349 Glasgow Road is Dunedin, built by mason, Gavin Semple of Auchinraith
| Constructed: >1907<1909 | Other Names: None |
| Constructor: Gavin Semple | Original Address: 321 Glasgow Rd |
| House Type: Semi detached | Current Address: 349 Glasgow Rd |
Brief Summary: ‘Dunedin’ and its semi-detached neighbour ‘Orwell’ have a unique appearance. The stone built villas are symmetrical with bay windows and upper dormers like their neighbours but are distinct in that the pitches above the dormers are very tall by comparison to homes nearby. As such, the villa has an individual charm.
Mr. Gavin Semple, a builder formerly of Springwell was responsible along with his brother for the building of much of Auchinraith Road at the turn of the 20th Century. His family had built many homes in Springwell in the late 19th Century and they had close ties with New Zealand giving names to their homes associated with that country like Melbourne Place and Dunedin.
Prior to WW1, sometime around 1910, Gavin bought a plot of land beside the Bowie family on Glasgow Road and constructed his property rising out the ground by 1.5 storeys. The right had side, he sold off, perhaps to partially pay for the venture. A successful and well known builder, Gavin Semple and his family occupied ‘Dunedin’ until the early 1930’s. The next owner by 1935 was Mr. William S Hamilton, a newsagent who brought up his family at this address (by then 349 Glasgow Road) for the next few decades. His daughter, Mary married there in 1948. In later years, a garage was added at the rear.
Today, the original wall and pillars enclose the small front garden, a mixture of heathers and conifers, some of which have grown rapidly these last 10 years. Aside from some minor signs of age on the ornate details on the timber dormers, the property still has a grand, old appearance. There’s no doubt that when this house was built, it was a sure sign of business success and as far removed from the abundant miner’s rows and pits as any house could be.
From the book, “Blantyre Glasgow Road South – The Real Story” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said,
Jacqueline Muir Nancy Daisley think this may have been Bill Cobley’s dad’s house?