1950 Elizabeth at Cowan Wilson Arch

Here’s another charming photo shared by Elizabeth Weaver. She’s the happy child in the photo pictured around 1950.

Standing under the Blantyre iconic ‘Cowan Wilson Memorial Arch‘, it looks like a spring or autumn day evident by the bare trellises and lack of leaves on the trees. Who remembers happy childhood days in the park?

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

Brian Weaver Interesting to see my sister featuring in a historical record!
Anne Callaghan I miss the rose gardens in the park – and the paddling pool and the boating pond and the putting – etcetcetc
Margaret Mary OSullivan Another great photo! Love Elizabeth’s wee outfit and sandals. Who took all the photos? I was fascinated by this arch when I was a kid because I lived in Cowan Wilson Avenue.
Elizabeth Weaver Our dad was rarely seen without his camera
Margaret Mary OSullivan Elizabeth Weaver I thought it was probably your Dad who took them. Lovely record to have of your childhood.
Andy Lynch Firs house I lived in (Herts Lawn) n looked on to the park
Stewart Willis In those days in blantyre most folk had “nothing” there were some on very hard times but everyine made the best of it. The parks were always well used and always well maintained. Rubbish went in the bin. Bottles went back to the shop for your deposit. My family had Hamiltons Greengrocers. As a kid i used to work in the shop on a Saturday weighing potatoes in the back shop bagging them up for the week ahead and then in the afternoon i was released (lol) into the park. It was brilliant putting swings boating pond paddling pool and nae litter or vandalising. When did it all go wrong??
Elizabeth Weaver This was probably April 1950, Paul – Mum is pregnant in this photo and my brother was born a few months later. That kilt I’m wearing was the Lord of the Isles tartan and was worn by Brian later too. Mum’s wearing a “swagger coat”, popular in the early 50s and ideal for use as a maternity coat. The park was so beautiful back then – even in winter it was kept looking neat but it came into its own in spring and summer – the flowers smelt wonderful!
Helen Lawson Taylor The park was a beautiful place then ,well kept and the flowers were beautiful .
Sandra Mckeown Flower displays were amazing. The nursery was in the grounds at glasgow road end.
Stewart Willis Sandra Mckeown the wee shed for the putter and golf ball was just at the entrance i think
Sally Mckean We lived above Adams shop on Glasgow Road and we would be down the park often. I remember my mum telling me about my great granpa having an allotment where Stonefield Park Gardens are
Gord Fotheringham One of the blantyre gems….every one… including us …were photographed under the arch….I preferred Livingston’s park…the big slide and all the other amazing rides….the horse….the witches hat…it was a wonderful place to grow up
Stewart Willis Gord Fotheringham proper take your life in your own hands play parks back then lol
Isabel Mcneily Great place went there often. Good old days
Jean Gibson Our first house was Station Road. The building backed on to the park and I loved walking in the park with my daughter in her cream Mothercare pram. We had no running hot water and an outside toilet. That was 1969. Moved to Scottish Special house a year later. Bought our first home 7 years later!
Anne Irvine For years + years we called it the David Livingstone arch. hahaha
Betty Davies Many of them much more to do.then with putting green paddling pool boating pond luxurious gardens my dad was head gardener for many years
Jane Scobbie It was such a beautiful park. Far distant cry from the one that’s there now
Tom Loggie When the tennis was on in the fifties we marked out a court in the red ash beside the big shute and battered old tennis balls that we called totties up and down all day till the parkie shut the Station Road gates.