This Blantyre scene may not be so familiar, especially to a younger generation. This is Craig street, the homes bought over by compulsory purchase order in 1978 to make way for the new Asda Superstore. This part of the street linking Calder Street to Glasgow Road.
To put this former scene into modern context, the street pictured, is now almost exactly on the same land as the main roadway through the ASDA carpark. Photo shared by Bill Lobban.
Who remembers Blantyre like this?
On Social Media, the following comments were received on Facebook:
Isobel Walters My Gran was born in 46 Craig Street
Linda Mcgowan I lived in 75 Craig Street in the 80’s
Thomas Barrett Remember it well
Stevie Gill Used to play football on the patch of grass behind logaan Street next to church good times
Rena Caullay Oh thank you, this is the way I remember Craig Street. I lived in Central Buildings.
Margaret Farmer Walked past Craig St or on it most days on the way to high school for five years
Gordon Gemmell My paper round for Wullie Pate went straight up Craig Street, when Asda was getting built I had a detour
Catherine Murphy There was a shop near the top of Craig Street I used to go into on my way home from work on a Friday and by a sweets it is now a hairdressers called hair connection.
Liz Doonin Catherine Murphy. Went to wee Jimmy’s which was at the end of our building I think. Pickerings, Thompsons and Father Mackerel (?) parents neighbours too. Father Mackerel would take me for a ride oh his motorcycle. Once he put a sidecar on it I wouldn’t go on it again
Bill Graham My Aunt and uncle stayed in the tenement across the road from these houses. Hugh and Margaret Croft.
Eleanor Nailon I remember it well.
Jeanette Allardyce Ward I remember it well and I’m sure there was a wee seamstress shop across the road
Valerie Krawczyk I remember it well, happy days.
Rab Straiton I remember it well. I lived at 59 Craig Street
Hugh Waugh Was a wee shop there Cowans?
Isabel Mcneily Yes the good old Blantyre
Morag Burns I was born in 26 Craig street. My sister Sandra and my brother Ian were also born there. My older brother Billy was born in Lanark . Neighbours were Pollocks, McGuigans, Dunns, Russell’s, Lee, Hunter. I think the two shops were called Gibson’s and wee Jimmy’s. Uncle Tam who stayed next door took us to Guys on Glasgow rd. for a poke of sweeties.When I was five we moved to a brand new house in Coatshill, with an inside toilet and a bath! Luxury.
Helen Grieve Morag Burns Gibsons was the bottom of Victoria Street. It was my sweetie shop going to school.
Elizabeth Grieve I remember that
Liz Doonin Born at 56 Craig Street. Nurse McFadyen(?) was the midwife
Morag Burns Liz Doonin Nurse mcPhail. We were told that babies came from her wee black bag
Robert McLeod-Wolohan thats where littles the shop was, and next was the chemist, and across the road from it used to b the best swing park in blantyre.
Stevie Park Robert McLeod-Wolohan that was victoria street,not Craig street
Helen Grieve I remember it this was the decade Blantyre died
Catherine Stewart The worst thing that happened to Blantyre , the building of ASDA
Anne Gemmell Catherine Stewart the worst thing was the co-op. They were all over Blantyre and did nothing.. hence we have Asda.
Anne Clarke I used to walk down Craig Street to school from High Blantyre and my great Aunty Mary and Uncle Bill lived in one of the cottages round about the start of the entrance to Asda. They were sadly gone by then but so saying it would have broken their hearts to see what Blantyre had become