This fantastic happy photo is a 1950’s, wedding taking place at Blantyre Old Parish Church. Pictured outside the main door of the church, it would appear the guides are attending, so perhaps a Guide officer being married?
The wedding is unknown , so if you recognise the people or are able to confirm the date, then please do get in touch.
In the background is Smithycroft, a former building built in 1777 at Craigmuir Road. The cottage was also known as Craigmuir Cottage, whitewashed and well kept. It was demolished a decade or so later.
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,:
Elizabeth Weaver Paul, have you asked Elsie Somerville (at Blantyre Old church)? She still lives in Stonefield Cres, as far as I know. She was involved with Brownies and Guides when we were young and might be able to give you some details, even if it’s before her time. As for the cottage, we knew brother and sister Jock and Helen Russell who lived there when we moved to The Glebe (behind the church) in 1963. The cottage was immaculately kept; there was a hook over the open stove where the pot would be hung during cooking. Jock came up one day in that summer of 1963 and offered to help our dad with the garden – and over the years became a good friend to us all. The cottage was beautiful and well maintained – such a shame that it was demolished. I’m taken aback every time I go up Craigmuir Rd – what used to be a quiet country lane leading up to the cottages on Hamilton Drive has become just another housing estate. No doubt folk thought my parents’ house would change the character of the area too, but back in the early 60s, the land they built The Glebe on was just waste land, owned partly by the NCB and partly the railway company.
Brian Weaver NCB was the National Coal Board.
Elizabeth Weaver I always forget how old we are, to know such things Brian.
Alex Rochead Elizabeth do you know when the cottage was knocked down and why as it appeared to be in such good condition.
Elizabeth Weaver Alex, I’ll ask my brother Brian if he remembers but I wonder if planners wanted the road widened (for future development?). Such a waste. Mind you, it was easily wide enough for vehicles to get through already. We moved up there in 1963 and it was just a few years after that, I think. Jock and Helen got a council house in High Blantyre.
Brian Weaver It was a nice cottage, but may not have had an inside toilet. Not much by way of plumbing and I’m not sure that they had electricity. It looked nice because Jock whitewashed it every year. The planners would not have liked it because the door opened straight on to the road and once the road was used as access to the new houses, walking out of the door would have been dangerous.
Elizabeth Weaver Yeah but it could have been upgraded. I agree that it would be a planning decision, not one with any thought of heritage. People in the 60s didn’t value history much – new was considered better – and look at the results 
🙁
🙁Blantyre Project Elizabeth thats what i think about 1960s planning decisions too! It just seemed hardly any importance was attached to really old buildings, Milheugh, Greenhall and the likes, despite their great age. Removing them, just removed the maintenance problems.I think planning probably also were in that mindset. Such a shame.
Elizabeth Weaver ps Just had another look at the clothes and wondering if it’s the 60s? The girls look as though they’re wearing tights and 60s shoes. Before that, Guides would have been in ankle socks and sensible shoes
😉 I can’t say for certain of course.
Elizabeth Weaver ps Just had another look at the clothes and wondering if it’s the 60s? The girls look as though they’re wearing tights and 60s shoes. Before that, Guides would have been in ankle socks and sensible shoes
😉 I can’t say for certain of course.Brian Weaver I agree. 1960s
Blantyre Project will update this on the main site from those observations. There was no date attached to this one. Cheers.
Margaret Sanderson We lived at 407 Main Street, close to the Russell’s cottage, in the late 50s up to 1961. My dad had a motorbike and the Russell’s let him garage it in what looked to me, as a child, like a byre attached to the house. As I recall, the byre. seemed to have a cobbled floor. I think that Jock Russell kept pigeons (or maybe that’s my imagination)