Mr. David Agnew – was a late 19th Century former coal merchant based at Larkfield. Born in Ireland in 1836, David married Elizabeth, who was a year older.
They came to Scotland to Newarthill, then to Hamilton pursuing work as a labourer. Son William was born in 1867 and daughter Elizabeth in 1870. Finally, the family came to Blantyre to Larkfield around 1879 initially working as a labourer whilst his mother ran a fruit shop below their rented house. When she passed away, David commenced and conducted his coal business, along with his son William Agnew from around 1885 from their rented shop at Broompark Road, approximately where Carrigans Blantyre is today.
James Bruce, of the Clyde Hotel, Bothwell and his partner Mr. Mitchell a joiner from Stonefield Road, owned the shop and house and let it out in 1885 to David for £8 per annum. Other homes in this block were then empty, and others rented by miners. By the 1891, there is no sign of the grown up children living in Blantyre.
By 1895, the business was no longer trading and David had moved to nearby Springfield, working as a carter.
There are no Agnews living in Blantyre by the 1901 census although the surname did come back to Blantyre shortly after.
From “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2017
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Henry Hambley Interesting. There was a family of Agnew who lived at the corner of Craig Street and Hardie Street. The son, Robert, was my age but despite living opposite Auchinraith School went to High Blantyre primary. We met up at Hamilton Academy. Robert was very much into sport, playing rugby but was also a good football player. He became a teacher at the Academy. He was immensely popular, nickname Joe Ag. He died in his early 30s, I think.