1920s Main Street HIgh Blantyre showing Adams Building1

1925 Hi Resolution Main Street (PV)

Margaret Nimmo Lehmann emailed me recently with a nice bit of Blantyre social history.

Margaret told me, “I met up with Elizabeth Bennoch (now Lovatt) a couple of weeks ago, she lives about 2 hours from me. She was a year younger than me, but we were friends through Brownies etc. at H.B. Parish and she also went to St. John’s. A while ago you had asked about Dux Medals and Scouts. This is the information she gave me:

Her older brother John Bennoch was Dux of High Blantyre Primary in 1958 and Dux of Calder Street in 1961 before going onto Hamilton Academy. Elizabeth Bennoch was Dux of H.B. Primary in 1964 and she said the boy Dux that year was Tom Clark.

Elizabeth was also Akela in Cub Scouts (not sure if you wanted info on them or if it was just the Scouts you were collecting info on) from 1969 – 1975, she helped out prior to 1969, then when Joan Dodds retired she took over. She was also a Sunday School teacher at H.B. Parish those same years.

Some more general information is that she owned Jean’s Hairstylist across the road from H.B. Parish and next to the Church Hall from 1970 – 1973, she had worked there prior to that since she was 15. She didn’t change the name of the business as she knew she wouldn’t be there long as the building was scheduled to be demolished. As a teenager she also worked in Jim Wilson’s shop and when he didn’t need her she worked at Nelson’s grocery.”

Do you remember the Bennoch family in Blantyre or Jeans Hairdressers in High Blantyre Main Street?

On social media:

Janet Cochrane Went to Jeans hairdressers to get my hair done

Jean Maxwell Also worked in George Nelsons until I was 18.

The Blantyre Project Jean, was Nelsons only a grocery? Did it sell anything else. I have very few notes on that subject. Thanks.

Elizabeth Lovatt The Blantyre Project Yes….Nelson’s was only groceries

Jean Maxwell Yes it was just a grocers, we had a lot of tick customers in those days especially when it was the co quarter

Moira Todd My Granny Abbott went to Jean’s …it was an institution. Nelson’s was indeed a fine grocer in the row of shops further down the Main St. opposite Granny’s cottage. It sold all loose products & barrel butter which I used to love to go for …watching them pat it into shape with a thistle mark on top!!.. Mrs Weaver had a shop there too & a chip shop at the end I think!

Elizabeth Lovatt I remember Mrs Abbott with her lovely white hair. She was so proud of Moira always chatting on about her. Nice lady. There was also Hobsons butcher there, the post office and browns at the corner another grocery place and yes Nelson’s was a grocery only shop.

Lynn Delaney My sister Carole had a Saturday job in Jeans, we also used to live in the tenements above it.

Agnes Collins Remember the bennoch family they stayed about two gates up from my gran reddiex .did the paper round with Elizabeth for Jim Wilson .will always rem they took me with them to Blackpool for the weekend .lovely people .xx

Elizabeth Lovatt Would this be Agnes Brainyard? if so I would love to hear from you

Carole M Castle I worked in Jean’s my name Was Carole Rhodes and my family lived in the tenements above what a small world we live in xx

1 Comment

David Reddiex

January 9, 2020 at 2:40 am

I lived at 134 Victoria Street, with mum (Katie), dad (Jim), brother ( John), granny Strang and auntie Netta Strang, until 1965 when we emigrated to Australia. I started at St. John’s Grammar in 1965 but was only there until April. I had a paper round at Jim Wilson’s that took me down and around Timbertown. My granny Reddiex lived up the road with my uncle John, auntie Sadie and cousins Mary and Senga. I remember the Boyles, Campbells, Barretts, Fergusons, Johnstones, Bennochs, Browns…all within the area centred with the ‘square’ where we had bonfires. Great memories and I’ve been back a few times.

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