This postcard, I believe dates from the early 1900’s and is likely more than 110 years old. Featuring the bottom of Stonefield Road, you can just see a hint of Calder Street leading off to the right. This is an interesting area I hope to write about in detail some day.
There’s a lot to take in this old photo. The beautiful old gas lamps, the busy streets with multiple horses and carts. This was before motorised cars. Some children are barefoot and prominently the St Joseph’s School Chapel stands in the background on Glasgow Road at the junction.
Only two of these buildings remain on the left hand side, including the Old Original which built in 1903 would have been brand new by the time of this photo. All the other buildings now gone.
This is what this exact scene looks like today. The hedges are gone, the street slightly narrower and the commercial busy, retail area partially given over to houses. Do you know what? I think the way it looked better back in the day. The potential to have all those shops run by local families, possibly with off road parking bays on the right, is like most of Blantyre’s tenement demolition, a missed opportunity in my book.
I know which century I would have lived in given the choice !!!
Hi Paul,
I am reliving my childhood looking at this photo of Stonefield Road, we lived at number 134 Calder Street and I often was sent down to the shops for items, my sister and I would go to the general store in the middle of the two story block. I recall the doors and the bell ringing as we opened it. I remember the swivel chair which fascinated me in the “back office” of the shop. People knew us at these shops, the sweetie shop on the corner, the Italian iceceam shop on the other. What memories stir! Thanks for sharing, again.