Another previously unseen photo from 20 odd years ago. This time from 1999 and it is of course, the Village Bar.
Did you know? In April 1878, the whole building went up in flames. It is unknown how the fire started, but the drapers, grocers, pub and nearby houses were all gutted. There was nearby fire apparatus at the Village Works, but by the time they had rallied it to the location and then connected up hoses down to the River Clyde, the fire had already by then swept through the premises. It was insured for £1,800 at the time, but the damage was so extensive amounting to £2,000, that the rebuild payout would not have covered the full amount. The rebuild most certainly would have included a slated roof, rather than the previous thatch.
Later, during Mr Bryson’s tenure, some local boys obtained some gunpowder and succeeded in blowing a hole in the gable of the building, which had to be repaired.
Partly from “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2018