Mary Kane writes, “My mother Barbara McCabe was born in Bellshill Hospital on 9/2/1926 and her father’s address is given as 53 Auchinraith Road. Her mother’s death certificate shows they were still living at this address when she died on 20 November 1947. Interestingly my mother’s elder sister Bridget McCabe was born at 39 Auchinraith Road on 12/8/1920. Do these address still exist? Thanks for your help.”
I was able to reply with:
39 and 53 Auchinraith Road are indeed former addresses. 39 was a tenement building located on the east side of the road, the tenement officially called “James Place”. There were 16 homes in this tenement which had address 37 and 39 Auchinraith Road. All the tenants were miners, and given the proximity to Auchinraith Colliery nearby, they were likely employed by Merry & Cunningham Coalmasters.
The McCabe family are known to have rented at number 39 from around WW1, and of course shared this building with many other tenants. The building belonged to Alfred A Todd. Colin McCabe was at this address in 1915. Rent was around £7 per annum and the McCabes lived in the smallest of the flats. By 1920, John MacCabe (this is the spelling on the valuation roll) lived there.
By 1930, the McCabes no longer lived at number 39 by then living at number 53. However, this was still within James Place, i.e the same building, for in the late 1920’s Auchinraith Road received new postal addresses and new numbering. James Place changed from 37/39 Auchinraith Road to 51/53. Their new apartment was larger at cost £15 per annum. Around 1930, the name ‘James Place’ appears to have been dropped from the valuation rolls in favour of the postal address.
The building, constructed around 1895 is the 2 storey tenement shown here in an aerial photo from 1955. It sat at the right hand side of a “the Buggy Buildings” and is now demolished. There are now modern homes built there and should not be confused with further subsequent renumbering with a house now at 53 Auchinraith Road.
Former Melbourne Place and James Place in 1950, Auchinraith Road
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Mary Kane This is great information. Thank you so much
Jiae Jiae I remember the scenario in the 1950 photo, the tenements, the prefabs, my auntie’s house in the photo, the bing my grampa walked us around with the dog…an Auchinraith girl myself.
Marian Maguire I wonder where that family originally came from? Possibly Ireland? That’s my grandmothers maiden name.
Tom McGuigan Probably Ireland, A lot of Irish in Blantyre. Problems with the Cencus is that they never stated where in Ireland. If you are doing a family free it’s a nightmare. Good Luck
Mary Kane Marian Maguire yes my grandfather Colman (Irish spelling) McCabe came from Lettermore in the Connemara area of West Ireland. I’m told when he first came to Blantyre he could only speak Irish! His wife my grandmother was Alice McVey. Her parents came from Ireland as well and settled in Bothwell. What was your grandmother’s full name?
Tom McGuigan Looks like the expressway cut this photo in half
Sheila Cobley This is great. My Mum lived at 65 Auchinraith Rd in the 1930’s with her parents William and Hannah Wilson and older sister. Mum (1927) and auntie (1926) both born in Boghall st. Stonehouse. After Mum passed away in May 2017, my sister and I went to Scotland and Auchinraith Rd. We gathered that mums home was long gone. Is there any information about my family please. Much appreciated.