Here’s a great picture! From 5th March 1980, this is the former market site hardstanding, formerly in front of Hastie’s Farm. The area is now the Victoria Care Home.
A lone, old van sits on the derelict site (anybody know whose van it is?!). In the foreground is Victoria Street. Even by the time of this photo, the markets ‘days were numbered’ at this location, which is likely why the photo was taken. Spook Erections, the organiser of the market were denied renewed licenses, perhaps in an attempt to modernise and clean up Glasgow Road going through so much development at that time. The market temporarily moved further up Glasgow Road for a short time after. What’s your memories of Blantyre market?
The tradition of having a market in Blantyre is not a new one. During 1599, the weekly Blantyre market was fixed to take place on a Thursday and an annual fair was to be granted on 14th October that year, “for buying and selling of flesh, fish, oxen, sheep, meal, peas, corn, barley, linen and woollen cloth skins and all other goods, victual and merchandise.”
This would serve Blantyre’s 500 population and no doubt attract others from nearby villages. How amazing it would be to go back in time for 1 day to browse though THAT market!
Photo Courtesy: G Hay
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Joseph Allan Cheep t shirts
Helen Robb I would love to be able to time travel back, especially to the days of King’s and Queens, would be amazing. Xxx
Eleanor Clark Every country seems to hold markets selling fruit,veg and clothing except Scotland
Drew Semple we did both this market and continued when it moved to the top of Forrest st/Glasgow road along to Millar’s shoe shop.Nigel Maby(owner of Spook Erection) would buy a container load of sugar and sell it very cheap to draw customers.The rent for a pitch was £5 per day.It was a Tuesday market and very well attended.If i recall,the van belonged to the fruit stall.
Jim Connelly Remember the market well drew.bought a few things from it.the picture at the top brings back a good few memories.
Nan Burrows Interesting piece of Blantyre history
Anne Marie Murray Remember it well.I got my ears pierced for my 16th birthday at the market. As someone else said they have markets all over the country except Scotland..
John Cornfield It was a great market for young people especially all the latest trendy denims (faders skinners etc) cool T-shirts And sweat shirts it was great saved going to Hamilton or Glasgow EK at that time didn’t have a shopping centre worth talking about
Stephen Anderson I used to work at the market after school selling Jeans and T-Shirts etc. I remember it used to have a stigma about it (and working there) but as Priory Street was my stop anyway, living in Calder Street, I got away with it without any “slagging” lol, great memories!
Stephen Anderson Andrew, remember parking your yellow Beetle (EYS 309 L) in this ground all weekend when you used to live in Motherwell lol
Anne Gilmour Callaghan Loved the market. Would be good for local traders and Blantyre people to have one again
Anne Ellis Remember the police telling me to look for my stolen hairdryers and tongs when my dhop was broken into. No luck though
Arlene Campbell Was it not all chipped .. why do I remember walking on red stones …. or maybe it was something /somewhere else
Esther Boyd Remember some of my friends and I taking prams there. Then into Hastie for lunch
Carolyn Patterson I used to get of the school bus and go around the stalls bargain hunting before heading home happy memories 🙂
Marian Maguire I remember getting my two children snowsuits, one blue, one pink at £3.00 each. Yes I agree Annemarie markets are all over England, the one in Garstang, Lancashire is on every Thursday, and it’s a lovely wee town, one side of the street is used for stalls. I was at it a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed looking at the array of goods.
Carole B Buchan It’s where Victotia nursing home is now and tenament in the distance is Joanna Terrace where I used to live and is still standing.I remembrer going to the market there.
Jane Scobbie So sad these markets aren’t supported as they should.
Stephen Allan That does not look like Victoria Street as those tenement buildings in the distance would have been demolished by then if that is glasgow road at rhe far right.
Jim McSorley The van looks like it might be an old BMC manufactured unit
Robert Izett My Grandparents stayed in that area way way back
Catherine Whitefield Loved the market used to get great bargains specially wool for knitting
Laura Cowan Stephen the houses you see are on Glasgow Road at the traffic lights. Joe Nelsons funeral parlour etc. Victoria street is the road at the very front of the picture