I recently wondered about Saturday 5th October 1929, the day the Duchess of York opened the David Livingstone Centre. Was it part of a Royal Visit to other places nearby? Where did she stay the night before or that night? My hope was it may have been close to Blantyre, so I went off in search of finding out more about that day and events leading to it.

The night before, the Duchess of York actually arrived at Buchanan Castle in Drymen. This was a deliberate intention of hers, for whilst she was in Scotland, she intended to visit Loch Lomond for the first time, and despite it being Friday 4th October, she enjoyed a cruise around the loch, staying at the castle that night.

However, on the morning of Saturday 5th October, word had got out that the Duchess (our current Queens mother) was due to leave at 11am, and quite a crowd had gathered at the lodge gates to catch a glimpse of her car, which was then heading to Blantyre.

The Duchess of course opened the David Livingstone Centre on the afternoon of that Saturday and then headed north towards Glamis. However, she made an unscheduled stop at Stirling Country Club where she had her tea on recommendation of her lady in waiting.

Alas, no slumming it in Blantyre. It was Castle stays the night before and after!

Pictured from the Hamilton Advertiser that week are members of the David Livingstone family, ready to meet the Royal Party.

On social media:

George Cox My father was born in one of the houses. In fact in my direct lineage, I was the first in four generation not to be a miner. My father work in the Pit until he join the Army in either 1940 or 41

The Blantyre Project was he born in Shuttle Row George or elsewhere in Blantyre Works? I’m about to open an exhibition at this venue about the people of Shuttle Row.

George Cox Sorry my dad was a very private person,brought on by being a POW with the Japanese. I think it was the block e second closest to Bothwell Castle. It was the same design building as the memorial /museum. His father’s name was John Cox too

George Cox P.S. IF it helps my father was born 1909 so his father would be the 1880s roughly