This photo is of Blantyre Post Office at Glasgow Road. It saw on where the spare ground is now at the corner of Logan Street and Glasgow Road, near the Asda Petrol Station.

1955 Postman emptying mail at GLasgow Road

1955 The Post Office (opened 1954)

Pictured here in 1955, just a year after it opened. I was chatting recently to Blantyre man Gordon Cook about this building. Gordon added, “when I looked at it close up I noticed there was actually a postman emptying the box, and I wondered if it might have been my dad. He was a postman in Blantyre for about 34 years after the war.”

The new Post Office was opened without any ceremony whatsoever on Monday morning 25th October 1954, when business was conducted ‘as usual’ at 9 a.m. The opening should not be confused with a dating stone of 1953 that was placed when the building was commissioned. Built of stone, single storey on the site of the former Turner’s Building, the new public building had a solid look, one which certainly looked unique and almost municipal.

Soon afterwards though in early November 1954, the Blantyre Gazette recorded that there was a call for a pillar box and a stamp machine to be placed at the site of old premises (next to the Y.M.C.A. and further along Glasgow Road on the same side).

The old place of business was apparently very cramped and unsuitable for the type of work being carried out by the postal authorities, conditions which they had suffered for years. However, I’m sure the staff would have been very pleased with their new premises.

On social media:

Elizabeth Anderson Cardoo In one door and out the other. I was fascinated by the speed in which the counter staff could stamp things from stamp pad to pension books postal orders etc. Was my ambition as a wee thing to grow up and work there so I could do it

Thomas Barrett Remember going in one door and out the other.

Liz Boxall Also remember a phone box inside the post office . It was a lovely building

Jim Donnelly Opened a little savings account with my milk round money,Then later on Going Into Get Road Tax for my car.

Jack Bethel A lot better than the present one. You could pick up a parcel without having to go to Cambuslang.

The Blantyre Project Thats SO annoying isnt it. I’ve witnessed postmen putting a card through the door, without even carrying a parcel, saying “theres nobody at home”, nor even ringing the doorbell. Zero attempt at even trying to deliver the parcel in the first place.

Lesley Hartley I remember Giro and his daughter Alison working there. Giro (his name is not he tip of my tongue) was on the Blantyre Vics committee too.

Margaret Farmer Passed it everyday I walked to/from Blantyre High School and had a savings account there.

Debz McMillan Can always remember this it was still being used when i was wee was best post office out, always used to go with my gran or my mum they days all stuff was on books never took them long like now a days xx

Trisha Mcginty I remember it there?

Henry Hambley Lovely simple and functional building. Was there a named architect ?

The Blantyre Project As it was by the post office, it probably came off a standard design. Despite trying to find the architects name, i couldnt at the time of the post being scheduled. There were some great architects like James Miller and William Watt who worked for the County council during the 1950s and designed several Blantyre buildings like the library or youth centre, but none are attached to GPO / PO.

Marian Maguire Looked Art Deco, it was a nice building, shame they knocked it down, but that’s the story of Blantyre.

Margaret Liddle I remember it well

Mary Marr Remember when it was there

Jeanette Allardyce Ward Remember it well. Should never have been knocked down

Elaine Hunter I remember it well. I used to go up there with my nana when I was a wee girl and play with the fountain pens and blotting paper in the booths while she was at the counter

Margaret Mary OSullivan You writing this brought that memory back to me too. Thanks! I used to take some of the wee various slips of papers home to add to my toy post office!

Anne Marie Murray Used to get my family allowance there every Monday ..

Bruce Baldwin Worked as postman there and great memories. Lots of fun with the front counter staff . Great place to work along with guy like Bill Mcglynn Alex Young Malky Muir back in 80s

John Krawczyk Malky was our postman

Bruce Baldwin john I could name more but thought I better not lol ,, but great memories ,, malky and I were drivers together .. the 2 drivers walks were logan st elm st area (No9) and stonefield cres and Jerusalem area (No6)

Maureen Mccallum My dad was Bill Mc Glynn he worked in the sorting office at the back .I worked there a couple of times at Xmas

Bruce Baldwin Hi Maureen great memories of those times . it was a great d.o to work in . I left 85 to go into Glasgow mail centre where I am still . But many fond memories of your dad and the rest of the guys oh and wee Betty the cleaner

Anne Grogan It sad we should have preserved some of those old building, new always isn’t better. Love seeing the Glasgow road with all the shops the picture house. Great memories. Saddens me when I visit the old home town.

The Blantyre Project When the council bought land in 1977 in advance of asda, this little portion where the post office was “ringfenced” off and left out of the sale. As such, once Asda was built a few years later and the subsequent demolition of the post office, this wee grassy area is still now council owned, is vacant but maintained.

Margaret Mary OSullivan As a kid, I was always so fascinated by this building and all that went on there, that I always insisted on getting a Post Office set for my birthday!

John Krawczyk I remember it well. In fact when I was a student I used to work as a postman from this building in Christmas time.
If I remember Mr McGlynn was the postmaster in charge.
Good memories

Maureen Mccallum John , my dad was the PHG who was second to the postmaster but like you I worked at Xmas when I was a student ,as you said great memories of my dad

Margaret Mary OSullivan I used to work in the sorting office when I was a student too. Lots of students got holiday jobs there to help with the Christmas post.

Eddie Meechan Used to run in one door then out the other great fun

Frances Maguire Ha ha Sharynn Sn we where talking about this last week

Anne Mackie used it when my daughter was small to collect family allowance I also saved and bought premium bonds there xxxxx

Margaret Duncan The man in the bunnet looks like my granda

Carol Crombie Loved hiding in the phone booth and skidding around the floor. But I loved the style of it, that’s what I remember most of all.