From the illustrated social history book…
“Blantyre – Glasgow Road, The Real Story” by Paul Veverka (c) 2016 – 2018.
Exploring Stonefield Road
Stonefield Road takes its name after the old district of ‘Stonefield’ in Blantyre, which in the early 20th Century actually extended from this point southwards up to Larkfield and as far east along either side of Glasgow Road towards Auchinraith Road.
The road, initially a track connected Larkfield down to the Glasgow to Hamilton Road and may have been formed properly when the Free Church was constructed midway up the road. It offered a good way for people to walk from Glasgow Road up to Larkfield and branch off to Barnhill or Causeystanes at High Blantyre.
At the lower northern end of Stonefield Road, a cluster of several houses and a public house were the only buildings in the mid 19th Century in this area. However, like the rest of Stonefield, rapid growth in the 1860’s to 1890’s saw many other homes built with shops on the lower levels.
Stonefield Road looking to Glasgow Road junction 1915
Prominent buildings like Commercial Place, Dixon’s Rows and the important tram terminus would define the character of this area, with the majesty of the School Chapel and later St Joseph’s Church looking down on them. This was a thriving, popular area of Blantyre with fleshers, bakers, cafes, grocers, public houses, church, a post office, cobblers as well as many other trades.
Popular former shops are embedded in the memories of Blantyre residents. Certainly some of the most talked about are amongst the following:
| · Mickey’s Café De Royal,
· Scobie’s Bakery, · Cameron’s the Butcher, · Sweenie’s Confectionery, · Gilbert the Baker, · Black the Baker, · McCorgary’s DIY, · Chalmers Emporium, · Smart the Butchers, · Benham’s Newsagents, · Geoff Pate’s Newsagents, · Lightbody’s Bakery shop · The Red Lion Pub, · The Old Original Pub, |
· The Black Hole,
· Clyde Star Video, · Loughlin’s Cobblers, · Scotmid Chemist, · KG Copystat, · Tan Unique, · The Launderette, · The Priory Inn, · Mecca Bookmakers · William Hill Bookmakers, · Hair by Brogan, · Melanie Brown’s Salon, · Spar, · Stonefield Newsagents. |
Perhaps the most commercially astute was the Valerio family. The Café De Royal (Mickey’s) established in 1906 will be fondly remembered by many people, even right into the 1980’s. Mickey Valerio cleverly penned the slogan on his adverts, which catered for all weather, “Do you feel cold? Try a coffee now. You feel hot? Have an Ice. “
This was a great shopping area for more than 100 years, but now, since the 1990’s only has shops on the western side near the junction.
Not so much “everything you will need in one place”, but now more like “some things you may need (from time to time!)”
From the illustrated 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,
Stephen Anderson Don’t forget Norris’s (before Pate’s) and the Commercial Bar (before Priory) Paul.
Eddie Campaigne yep I was wullie Norris message boy!!…big bike and basket!!
Stephen Anderson And wee Hughie McGee was the cobbler in my days, remember having to go downstairs into the wee shop and it always smelling of glue and leather (obviously)
Eddie Campaigne Mc Callums was the grocer opposite Norris’s ..he had a message boy as well! …the cobbler was Tommy Lauchlin, in the 60’s mc vets bookies next door to norris’s past the billboards
Stephen Anderson And Mick Cassidy ran Mickey’s (Cafe de Royal) before it closed down, don’t think he was allowed to sell fags though so never lasted long.
Blantyre Project I think he sold fags from fag machines at the side of the property, although were prone to “being tanned” often.
Robert Stewart The only bakers I remember next to Sweeney the butcher’s was Gilbert’s.
Jane Maxwell Your right Gilbert’s is the only bakers l have ever known on Stonefield Rd right next door to Sweeney the butchers. These two shops were regular places my mum would buy her butcher meat and rolls and tea bread as she called buns , fruit loaf and my dad loved their Doly Varden l probably did not spell that right but it was a favourite.
Elizabeth Bradley I was also brought up in Bairds Rows and attended St.Joseph’s school in the picture but I was born in 1942. Betty Clarkin Bradley
Margaret Sanderson I loved the smell of the fresh produce in McCallum’s shop. I remember my mum buying loose butter here. The assistant would cut a lump of butter from the large round of butter, weigh it and then form it into a shape using ribbed butter patties before wrapping it up in greaseproof paper.
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