Elm Street Playpark

This view of Elm Street looks north towards Glasgow Road and was captured on camera in 1978 by the late Neil Gordon, just prior to the extensive redevelopment

1978 Elm Street
To the right is Kidd’s Buildings, in front are the tenements on the north side of Glasgow Road and to the left is the former Stonefield Parish Church. In the foreground on the left is the Elm Street Playpark so popular with Blantyre children, although by the time of this picture, the play equipment has mostly gone. Rosie Law once painted a beautiful painting on the wall in the park, which remained there for a long time.

1990 Elm Street Park

1990 Photo of Painting at Elm Street playpark, near Glasgow Road

From the book, “Blantyre Glasgow Road South – The Real Story” by Paul Veverka (c) 2017

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

Marion Anderson I remember the park well ..during a Punch and Judy show there in the late ,50’s… my toddler niece wandered off while family were watching, our dog followed and pushed her down when she got to the bus stop at Glasgow road and kept her there till her dad , Hughie Kelly realised she had gone and came to get her…..true story!
Sally Jamieson I remember it looking like that.x
Marion Anderson We probably played there together, Julia
Julia William McGovern Yes with many happy memories xx
Anne-Marie Neethling I remember visiting my grans sisters family in Elm Street as a child.
Carol Porter The old Nazarene church on the right where I went to Sunday school
Sally Jamieson Didn’t realise you went to Sunday School there. Alastair and I went to the Nazarene Church for a couple of years after we were married.
Carol Porter yeah in the old building/shed with Mr Mackie. Went for years. Went to the church in the new build a few times x
Davy Thomson My granda was minister there for a while too,, pastor Roberts
Colin Duffy That’s picture is right next where we stayed my kids helped to pant the picture on the wall next or house 👍
Sadie Dolan Great Memories of this park as a wain, xx
Etta Morrison Remember that swing park it was so handy to run round to from Beech Place.. Helen Lawson Taylor remember..
Helen Lawson Taylor Yes spent many a day there on the swings ,frying pan ..
Rob Watson-Worlidge Woodtrees Tennant Association arranged for the mutual to be out there as part of stamping out graffiti. I remember being one of the kids who painted it when it was first put on there
Helen Lawson Taylor Loved playing there on the swings and frying pan .lol
Carole Mackie Rickard Isn’t part of the wall/mural still there? Or at least I think it was until recently..
Claire Rodger I helped paint that wall too I painted a tree, can remember it well. I visited a few years ago and couldn’t believe the mural was still there. I’ve now got pics of it I only lived in hawthorn place till I was 16 but il never forget my roots x
Davy Thomson Hi Claire, how’s you? Lol can mind you being part of the BYDT at the time x
Claire Rodger You’ve got a better memory than me Davy Thomsonhope you, libby n the boys are keeping well xx
Patricia Hutcheson Docherty Wonder how many times I went up and down Elm st to go to school. Brilliant memories.
Patricia Hutcheson Docherty And of course the shops
Thea Borland Mcnamee Loved this park..used to play on the frying pan and bucking bronco wi the swings..remember when i was 9 playing in park wi billy paterson who stayed in elm st..had been raining an we were going to top of chute an dropping half bricks in a puddle that had collected below..billy missed his timing an the brick hit my head..well there i was screaming like a banshee running to ma grans in hawthorn place both hands on my head an blood pouring down ma face..got wee baldy scar there now an poor billy was terrified he would get into trouble…loved those days.x
Rosemary Law Me Danny loads of weans and others painted this.. always remember how excited the weans were x
Maureen Friery Moran I spent a huge part of my childhood playing in that park. Lovely memories.
Frances Reid i used to stay in elm street 1957 so remember the park xx
Mary Boyle I was born at number 20. Fond memories. Thank you 😊
Orlando Ancilotti It was a fun park. Great stuff to play on and bushes to hide in (with berries you weren’t supposed to eat). The best swings were om Victoria Street though, opposite the health centre. They were proper dangerous.
Rab Mccarrol used to play football at bottom of that park, If you go through the bushes at the bottom it took you into “The auld mans rest”
Davy Thomson Paul, I was part of the team that painted the wall, it was a project done by the BYDT, in about 89 or 90,, the wee bus driver was my handy work
Davy Thomson Robert Sharkey, mind painting this?
Garry Crowley He wrote RS on a wee bag on the painting
Davy Thomson That’s right, so he did
Margaret Farmer I remember the park. Used to walk to it from flat on Jackson Street. Also, Blantyre High School used to hold awards presentations at the Stonefield Parish Church. Moved in 1977.
Johnny Gilluley Stayed @ 13a elm st good times
John Berry I stay at 11c sum laugh
Annette McMahon Cambridge Remember the park and painting was done by local kids through the residents association everyone took part in the painting of the wall I think that’s why there is no graffiti on it

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