With thanks to Brian Weaver for sharing this photo.

Pictured in Summer 1967 or so is the bottom of Sydes Brae. The former Dixon’s bings are beginning to be removed. Its clear how rural everything still is and there are no Jerusalem houses built yet. You’ll see that Mr Dale, the Old Parish Minister has cut the hay for his cows.

To the left of the picture, you’ll see the little cottage at 13 Douglas Street, still there today and now has solar panels. The other cottage in the middle of the picture was 3 Sydes Brae, a former building and is now the “Big H” roundabout at the Expressway Slipways. The road leading off on the left is now cut by the Expressway, but a little part of it remains behind the Jerusalem homes today.

The whole scene is entirely different, but I like this photo, one of only a couple existing which shows both Dixon’s Bings in the one frame.

This has changed SO much its easy to lose bearings, so I’ve attached a modern aerial photo showing where the picture was taken and what direction it faces.

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

Jim Cochrane I liked it better the way it was.

Jim Cochrane Walked up that road with my mum many times from Stonefield crescent to Auchintibber.Going to Calderside it was quicker going up Craigmuir road as you cut off quite a bit on the old sides brae road. We walked those roads every day and there was absolutely no cars or lorries .The sydesbrae road was narrower than it is now with a big wide walkway all the way to Auchintibber.

Jim Cochrane Mr Dale was a regular visitor to Calderside Farm to see my Grandparents but never about church stuff..

Maggie Anderson Mr Dale was the minister who married us and John Dale was a frequent visitor to Park Farm helping out with chores etc …..happy days

🙂

Jim Cochrane John Dale his son is partly responsible for my life long interest in vintage tractors , as he got me to join the local club and go to the many vintage shows that he was involved in .I still keep in touch now.

Elizabeth Weaver Yes, that was a regular walk for us too, even before we moved to Craigmuir Rd from Victoria St. As Jim says, you rarely saw a car and it was so peaceful. The views were amazing from the top of Sydes Brae so we’d be allowed to stop there for a look before heading to Auchenbtibber and back down – either by the brickie road (leading to Craigmuir Rd) or along by General’s Brig. Apart from the bings it was a rural scene and the High Blantyre we remember was a village with working farms. Changed days.

William Mullen i worked basket farm …80 to 94

Marian Maguire A lot of Blantyre has been ruined with thoughtless planning. It could be a beautiful town if building was sympathetic to the towns history.

Robert McLeod-Wolohan i used to play up at the bing when i was a young boy, and parts of it then were still smouldering, i used to go to school walking up past it next to the pre fab houses.

Jim McDougall This brought back brilliant memories of growing up in Blantyre in the 40s and 50s , what wonderful times they were

Janet Cochrane Happy days everything was so much simpler then nowadays everybody is always rushing

Peter Mcsorley We lived just next too smiths cottage in Forres st. I remember the scrappy was in the train carriages

Brian Weaver I used to ride my bike up Sydes Brae to work at Stewartfield Farm every Saturday. It took 25 minutes to ride up and 5 minutes to get back!

Elizabeth Weaver How long would it take you now, Brian?

Jim Cochrane It Must have been quicker than that as it took me 30 mins to walk from Stonefield crescent to Calderside Farm.
Janet Cochrane Archie Mcdonald scrap yard

Jim McSorley Great photo. I see Archie mc Donald’s scrap yard at the bottom with that old railway hut. Lyons family house next to it. Brought back instant memories of growing up there in the 60s. Thanks Paul for sharing this.

Gordon Dennis Andrew Hill whose hoose was this

Sharon Morrison Doonin Gary Lorna. the Glebe.

Henry Hambley Great picture which carries so many memories. I was 18, about to go to University and had already left Blantyre for Hamilton. But Blantyre had a magnetic hold on me and I was still happy to visit there and enjoy the rural nature of High Blantyre. Wonderful memories.

Lorna Hughes Valentine My family home was the “glebe” for 15 years we left 26 years ago. Craigmuir road original old brick road. Great memories of cows and horses as you say and people walking up and down to get to auchintibber

1 Comment

Pauline Duke

January 30, 2022 at 7:32 pm

I lived in the White House pictured at Sydes Brae (Lyon family) our house was demolished to build the East Kilbride expressway. Many happy memories there, playing at the Bing and ‘The Grassy patch’ as we called it, just past the Bing I think. Walked up the Brae often with my dad.

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