Pictured here in 1917 is Catherine McMillan Campbell (maiden name Borland). She is the grandmother of Etta Morrison who shared this photo, which I’ve managed to get colourised.

Taken over 103 years ago this photo also has two of her 9 children. On her knee is baby Bobby. To her left is daughter Agnes (Nan) Willock Campbell who was born in Blantyre on 11th June 1913 at 55 Hunthill Road.

Catherine who was 25 in this photo had married in Blantyre the year before Nan’s birth, on 14th June 1912. She married Alexander (Sandy) Campbell who was a pit pony driver in the collieries at High Blantyre. I have retrieved birth and marriage certificate to provide some detail for this article.

The couple married at Stonefield Parish Church on Glasgow Road. Upon their wedding day 21 year old Alexander Campbell of 59 Craig Street was accompanied by his mother Jeannie Frame Donnachie (previously Campbell), who had remarried after the early death of her husband Robert Campbell a colliery stoker. On Catherine’s side, her father James Borland a coal pit brusher and mother Agnes Willock attended. Catherine had been living with parents at 10 Watson Street and had a job as domestic servant.

During WW1, the family moved from High Blantyre to Dixon’s Rows, more specifically to 22 Park Street, which explains the bricks on the background of this photo. I believe it was taken outside their home in those rows. By 1925 however, the family had moved back up close to Catherine’s family and settled down at 36 Watson Street, close to the Larkfield Pit. It is assumed Alexander worked for Dixon’s Pits given these locations and a family in transit being put into workers tied homes to the collieries. Another 5 years later with Larkfield Pit being closed down, Alexander looks to have moved again. This time to the new homes built at High Blantyre at Muir Street.

This would undoubtably have been a special time. A brand new, large house with a garden, 2 bedrooms, a living room, kitchen and indoor bathroom. It was far from the run down tenements in Watson Street and was a world away from Parks Street. This was a step up and it is telling that when i checked the family were still in Muir Street during WW2.

These are Blantyre families, from coal mining stock. Catherine and Alexander had 9 of a family! Seven sons and two daughters who were all in armed forces except Nan pictured.

Catherine and Alexander are pictured later in life.

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

Marian Maguire Great wee bit of Blantyre history
Moyra Lindsay Etta Morrison that’s given you something to think about. Stay safe!
Fiona Anderson Well done my mum Etta will love this x
Etta Morrison Paul thanks so much you have filled in a lot of gaps for me..would like to show my appreciation and put a donation to any charity of your choice if you let me know or I can forward the money to you xx
Blantyre Project not at all. Im happy to do this for free. You can support ongoing Blantyre causes by buying the monthly Blantyre Telegraph magazine which will recommence in a couple of months. At £1 , the money can be popped in one of the red tins in 14 different places in Blantyre or bought online. It will resume in Autumn. Thanks.
Fiona Jones Kirsty Jones Chris Jones your great granny
Mary Walsh I believe this to be the family of Moira Campbell and I our great grandfather’s brother Robert or possibly alexander I’ll pull out my campbell tree and dig in thank you I hope this info shows a greater link to our family’s.
Senga Steven Arbuckle this is my gran Agnes Campbell. my cousin Fiona Jones has searched the Campbell family back about 6 generations. it’s very interesting
Mary Walsh I would love for all of us to Skype and make a comparison on notes
Betty McLean Etta is Nan your mother? I also remember her brother I think lived in Springwell.
Etta Morrison Betty McLean yes it was my mum Betty cant think who was in spring well.. dads sister lived there..x
Marion Jones Awe this is amazing to see all these pictures
Fiona Jones Sons George, Roddy and son in law Russell.
Sharon Whyte Fiona is this my dads dad or is it his grand-dad x
Fiona Jones Sharon The photo of the three were your dad’s uncles. The older couple were his grandparents
Sharon Whyte Fiona my granda Elkie looked like one of the men thats how l knew lol x
Fiona Jones They were his brothers Roddy Rhona and Linda’s dad and George James, Roddy , Jean , Yvey and Billy dad.
Jean Stevenson Fiona that’s a brilliant picture of my dad (George) with his navy uniform on and Uncle Russ to the right of the picture and Uncle Roddy in the front, also an amazing piece of family History xx
Jean Stevenson Etta also seeing the picture you gave me earlier (in black and white)of granny Campbell with Uncle Bobby on her knee and Aunty Nan standing and now seeing it in colour is also amazing xx
Fiona Jones Another son my dad James Campbell on the left