This story featured on the front page of Blantyre Gazette Saturday 17th July 1948, the fair holidays edition. It remarks upon the effort to address housing shortages in Blantyre.
“More Prefabs Allocated – Over half the houses now let. With the allocation of another twenty two pre-fabs on Monday of this week, more than half of the 60 houses contained in the Station Road scheme have now been let. The latest tenants were given their keys yesterday (Thursday) and including this batch there are now 38 of the houses occupied. This only leaves a further 22 houses to be allocated to complete the scheme. So far, the two streets formed by the houses are without a name but information received by us is to the effect that one street will be called Park Lane and the other Clyde Street. “
The street however was renamed as Clyde Crescent.
Here’s a great photo from the mid 1960s of the children of Clyde Crescent Prefabs. In the background is Joanna Terrace, with chimney’s and St Joseph’s chapel. Using the power of social media, some of the kids are known as Lynn Friery at the extreme right of the photo. Lynn Gerard on the left. Ann McManus and Drew Carr, Stewart Semple are reported to be possibly in this too.
Angela Smith also shared this fantastic photo of one of Clyde Street Prefabs. Her grans house at 8 Clyde Street.
These particular homes were perhaps known to be the best quality prefabs. Known as “Tehrans”, they were constructed in an area just off Station Road on a large yard owned by Hugh B Kerr and in the fields of Forrests (Mill) Farm between St Josephs School, Thornhill Avenue, Farm Road, Kerr Street and the rear of the houses at Station Road. In this prefab estate were Park Lane, Clyde Crescent, Kerr Street and Centre Street. Pictured in the 1950’s are some aerial photos of the completed scheme.
A further housing scheme was built off Station Road near the oilworks, towards the Livingsone Centre, completely separate from this.
Tehran prefabs were constructed with sections of pebbled panels and were of such good quality that many local authorities delayed their instruction to demolish them. Some in other areas received bricks around the fabric of the building and made into permanent buildings! When the prefabs were eventually instructed to be taken down, they were carefully demolished in the late 1960’s, some to be sold off as summer homes, holiday homes and offices.
Did YOU live in a Blantyre Prefab?
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Jim Frame I stayed in the prefabs in blantyre at ellisland street number 28 fun days
Andrew Little Jim Frame i lived at 20 Ellisland St
Jim Frame Andrew Little other side of the road
Jim McAllister I lived at 4 centre street I’m sure the tall girl in the pic is Anne Slavinski possibly her brother Derek. My good pal Gerry Barrett could be in the middle with blonde hair 🤣 great memories x
Jim McAllister I also think that’s Magdalen slavinski in front of her sister Anne
Ealasaid Ann Stewart Jim McAllister yes Ann, mag and Eilean.
Carol Porter I was brought up in yarrow way (opp Kerr st) and always wondered what it was like before the houses were built.
Lesley Keith I think you lived right behind my mums house. Our back garden gate faced the side of your house
Carol Porter Lesley Keith Hi Lesley. Yes I remember. My brother was friends with your brothers and I am also friendly with your cousin Lindsey. Small world. Hope you are well xx
Eleanor Clark Stayed in a prefab in Auchenraith Terrace
Mary Crowe 3 Lochlie Street across from High Blantyre industrial estate
Catherine Heng Yes I was born in one. It was the ones right next to David Livingston Centre on Station Rd, If anyone has any photos of it that would be great. I don’t have any. Just incase anyone remembers my name was Catherine Nugent, If anyone remembers me get in touch as it has been so long since I lived in Blantyre I now live in Melbourne Australia. Thanks for the memories.
Anne Gilmour Callaghan Hi , Did you ever stay in Devondale Ave, Catherine. Seem to remember Nugents stayed across the road from me, then emigrated to Australia.
Catherine Heng Yes we did, 16 Devondale Avenue. We moved to Morris Crs after Devondale Ave. Mum and Dad Chrissie and Joe and my sister Christine moved to Australia in the late 60″s I moved in 1977. Do you remember Liz Kellas, she was my pal and I still keep in touch with her. Are you still in Blantyre?
Jim Brankin Michael Mcginley do you remember your house here can’t remember the number though used to visit Aunt Beccy on way to school.
