As many people know by now, I often take visitors to Blantyre around various places, usually connected with their ancestry. I love doing this, showing them where grandparents, or great grandparents used to live, work and in some cases able to show the lairs where those ancestors are buried. Usually on a Saturday or Sunday, I never take any fee for doing this, and happy to do it for a coffee in return. Several people following this page abroad and been to Blantyre for the first time and had me as their tour guide!
On Sunday the 15th September, it was the turn of Canadian Norma Marr and her friend Karen who were on holiday in Scotland. Picking them up at Blantyre train station, I had the pleasure of showing them around High Blantyre where relatives once lived and also (with some preparation beforehand done), pointed out the gravestone of Norma’s Great Grandparents.
We supported local business by having lunch at Greenhall Cafe and popped into Crossbasket where staff kindly let me show my Canadian visitors around some of the building and grounds. Norma wanted to see the Church her grandparents married in, and being a Sunday we were lucky enough to visit Blantyre Old Parish Church and were bowled over by the kindness of the minister and elders. Timing our visit just after the service, we were able to see the interior of the church and invited up into the bell tower, where Norma was thrilled to try out the bell! Pulling on the rope, she got to ring out the bell all over Blantyre much to all our amusement. Thank you to the minister , Elizabeth F and Mary S for their kindness. All in all it was a brilliant morning and I hope Norma and Karen enjoyed themselves as much as I did!
Are YOU coming to Scotland to visit Blantyre anytime? I’m always happy to meet up and show you around.
