In 1907, a new street was formed in Greenfield/Burnbank, just off Glasgow Road, near the bend before crossing into Blantyre. It was to be a dead end, but constructed wide, the Park Burn at the end of end with earthworks formed to protect against flooding. Birdsfield Street was created and was to officially belong in Hamilton Parish, despite its name connections to the Brick & Tile works and Farm a short distance away in High Blantyre.

The street was adjacent to an old detached house named ‘Limetree’, built of stone in one and a half storeys with a large, arched doorway, facing out on to Glasgow Road. Limetree is still there today.

Limetree, in Burnbank, as it is today, dating from 1890’s

On Birdsfield Street, two small semi detached villas were built that year on the south side. However, it is the large red sandstone building directly opposite them that is of interest and worthy of inclusion in this book. Many people in Blantyre will remember the former Trades Hotel, or as it was also commonly known, the Model Hostel or to give its official title, the Blantyre Lodging House.

The building was so well known, often associated with Blantyre despite sitting on the opposing bank of the official boundary. In a book hat explores all of Glasgow Roads’ buildings, it would be amiss of me not to mention it here. After all, it did sit just off Glasgow Road and even had a convenient tram stop. The Lodging House is shown in the highlighted area of this 1910 map below.

Blantyre Lodging House north side of Birdsfield Street built 1907

Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,

Blantyre Project Janice beautiful house!!

Blantyre Project continuing a little exploration of the Burnbank boundary this week before we cross into Blantyre in an EPIC journey exploring ALL buildings ever to exist on Glasgow Road. Researched throughout 2016 and 2017 exclusively in unprecedented detail and accur…See more

Blantyre Project Ann Thanks. I think Historic Hamilton page would like to know more about that. This was just a wee pit stop tour at the Burnbank boundary setting the scene for telling the Glasgow Road story. Thats a beautiful house. Is is still called Limetree?

Ann Sinclair Thanks for reply, yes it,s proper title is Limetree Cottage . As far as i know it has some great history attached to it , quite how much is heresay and which is fact would be interesting to find out , both on a personal level and for anyone whom would be interested . If this subject would be of interest to you feel free to contact me .

Maggie Anderson I think my Mum worked in Limetree as housekeeper for a time

John Breen John Ogilvy school used the the old Greenfield school in the mid 70s when lots of us were there
In Burbank ofcourse

Elspeth Mcgregor In the 50s and 60s Limetree Cottage was owned by Miss Dick and her sister who taught commercial subjects there.