Thornhill Avenue Right of Way

Blantyre People
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Continuing my look at rights of way in Blantyre (where people can legally walk through land owned by others). From a 1970’s council booklet, a description exists of the right of Way at Thornhill Avenue.

Thornhill Avenue Right of Way, Council reference BL/4. OS ref NS 65 SE

“This right of way starts off at Glasgow Road next to the Livingstone Memorial Church and continues through the avenue of trees across Farm Road to end at the Railway bridge where it connects with a further right of way. The width of the path varies from 12 feet to 15 feet with an ash surface, occasional patches of tarmacadam and many potholes. Edges and fences on either side are in poor condition over the total length of some 600 yards. Trees and shrubs on the right of way include, Turkey Oaks, Chestnut, Elm , Sycamore,Beech and Hawthorn. At the corner in the bend of the pathway about 200 yards in, was the site of Bowie’s Hill, the home of James Bryce as a young man. He lived here while his father was teaching at the High School of Glasgow. Later he became Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenepotentiary to the USA in 1907. He worked hard to bring about the treaty of Peace between America and Great Britain in 1911. He was educated at Glasgow High School, Glasgow University, Trinity College, Ocford and became a fellow of Oriel College and MP. for South Aberdeen.”

I have to admit the description certainly goes off on a tangent about Mr Bryce, rather than focus on the right of way itself. Of course today, we more commonly know this right of way as “The Dandy”.

2015 Thornhill Avenue Right of Way
The Dandy: Thornhill Ave right of Way

On social media:

Nathaniel Mains Loved The Dandy!

Jennifer Swan Teresa Swan

Sheena Thomson Walked through the Dandy every day in the sixties, it has changed a lot since then, there was no lights and no concrete path a bit scary at night.

The Blantyre Project Sheena – do you remember a building on the right had side of this photo, previous to the modern flats?

Frank Dowie There were a number of single-storey houses at that location. If I recall correctly it was a terrace block. I always thought as a kid that the houses seemed so different from other Blantyre houses.

Sheena Thomson Yes I remember then they were older than the ones on Cowan Wilson Avenue.

Colin Duffy I walked through the Dandy every day from my home in Livingston crescent to get the bus to work and it was my playground when I was young happy days

John Cavanagh I loved playing in the dandy wen I was a kid there used to be an old house we played in I even fell out a couple of trees up there it was great back then

Jim Cochrane The strip of land the Dandy was on belonged to the mine and was inherited by the national coal board.They sold theland off in the 1980s for a very small amount to a private developer.

The Blantyre Project William Baird & Company (Coalmasters)

Jeanette Allardyce Ward There used to be an old nunnery down the dandy many years ago. Remember playing there wen I was wee, my grandparents stayed in Holmswood Avenue so a lot of time was spent doon the dandy 

Helen Henderson Mclaughlin Yup loved the dandy. Remember the nunnery as i was terrified to pass it as it gave me the creeps lol. We used to walk through that way to go to school

Anne Quinn We called this bit the avenue the dandy was the other side of farm road x

Dave Currie Live right next to dandy and had a few things thrown at my house over last few years not best pleased

Margaret Quinn Yes you are right Anne that bit was Kelly’s Avenue the Dandy was on the other side .

Elizabeth Wallace I grew up across the road from the dandy in Livingstone Crescent and played there nearly everyday . Walked up to the Parkville to get the bus for work . It was good back then .

Peter Kelly Living in Park Lane ghe Dandy was where we played. My dad always told us red Indians lived in the Dandy. And the Convent scared the bejeesus out of me 👹

John Krawczyk The Dandy was great for playing soldiers, hide & seak, one man. My dad took me into convent sometimes to give things through the revolving door to the nuns. That was a bit scary when you were young. Also were told that the nuns were buried in the conve…See more

Elaine Hunter Used to walk this road back from the shops with my nana every day when I was a wee girl. She lived in Farm Road. I remember the Poor Claire convent that was there as well. All the children from Farm Road played on the side at Livingstone Crescent side when I got a wee bit older.

Lesley Keith Ha my Dad told us the nunnery was where Dracula lived lol.

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