Boweshill – Sorry about the quality of this photo. A grand house of Thornhill Avenue. In 1859, it is described as, “This name applies to three handsome Villas built within these last two years. The eastmost Cottage has been recently named by the occupier, but “Boweshill” still applies to it, as well as the others. The houses are the property of Mr Russell on a feu from Robert Monteith’s Esqr property. There is an Avenue passing this to “Blantyre Lodge” (the Dandy).
Robert Lockhart a wine merchant is noted as being the first occupier but an advert in the Glasgow Herald on 27th May 1859 confirms Robert’s death and that Boweshill was up for lease at £40 per year, a cut price from the £75 Robert had paid per year, indeed had been on sale even earlier in April. According to Slater’s Directory of 1860, Wallace Russell was the confirmed owner of Bowieshill, but this may have been information that was out of date. For slightly earlier in June 1859, it was occupied by Mr. James Bryce, LLD, a teacher of Mathematics whose son, also James Bryce was Extraordinary Plenipotentiary at Washington, USA.
The house went up for sale in August 1862 but may have remained in the family. In 1865 James Bryce was paying £65 rent. In 1875 and in 1879, Mr Charles McKinnon was owner and occupier. In 1930 it was owned by building contractor Mr George Stewart who was still there in the 1950’s. I’ve still to write a lot more about this property. If anybody has a better photo, I’d love to see it!
