This photo is previously unseen online and I believe was taken at former houses at School Lane in High Blantyre. As with other recent photos on Blantyre Project, once again it’s the children of the Ritchie family, David Ritchie their father being the photographer. From left to right, this is Robert, Jessie and Kate Ritchie.
Knowing Jessie Warnock Ritchie was born in 1896 and little Kate was born in 1902, I’d say this photo was about 1905. The Ritchie family in the immediate following years moved to one of the new stone houses at Broompark Avenue.
These are not plainclothes being worn and clearly the children are dressed up for some occasion. It never ceases to amaze that whilst the clothes are fine, the shoes and boots are scuffed and in the case of Robert, is missing toecaps. This likely not only reflects the state of Blantyre’s streets at the time, but perhaps also the expensive nature of buying new shoes and boots, even for children.
A wonderfully, clear snapshot of Blantyre life , some 118 years ago.
Hi Paul. Hope you are well. I have been going through the photos and trying to name them. I now think that this picture is of the older children, Jimmy, Lizzie and Minnie.