Another fantastic photo taken from Auchinraith Bing, this time looking westwards right across Blantyre. The date is 2nd June 1958 and Anthony Smith has shared the photo.

Of course the most prominent feature in this photo isn’t Logan Street in the background or indeed Auchinraith Road or railway, but is actually the light coloured prefab houses behind the children, home to so many families.

Many more prefabs in Auchinraith were also out the picture to the right, behind the Springwells Estate. To the left you can just about see Auchinraith Primary School, and Calder Street in the background. On the far horizon , the imposing bings at Priory and Blantyreferme are visible.

Do you have memories of the Auchinraith Prefabs or indeed anything about this scene?

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Carole Mackie Rickard Do you have any maps Paul? My grandparents stayed at 43 Mossgeil Street and I’d like to work out what is there now?

The Blantyre Project Hi Carole – I would think that would be roughly where Ballantrae Road is now.

Mary Kane This is a picture of my mother Barbara McCabe taken outside her home at 53 Auchinraith Road about 1936 maybe. Does anybody know if these houses are still there? Her father and two brothers were miners.

The Blantyre Project Hi Mary – Sadly these buildings are no longer there. They were stone tenements, situated not far from where the road tunnel to Springwells is (under the EK Expressway) just off Auchinraith Road.

Number 53 was split up into 6 homes. In 1930, Colin McCabe was the head of one of the household, presumably your grandfather? he was a miner and his neighbours were Robertsons, Lydens, McCormacks, O Neils and Weir. He was renting the home from Mrs Edith Todd (who owned all 6 homes). He had one of the larger apartments and this was reflected in his rent being higher than the other homes. He paid £15 and 11 shillings per year rent in 1930, which is about £700 in today’s money.

The Blantyre Project These homes are sadly no longer there. They were tenements. Colin McCabe presumably your grandfather rented one of them in 1930 for £15 and 11 shillings per annum (about £700 in todays money). He was a miner. Here’s a list of his neighbours. Number 53 was divided into 6 homes, Colin having the largest one. He was renting from Mrs Edith Todd who owned all 6.

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Annmarie Limerick Strang Stewart Strang

Brian Weaver This is a fascinating photograph. I was in Auchinraith School in 1958 and my aunt and uncle lived in a tenement than can just be seen on the right of this photo. I don’t recognise the view though, because this was one of the bings that we were always warned not to climb on as it was known to occasionally smoke and catch fire – though maybe our parents only used that fear to control how far we wandered.

Eleanor Clark I was in the prefabs in Auchenraith Terrace, until 1952.xx

Jane Maxwell My family lived in the prefabs at the top end of Parkville Drive and all the kids on the street played up the bing. It was our playground as was the burn on the other side of the street. There was Mrs Taylor in the last house then Mrs and Mr Wilson wi…See more

Mary Sitters Can you please tell me what was the name of the bing at Burnbank? We lived on Milton Street and the bing was behind the houses across the road. We left Burnbank in 1958 to live in Adelaide, South Australia. the bing was no longer there when I visited 3 years ago.

James Stirling mary,i would like to know that also.we just used to call it the bing,mary did you have an older sister , and also did you live next to the duncans or the harveys ?

Linda Halpin Mum and dad lived at parkville drive prefab xx

Sadie Dolan My gran granda lived in croftpark crescent directly across from bing there back garden looked on to bing then they passed away my mum dad took over the house for a while then my mum dad got offer of house in beech place just across from prefabs we love playing in the bing although our mums warned us to stay away.

Janet Allan I stayed in beech Pl across from the bing xxx