Following demolition of Minto’s Buildings, Dervoch Cottage, Broompark Place, Clyde Cottages, the workshops on Glasgow Road and the tenement houses and shops at the bottom of Stonefield Road, a new housing estate sprang up at the corner during the early 1990’s. The estate was named to remember the Valerio family who had traded at the former popular Café De Royal (Mickey’s Café) rented nearby on Stonefield Rd, run by ‘Valerio & Co’.

Why not named after other well known traders of the area? Benhams? Pates? Or the property owners themselves? Well, clearly the chosen name of Valerio not only honoured the Valerio family for conducting business there for so many decades, but also acknowledged their presence in Blantyre since as early as 1900, in other parts of Glasgow Road. Councilors named the housing estate well, for this had been a well known family throughout Blantyre for many generations.

Cafe de Royal, latterly Mickey’s Cafe, run by Valerio & Co on Stonefield Road

The detailed Valerio history and that of the Café is reserved for exclusively telling in another Blantyre Project book covering Stonefield Road.

Bottom of Stonefield Road in 1920s

Valerio Court is today centered around a small mini roundabout, accessed off Stonefield Road. Around it are 2 storey beige and brown brick houses in an L shape with frontage on both Stonefield Road and Glasgow Road. (hence inclusion of Valerio Court in this book). Bin stores and sheds are kept at the back. The opposing part of the court is a combination of bungalows, one and 2 storey homes. All homes have good access to local amenities.

Valerio Court Homes as they look today at the bottom of Stonefield Road

Valerio Court is still today a well maintained, neat and modern housing estate but the days of many, many shops in this area are long gone.

From the illustrated book, “Blantyre Glasgow Road South – The Real Story” by Paul Veverka (pages 459 and 460)

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

Steven Lightbody The tenement buildings had more character, it’s a pity they were flattened rather than saved. Although the replacements probably house more people with modern facilities.

Elaine Speirs Did the Valerios not own that whole strip of shops?

Isabella Johnston McShane They never even owned their own shop

Eddie Campaigne they owned some flats in the tenements along the road some people I know rented from them

Marian Maguire The old buildings had more character and were back from the corner. Also common sense from the council planers would have allowed this corner to be widened when rebuilding. As it is buses can hardly get turned into stonefield road.