Jim Canning writes, “Hi Paul, Something you might be interested in seeing. It’s my Grandfather’s “Travel Visa” during WW2. John Devine was an American, but lived in Blantyre at 271 Glasgow Road most of his Life. I think I noticed in your book about Glasgow Rd you had a James Devine down as living there, not sure who that was, but seemingly my Grandfather was quite a lad and could easily have changed his name if ‘Someone was looking for him. Nudge Nudge.”
I replied, “Hi Jim. He was certainly well travelled looking at all those stamps!
P.S The Valuation rolls does record a JAMES Devine being at 271 Glasgow Road at this time, so there is definitely a little mystery there! Perhaps he used a middle name? Also telling is that he never provided his occupation to the evaluating officer, something unusual and noticeably blank. As you probably know, he lived above the former Oliver’s Drapers shop on Glasgow Road, not far from the corner of Stonefield Road, the whole building being called ‘Broompark Place’.”
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Jim Canning Hi Paul, I asked my Sister about this, and she said the “James Devine”, might have been my Granfather’s Father and he was the one who signed. Still a mystery though.
It does say his occupation as a colliery firesman 👍
Here in New York my grandfather Tom Dolan’s best friend was Lefty Devine. Lefty lived in the Bronx and wrote a sports column each week in one of New York’s Irish American newspapers- either the Irish Advocate or the Irish World. I was stationed with Lefty’s son Jack (John) in the US Army in the Panama Canal Zone in 1967. His son wanted to become a NYC cop. Can’t find out more about Lefty. Could Lefty be this Blantyre John.
Hi Mike McGovern. Lefty Devine was married to my dad’s cousin. The man on these documents is not him. You might enjoy seeing an interview with Lefty that is available online https://www.rte.ie/archives/2014/0502/614794-the-home-of-the-gaa-in-new-york-1966/ (go to 9:15 to see the interview). I wanted to let you know that Jack did go on to be a NYC police officer. Sadly he passed away in 2013.