Margaret Clark contacted me in July 2016 saying, “Hi, I have an old picture of Blantyre folks that I thought may be of interest to the project. It was taken behind the Larkfield Bar in Blantyre (as the family lived above the pub). My Gran (Margaret Cole) is the youngest in the photo and was born in 1921 so I estimate the picture was taken in the late 1920s. The Cole family were all born in Blantyre and in the photo back row: John, Patrick, Ellen & James. Front Row, Philip, John Cole (my great grandfather) Margaret (my gran) and Annie (my great grandmother). My mum was actually born above the pub but her parents moved to Ashley Place and I was brought up in Ashley Place/ Birch Place. “
I always like to add a little extra information to any photo that people send me. Digging a little deeper, i found out that by 1925, John Cole and his family lived at 40 Watson Street, Larkfield. (right beside the pub). He was renting the house from William Dixon who owned the colliery Pit 4 opposite.
John is noted as being a miner in 1925 and was paying £10 and 6 shillings per year in rent for his family to live there. Here’s a list of his Watson Street neighbours and their addresses.
Thanks again to Margaret for kindly sharing her lovely photo.
I’ve got this photo. Patrick was my dad. Margaret was my aunt and her daughter is called Anne.
Very interesting as i was born in Larkfield in 1950. My family lived there (Johnston )
My dad’s uncle Bob owned the pub. ( Larkfield bar / Mctavish inn