Quick Questions

Screen Shot 2017-12-02 at 16.36.34This week’s quick questions. Not a quiz, I genuinely don’t know the answers and looking for YOUR help.

Q1. Who are the current OWNERS of the West End Bar? (McCormacks?, spelling?). I have the year they took over as being 2008.

Q2. What year did CALLAGHAN WYND housing estate get built across from the Westend? Housing developer? How was it named? Any interesting stories about the estate?

Q3. What can you tell me about the ROAD heading out of Blantyre from the Westend towards Spittal? Accidents? Incidents? Realigned when? Stories?

Q4. The STONE CLAD HOUSE on Bardykes Road sitting at the entrance to Bardykes House, when was that built and does it have a name? I have it being built in 1997 by Martin Miller’s Stonemasons (Stonecube rings a bell) but this is just a memory and hope to have confirmation.

All comments will be noted for inclusion in “Blantyre Explained” encyclopedia volumes. As always, thanks in advance!

William Mullen q3…my neighbour in the village ..1960s…was killed motorbike crash !!
Sylvia Mclaughlin Who was that Wullie?:/

William Mullen 2nd name was chambers..iwas bout 10 xx
Helen Grieve Q3 always flooded really badly just at the entrance to Doonans works. Still quite a dip in the road. There have been lots of accidents there.

Kathryn Allan Q2 i think is 1992

Greer Litster Yeh there’s been lots of accidents there Paul, most with not good endings Gx

Lesley Hartley Q2 I’m sure is 1993/94. My mum and dad bought one when they were just plots, I was 20 and moved out the following year. I remember our first christmas there we had to move out temporarily because it was a bad winter with really deep snow and all the pipes froze, they hadn’t been lagged properly. It was a lovely estate 👍🏼

Margaret Mary OSullivan Am not sure of the year. It was named after my Mum who spent most of her teaching career in Blantyre, teaching in Saint Joseph’s, Blantyre and latterly in Saint Blanes- a job she loved. Like most people who came from a working class background, she appSee more

Maureen Friery Moran Margaret Mary OSullivan , she was a beautiful lady, inside and out 😊

Gary Morrison West end bar is brewery owned .Maura McCormack involved and probably holds the license

Maureen Mccallum Your mum taught me in St Josephs .Have to say she was the best teacher I ever had .I remember her teĺling me always to let an adult go before me in a shop as it was good manners .A lesson that has followed me through my life ,to be considerste x

Margaret Mary OSullivan Oh thank you Maureen Friary Moran and Maureen Mccallum, she loved working with all you young people!

Martin Smith My 1st teacher Margaret Mary!!!

CM Connor Margaret Mary OSullivan I had no idea Mrs Callaghan was your mum . She taught me in St Blanes and was one of the reasons I went in to teaching- tremendous teacher 😍
Margaret Mary OSullivan CM Connor Aww lovely to hear that and you are such an excellent teacher!

Blantyre Project Margaret Fantastic. Thank you for that.
Gerald Kellachan Q2 named after Cathy Callaghan school teacher and labour activist , her father Andrew Fagan was awarded MBE late 50′ s early 60’s . Fagan Court in the village named after him .
Blantyre Project How wonderful that this family have 2 generations of people with streets named after them.

Carol Boyd Q3. Jimmy Beatons son Jim was killed at the Dalton. Jimmy had the bus hire co. His sons were part of Blantyre Tigers Speedway team. I don’t know if Bobby is still riding.
Carol Boyd Jim was on his bike.

Gary Doonin It was actually George Beaton I think 1972 , realigned 92 93 , Callaghan wind 1994 by Wimpey , house at edge of Callaghan Wind 1997 stone came from Yorkshire .
Blantyre Project thanks Gary.

Alisa Tonner Q3 my good childhood friend Jean Couser was killed on this road and my other friend broke her back what a tragic tragic time I’m sure it was 1989 as the year before my boyfriend Paddy Ryan died in another incident across the road from my current house (Hillview Drive) and that was 17th March 1988 (St Patrick’s Day)
Sheryl McPhee Q3 I lived there 15 Hamilton rd bungalow next to bardykes chemical when I was young . I remember our wall down all the time with cars crashing into it . My dad always said it was a bad bend and dip in road cars lost control all the time

Sheryl McPhee gosh that looks terrible …….that pale colour wall is the one that was smashed all the time my dad would rebuild it then next thing it was down again . Thanks for pic hoch
Collette Maguire Gardiner Q1, Maura McCormack and her brother, they previously lived at 1 Belvoir Place, lovely family.
Stephen Kelly It’s Maura McLauchlin who owns the West end bar. I play gigs in there and it’s Maura I deal with.

Maura McLauchlin Re: West End Bar
October 2008 we took it over from Mrs McNiell who sadly passed away recently…

Blantyre Project Thank you Maura. Stay tuned, i have 14 pages from my next book telling the full detailed history of the Westend and Westend Bar. I was sorry earlier this month to hear about Nan’s passing. She must have been just short of 90. I have dedicated the article about the westend to her. Its scheduled here over 1 full week in February, Good luck and all the best with your new venture.
Maura McLauchlin Thank you…
We have heard many tales and stories recounted over the years about her time as landlady…
She was well liked and very much respected.
The pub still bears their family crest above the bar….
Look forward to reading the article….

Marianne Timmons Q3. I remember when I was young my dad taking me and my brother down to the Spittal to watch the cars getting stuck in the deep water, before the realined the road , good memories watching numpty driving fast through it then getting stuck & there cars filling with water lol 😁
Arlene McWilliam Green Callaghan Wynd building started by Wimpey in 1993 I moved in as the first occupant of 77 Callaghan Wynd, 2//12/94
There was some tale that at some point in the distant past that the land had been cursed 🤔 – not sure if just a myth but maybe something you could look into?
It was a super place for my two girls to grow up with their pals, it had originally a play park at the top with Wilkies Field adjacent and the kids could all feed the horses. Also they liked going into the woods and making tree swings. It was a range of 3 bedroom semis, and 3 and 4 bedroom detached house which at the time sold for a price range of between £52,000 to £85,000
The estate is actually called Bardykes Grove and the street name is Callaghan Wynd.

Arlene McWilliam Green Q3 there was a terrible car accident on the Spittal one Christmas Eve, with I believe 2 fatalities. I reckon Gin was the late 80s but not entirely sure which year.
homas Barrett The young lass Gordon can’t remember her first name was killed in an accident over the dalton. She came from Strathmore Ave.
Margaret Slaven Mc Sorley Jan gordon was her name her dad douggie was a jeweller and she was driving to do with business not long pased her test one door up from i stay now your old house tam but when it happened a stayed in lane just round corner her parents where never the same .💔💔
Thomas Barrett That’s right Mag Dougie was a nice man x
Margaret Slaven Mc Sorley Yes moved to h.tyre schoolhouse lane drank in blakleys did he die tam ? X
Thomas Barrett Don’t know Mag never heard x

Violet Reynolds Shaw Hi Mags Dougie died last year he suffered a stroke him and Maesteg were never the same when that happened to Jan on Saturday 6th October 1973 her and I were best friends all through David Livingstone Memorial Primary and Calder Street and finally Hamilton Academy she was due to start at Glasgow School of Commerce on the Monday 8th October so sad xxxx
Margaret Slaven Mc Sorley Thats right violet youse were best freinds.a remember she went out with guy valentine and then was going with paul when she died.sorry to hear about mr gordon xx



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