1910 High Blantyre Beggs Building on right hand side

Beggs Building was a small single storey tenement building, which originally stood on the south side of Main Street not far from a location across from the entrance to Cemetery Road. Some confusion exists around this building, where a previous Blantyre history book suggested this small tenement was known as Lint Butts, but I can confirm this is incorrect as Lint Butts was slightly more westwards, although immediately next door to Beggs.

Beggs building was likely named after H Begg, a High Blantyre Blacksmith whom in 1879, owned a business called H Begg & Son. Built between 1860 and 1879, the small building was single storey, subdivided, semi-detached and was once known as the Apothecary Hall, after the chemists at the east side. Indeed, a chemist existed there for quite some time and in remembered even up until the 1960s, known as Patersons in the 1960’s. Next door was McMillans Haulage in the same semi-detached property. Mr McMillan lived at that address and had a yard at the back.

Sometime in the 20^th Century, the small building may have had an upper level or rooms added. Pictured in 1910 on the right hand side of Main Street is the Apothecary Hall in Begg’s Building. Also attached is an 1898 overlaid map with a modern aerial photo showing the former location of the site, which was directly across the road from the current bus stop near Family Shopper.

On social media:

Hugh McDade Apothecary Hall later became the local chemist . Sure then it Paterson chemist who also had the shop next to the “DOOKIT ” picture house .

Jean Boyd I can remember going in this chemist with my mum in the 1960’s, I always remember the strong medicine smell when you walked in.

Moyra Lindsay It was still there when we left the Dales in 1970. I have a photo somewhere of me inside the chemist taken with our dog, I think the chemist was testing his camera, he gave me the photo. Used to give me a lot of patter too and me an old married lady of 21!