Brownlea Cottages, (Jeanfield) – 319/321 Glasgow Rd

Brownlea Cottages (Jeanfield)

319 and 321 Glasgow Road, Brownlea is the oldest surviving house on Glasgow Road South

    Brief Summary: Incredibly important building for our heritage, for by our reckoning, this is the oldest surviving house on Glasgow Road South between Springwell and the Westend! Built in 1869 by constructor and bookseller, Robert Lindsay (who lived nearby at Clyde Cottages and would later build Allison Place), it was originally called ‘Jeanfield Cottages’.

   By the early 1880’s, Robert had moved away from Blantyre and the property was bought by Penelope Galt Renfrew, of Muir Street, Hamilton, who owned it and let it out until her death in 1900. The Whitefield family lived there briefly around 1901, coming to Blantyre a little earlier and had left by 1905. On 12th October 1912, the Thomson family renting here lost a baby son (aged 10 month), named Wee Bunty.

   In 2 separate homes, it was twinned with an identical separate building to the west, and renamed ‘Brownlea Cottages’ although it is not connected in any way to the Brownlie’s of Barnhill. Of solid, functional 2 storey construction it is short on ornate detail. By 1905 John G Johnston of Glasgow was the owner, although he had died by WW1. Tenants included Henry RS Oliver, draper and Thomas Devaney, a publican.

   Owners changed often. Joseph Hughes in 1920, Alexander Struthers by 1925 and by 1930 subdivided into private homes, one belonging to Struthers, the other to Thomas Little a works manager. The Bennett family have lived there now for over 35 years.

   At almost 150 years old, we see no reason why this won’t still be standing and be occupied in another 150 years. Lovely, quality family home.

From the book, “Blantyre Glasgow Road South – The Real Story” by Paul Veverka [Page 510]

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