Iain Lennox contacted me in November 15, asking, “Just found your website while researching my family tree. According to the 1901 census the Lennox Family (John Snr, Agnes Snr, John Jnr, Agnes Jnr and Andrew lived at Struthers property. John Snr was my great-grandfather , and John Jnr my grandfather. etc… I suspect they lived at one of the pubs / inns owned by Struthers. My father told me many years ago that his granny (presumably Agnes Snr) had lived on the road between High Blantyre and EK – in a line of cottages on the LHS (southside). This may have been Auchentibber but I’m not sure, and I have never had the chance to visit the site. Have you ever heard of any reference to the Lennox family in or around High Blantyre ?”
I was able to reply with:
Lennox is a surname I’ve not encountered very much in Blantyre (yet), although I am aware of a Dr Lennox who attended the scene of the 1877 Pit Disaster in High Blantyre. Given this disaster occurred in High Blantyre where your relatives were from, there may have been a connection with him being on hand and nearby to attend quickly?
The census information suggests those Lennox members lived at Struthers properties. The road between High Blantyre and East Kilbride is what we now know as Main Street, and Struthers did own a concert hall and later pub/masonic hall on that very same side. He did have several properties and let them out. I don’t think it is Auchentibber the reference made. It would have mentioned that hamlet otherwise, rather than High Blantyre. Incidentally, i live on the North side of that road, directly opposite where your ancestors would have lived. It is literally at the end of my driveway!
I went to the 1905 valuation roll, for some more information and found John Lennox there, renting a house from James B Struthers at a location called “Back Priestfield”. This was next to Priestfield Farm in High Blantyre and very close to the collieries of Dixons Pits numbers 2 and 3. Indeed he would have seen them from his back windows. It probably served him well, as John Lennox was a blacksmith and may have received some business from the nearby mines. Today, there is a modern car park next to the Priestfield Hall, at the location where those former homes used to be. Hope this helps and of interest. I have attached an aerial photo superimposed with an 1898 map for reference and indeed the valuation roll, showing Lennox letting from Struthers.
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