186 Auchinraith Road – Miltonbank

Lorraine Bennie used the “Request” page on Blantyre Project website to ask, ” I would love to know more about the history of my house, 186 auchinraith road??”

I was able to reply, “Hi Lorraine. Here are the notes I have for this address. It still leaves some questions unanswered. If you ever get the title deeds (as you’re entitled to do as owner), it will fill in many gaps, especially firming up the construction date. Here’s what I have. Hope this is interesting.

Miltonbank Cottages – are 4 houses at 182, 184, 186 and 188 Auchinraith Road. They were built between 1885 and 1895. The name Miltonbank may have been forgotten by now but applied to all 4 cottages as early as they were first constructed.

Almost all of the cottages in Auchinraith Road once had separate beautiful names attached to them.

These cottages are made of stone, well built and sit back off Auchinraith Road on its west side, accessed by front gardens. They have slate roofs, which had had modern upstairs conversions added to in recent decades. The original 2-foot stonewall and garden gateposts still remain today.

In 1930, Mr. John Wilson, a fruiter from Thankerton owned the cottages and was letting them out. The tenants that year were Marion Muirhead, a widow renting 182 for £25 per year. William Garnder, a baker at number 184 renting for £26 per year, John Inglis, a motor driver at 186 renting for £16 and John Smith, a miner at 188, was renting for £15.

At some point following WW2, one of the double windows on the front was knocked into one larger window. The large gardens at the back once looked out upon Auchinraith Nursery but now are next to Kirkton Care Home. The current occupier of 186 is Lorraine Bennie.”

Would YOU like me to look at something Blantyre related for you? Perhaps your own family ancestry, or where you live? Log your request at:
https://blantyreproject.com/requests/

From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c)

On social media:

Jane Davies This was my home for many years. I lived at Miltonbank Cottages from 1937/38 til 1957 at no.184 & my parents lived there til 1969. No 188 was occupied by Jack Smith; 186 by Davie & Jeanie Inglis; 184 by my parents, Alex & Annie Crighton; & 182 by Jimmy & Mary Smith. I have many happy memories of childhood, playing with the children of the Inglis & Smith families!