This lovely, previously unseen photo from my collection shows the brand new houses built on Broompark Avenue. Photographed here in 1908 or so, they were constructed around 2 years earlier by William Burnett.
Obtaining the land from the Jacksons of Croftfoot on 1st November 1905, William Burnett planned on constructing an avenue with good quality homes. My own title deeds for Croftfoot explain the sale as, “3 continuous plots of land, 1) 29 Poles, 7 Yards, 4 feet bounded on the north by an avenue to be formed and on the east by the public road from Causeystanes by Broompark to Barnhill and 2) 30 Poles, 24 yards, 2 feet and 31 Poles, 12 feet and 6 feet bounded in the north by said avenue being part of the lands of Croftfoot, High Blantyre, reserving mineral rights”.
A couple of years prior to that, together William Burnett and James Easton, a plumber built several well constructed stone homes along Broompark Road with odd numbered addresses between 41 and 51.
Immediately after acquiring more land in 1905, William started constructing Broompark Avenue in 1906, the houses completed by 1907. William Burnett built these 2 blocks of 4 homes, totalling 8 family homes which he rented out. The first families were Muir, Stewart, Dunlop, Burnett, Ross, Mooney, Currie and Ritchie at the end (a family I’ve been writing about recently).
William Burnett occupied one of his owned houses, the former Neilsland Cottage, once standing beside the park entrance.
When his homes on Broompark Avenue were built, there was only fields behind. This was well before the public park being laid out. The name Broompark Avenue has existed since then and appears in the 1911 census.
From the forthcoming book, “Blantyre Explained” by Paul Veverka (c) 2019
Featuring Blantyre Project Social Media with permission. Strictly not for use by others on or offline, our visitors said:
Marian Maguire Beautiful cottages with all their original sash windows.
Matthew McGuigan Such craftsmanship!
Drew Fisher Fantastic to see these houses in an ‘as built’ condition.