1953 Westend Bar

Blantyre Buildings
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1960-westend-bar-wm

Taking you back 64 years now to 1953. Pictured from above is a rare low height aerial photo of Blantyre. This time Glasgow Road junction at Bardykes Road and what you’re looking at is the Westend Bar.

*Note photo incorrectly says 1960.

The Public Bar backyard is transformed temporarily into a small compound, acting as the base and building site for the “then” new homes being built around this area. Trees are being felled in the lands of Wheatland to make way for the new homes along Glasgow Road at Cloudhowe Terrace.

The collective name for the tenement houses, shop and West End Bar, on Glasgow Road is West End Place. That name was known as far back as 1900, and possibly earlier back to the 1890’s when the building was constructed. In 1930, John Anderson Gray owned the building, (taken over from Robert Craig, who also owned the Old Original Pub.)

From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c)

On social media:

Helen Mccallum Cloudhowe terrace where i used to live i miss it very much
Moyra Lindsay If Cloudhowe was being built then it was earlier than 1960. I would guess it was built as were the houses behind the bar in Bardykes around 1953. I met Don at a party in the house above the bar in 1961, in fact I think your uncle Archie was there. My friend had been living in Cloudhowe for some years before that.
The Blantyre Project I’ll look into Cloudhowe in the coming weeks. Thanks Moyra. Houses in the Wheatlands were built in 57/58 along Bardykes, but it would appear from some of the comments, this photo may be earlier than first thought.
Jim McDougall Brings back brilliant memories , My Dad took me in there for my first pint I felt like one of the guys , My Uncles and dad’s mates , They were having a good laugh at my expense , After two pints I was sick as a dog , That was 1960 , but I wouldn’t have had it any other way , Great memories of a time gone by in Blantyre
Sheena Thomson My sister Elspeth Gilmour was born in one of the flats above the pup in 1949.
Marian Maguire I thought cloudhowe was older than that? Nice to see somethings are still standing.
Anne Irvine Good to see its one building not changed
Ann Wilson Coudhowe terrace was there when we moved to Spruce ave around 1954 .
The Blantyre Project thanks Ann. I have confirmed evidence from birth certificates that it was there as early as summer 1955, and judging from your comment and Moyras, it looks to have been built around 1953.
Wilma Hayburn McNulty No house there that I can see
Sam Brodie New Robert Boomer helloooooooooooo
Stephen Allan Do you have any photos of the West End Bar in the 1970s?
Philip Pohler You don’t need photos from the 70 Stephen . your dad will be able to describe every nook and crannies, down to Charlie white sitting as a fixture at the end of the bar
John McNulty I ust
Claire Conner As far as I know my family moved into south view in 1957 and cloudhowe wasn’t there yet. But I’ll need to ask my older siblings to confirm this.
The Blantyre Project I’m still looking into the date of Cloudhowe being constructed given the comments on this article. I have uncovered proof that the photo date needs altered. Earliest I can possibly confirm so far is Summer 1955, It definitely was there then, and looks possibly to have been there as early as 53 by some of the comments here. Need to dig a little deeper for you.

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