I’ve got loads of amazing new photos exclusively coming soon to Blantyre Project.

This is the Blantyre Mill building in 1903, which was located between the Cotton Mill and the Powerloom Factory. The building was demolished, at that time, with exception of the part you see on the right between the 2 large chimney’s which still remains today, as the renovated former Wages House beside the current bridge. It is little wonder that authorities condemned the building the same year of this remarkable photo.

However, this article is about another part of the building. If you look closely, you’ll see the bell tower in the middle of the roof and of note, the bell is missing. This is because the year before, in 1902 the Blantyre Works bell (which used to summon David Livingstone to work in the 1820’s), was presented to Stonefield Parish Church as a coronation gift.

It continued to be used as the church bell at Glasgow Road until it was given in 1922 to Low Blantyre Public School, where it stayed ringing in the children at the corner of Victoria Street and Glasgow Road until the school was demolished in 1977. The bell was then returned back to the Village and can today be seen on the north gable of Shuttle Row at the Livingstone Centre.