Continuing an extensive look at “Blantyre in 1979”, a significant year of change for the town. The redevelopment of Glasgow Road forced a lot of traders to move, but for some, it was also a convenient time or excuse to retire.
Frank Millar in 1979
At the start of February 1979, one of Blantyre’s best known tradesmen retired after an incredible 55 years of working in the town.
Cobbler, Frank Millar is seen here sitting at his bench for the very last time at Millar’s Shoe and Sports Shop at Glasgow Road, which closed its doors for good at 3pm on Friday 2nd February 1979.
Frank, aged 69 at the time started his apprenticeship in 1924 when he was only 14 years old. His father, Matthew Millar, a Lithuanian had opened the shop on Glasgow Road , 6 years earlier in 1918, immediately after the end of WW1. Many people may remember Matthew being referred to as ‘Matha the Pole’, although he was never Polish. (It’s noted he was never Martha the Pole with an ‘r’ or called Miller with an ‘e’ as some will incorrectly have you believe!)
A Blantyre man through and through. Frank lived at 9 Ivy Place with his wife Albina. His 2 sons were a draughtsman and an industrial chemist, not following the cobbler ‘footsteps’.
Upon his retirement, Frank told reporters that he had seen a great change in Blantyre in recent years, adding, “It was busier then, but money was a lot tighter too! There were a lot more shops.”
When asked if he would miss his shop he joked, “Not at all. It’s in a sorry state and my wife has already laid out a full plan of activities for me! I would however like to thank everybody who came into my shop for their business. I also made a great number of friends throughout the years.”
Ironically, during the 1980’s, Frank spent the last few years of his life living at Devlin Grove Sheltered housing, in the same nearby area his father’s former shop used to be in.
Do you remember Frank and Millar’s Shoe & Sports Shop at the junction of Glasgow Road and Clark Street?
From the book, “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Rita Stewart Docherty Thanks for this..I remember as a child frequenting Matha the Pole’s (although I did think it was Martha) with my mother when we went doon the street for the messages!!
Blantyre Project can anybody describe the layout of the shop? I don’t remember this as a child.
Liz Boxall Also shoe boxes piled high if my memory serves me well … I stayed above Andrew Little the bakers but said Matt the Pokes .. happy Days
Sadie Dolan I always cryed him Martha pole loved his shop my mum was never out it loved getting scraps out of it loved the smell!!
Drew Semple very sadly,they also had a daughter who died,i think she was only 13 when she passed away.
Jean Cuthbertson Drew Semple I think her full name was Elizabetb Ann
Liz Smith Remember them well x
I remember shop was at end of the road along from the iron monger shop and the strong smell of leather as you entered the shop ….
Neil Maureen Kielty I remember 
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Peter Murray Brilliant wee shop used to get my studs for ma football boots and segs for the brouges 
🤣🤣🤣next door was fred thorburns barbers 🤣
😃Etta Morrison Thomas Barrett me too because I thought name of shop was Mattha the Pole..
George Crossan A lovely family , used to get our gutties out of the shop.me and Gerry were pals for years .
Anne Irvine Where we got our ‘gym’ shoes. Black then white for secondary . They were the days 😊
Blantyre Project can see the 1979 posts are going to be popular! Lots more businesses closed that year and will be highlighted here too.
John Dunsmore I inscribed their. Headstone in the old high Blantyre. Cemetery .
Jane Paterson Very friendly and helpful man x
Margaret Liddle Remember the shop and him well, I think we all got our gym shoes there
😂😂😂Gerry Millar is Graham’s brother and we all still live locally.
John Mcghee Nice dignified man
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Mary Watt Remember the shop and the family well xx
Christine DePlacido I always knew that shop as MaRtha the pole’s I thought that was his wife’s name !
Thomas Bell Nice nice man many I went there with my dad he got his shoes sold and heeled great times great days
Marilyn Muir Yes I remember him and the shop
Marian Maguire My husband remembers him well.
Janette Mackenzie Went there for my plimsoles
Helen Lawson Taylor Remember him and his wife lovely people .
James Faulds i remember he used to put the bladders in the tubbies and put a new lace in them when needed so that we could play fitba and he used to put the leather studs on my boots he was a great man and pleasant
Linda Fellows Eyre omg i remember
Ethel Watson I Remember him and his wife
Liz Morgan Hawkins Remember going there for my shoes many years ago 
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Nancy McFadden I remember that shop very well, got plastic sandels from there
🙏🙏🙏Terry Hughes The shop had a great smell of glue & leather.
Moira Macfarlane I remember him well xxx
Aye, Matha the Pole was on Glasgow Road right across from Elm Street.
I remember being in there as a kid several times and the smell of leather and other materials. Also, I still have a vision of him sitting and performing work on a laste (spelling?).
Pit boots were re soled and studded….”tackety boots” I think the phrase was. Some kids had them at school.
I also remember those rubber stick on soles. Can’t remember how many came off by trying to save a few bob and doing them at home.
Very embarrassing if at the “Troc” in Hamilton and one of your soles was flapping around.
Matha’s rubber soles stayed on until they had holes in them. Great memeories, thanks for the story Paul.