Elizabeth Daley We lived in Clyde crescent
Catherine Morrison Lived in Lochlie Street loved it
Ann Millar Best days aie ma life/childhood were spent in they prefabs, as well as awe wir neighbours, played oot fae early morning till late at night wae awe ma prefab pals, n we never had the stuff the weans have noo, made wir ain entertainment brilliant memories & happy childhoods we awe had.!
Thea Borland Mcnamee I stayed In a prefab but not this one..ours was situated at 13 ellisland st which was situated approx where auchintibber court sits just now
Jim Canning About a year old when we left Park Lane, number 6 I believe it was.
Catherine Murphy I lived in prefab but not these ones we stayed at 117 Parkville Drive springwells these were great houses great neighbor’s and lots of fond memories
Kevin M. Creechan Grew up at the top end of Park Lane. Fond memories of the people, time and place.
Helen Henderson Mclaughlin We lived there too but not sure of the number
Linda Smith My mum and dad’s prefab.with Linda and jim Shaw. And Stewart Semple.
Anne Bell My uncles family stayed in park lane
Jane Scobbie When I see these prefabs I always remember going into my friends Janet Craig (as wa)s who lived in one of these. We thought they were so posh. Great homes in a great part of Blantyreand to have the beautiful public park right next door, fantastic
Maureen Downie Me Rosetta and Dominic McGilligan were born at 3 Park Lane. When we moved to 52 Hardie Street Rosetta was 3 I was 2 and Dominic was a baby x
Tommy Mclachlan I was born there,front room 9 park lane
Margaret Quinn Yes I remember oor May and Me were born in 2 Kerr Street Becky McGinley stayed next door in 4 Kerr St she was so tiny that oor May thought she was her pal many many happy memories of my 17yrs there
June Gorrance I lived in 1 Centre Street from birth (1959) until I was 5, I lived there with my mum & dad & younger brother John Cornfield ( possibly my other brother James too as a baby,as he was born in 1964) I have lovely childhood memories of my wee pals at that timeThe Fitzpatrick’s,The Grant’s & The Mcallisters,we all lived right next to each other,Happy Days😊the picture of the prefab is exactly how I remember them
Frances McDonald I was born in no 10 centre st and lived there till I was 17 or 18 lots of happy memories
Kirsty Liebow Tom Wilson have a look and read. Never heard of Centre St or Clyde xx
James Sime My gran and grandad lived in a prefab on Clyde Crescent (number 1, I think) it was right where the path is at farm road leading up to tighnasheen way etc, before moving to Devondale Avenue in the late 50s. John (Jock) and Kate Sim. They lived their prefab and always talked about it fondly. My grandad loved his garden there.
James Sime The building with the chimneys isnt Joanna Terrace, its the old St.Josephs School which became the Blantyre Nursery Centre in the early 80s. It was discussed in another post in the past and you couldnt remember the building.
Jean MacKie I was born 26 Clyde crescent brings back lots of memories
Jane Maxwell I grew up in a prefab at the top of Parkville Drive. It was only one street we kids had a great time growing up there with the bing behind the houses and a burn that flowed through the parks that we played in along side the wagon works with the single railway track. Great days.
I lived at 164 Station Road, in a prefab – the first row down from Jean Craig’s corner shop. My Dad bought the 2nd TV in this part of the village to watch the Coronation in 1953 and the whole family came down to see it. The kids went on a picnic to David Livingstones. The 1st TV was our neighbours – Mr Andersons. We moved to Devondale Ave like so many others in 1956 and we were the last family to be rehoused. The bulldozer started demolishing the prefab as my parents were leaving with the flitting lorry ( Willie Prentice’s coal wagon). But those were the days. Hard for the mothers to make ends meet, but th0e kids had great play times.
That’s where the Peter McPhail dance band started, in the prefab my Dad practised his trumpet and my mother baked cakes for the other members on Sundays.
Happy Days and very different from today. Frank McPhail.
We remember with great fondness June (cornfield)Gorrance and the Grants, Mcallister’s,
Anne McManus, the foxes Lynn and June
And the Stokes family and Lynn Gordon.
Tommy McLaughlin, the Ferguson brothers,
The Barrett boys, the Slavinskis ,Denver and Gracie crane. The mcgilligans. The wee shop, the davners. That was our childhood, out to play after school every day in hail , rain, snow, and sun
Thank you all for the memories that was the good old days. Remember them like yesterday.
I wish you all well. Elizabeth & Terri Fitzpatrick