This is a great aerial picture of part of Low Blantyre in late 1955. Taken 70 years ago, I’ll try to put it into context. In the far background are the fields of Coatshill before the houses were built. The vantage point of the camera is above Stonefield Public Park and Station Road looking westwards.
The dense trees are the Dandy, some rooftops and chimney pots of the big old villas visible. The main, prominent building is the 20th Century large detached house, Barnhill. With the same name of another area in Blantyre, this must have proved confusing, and after WW2, the house changed name to ‘Westfield’, a name still on the gates at Holmswood Avenue today.
There is something else interesting in this photo.
You’ll see the earthworks disturbed in the field in the middle. This is the beginning of construction of the Coatshill Estate. The foundations dug for the modern homes in Coatshill. In particular, those are the foundations of Myrtle Street.
Hi Alastair – that would be great to see. If you want to message me at paul@blantyreproject.com that would be amazing. Cheers. Paul
Will do when we get home later this week – two passes involved a few months apart
As happens I have an few aerial photos of mid-StationRoad taken from a passing air ambulance helicopter š a couple of years ago now – how best would it be to share them on this platform? – alistair gordon