially two were just great