Can you imagine how excited Blantyre residents would have been to hear Electricity was being arranged to power certain street lights, rather than having none or having lights requiring to be lit by gas.
In 1905, the electric future could be seen “around the corner” as authorities announced the provision of electric cables to power street lighting in Blantyre’s busier areas.
A lengthy notice was taken out and put into the Hamilton Herald in November 1905, stating that before 21st December 1905, the County Council of Lanark would provide electricity for private and public purposes setting a standard charge for its consumption.
The notice gave the authorities permission to break up roads and pavements for the purposes of laying trenches or installing poles. Blantyre Streets to receive electricity were as follows:
- The Glasgow to Hamilton Road from Whistleberry Road to Stonefield Road.
- Victoria Street
- Forrest Place
- Calderview Place
- Mayberry Place
- Dixon Street, Govan Street, Hall Street
- Park Street, Carfin Street, Calder Street
- Joanna Terrace
- Woodburn Avenue, Rosebank Avenue
- Farme Road, Ulva Place
- Greenside Street, Alpine Street, Logan Street
- John Street, Church Street, Clark Street
- Merry’s Rows, Forrest Street
- Herbertson Street, Bairds Rows
- Rosendale Terrace, Allison Place, New Station Road
- Suspension Bridge
Electricity was also to be guaranteed for seven railways bridges, the railways and the tram routes. A map showing the boundaries of all these areas and proposed cable routes was available for inspection at the Glasgow Road Police Station. Further advancements in powering Blantyre’s streets took place in the post WW1 years, during the early 1920s.
