James Graham grew up in Broompark Road
It is with kind thanks to Dr James Graham who has given permission for this to be shared here. James was born in 1938 at Broompark Road, just a year before the outbreak of WW2. His father was John, “The Blantyre Saint” who preached around Blantyre. James wrote, “After their marriage my parents found a ground floor single end tenement flat to rent in Broompark Road, High Blantyre. It is the furthest tenement on the left and grandfather lived in the tenement on the right in the photo opposite. They had three children and we were all born at home on one of the ‘hole in the wall’ beds. My sister Isabel was the eldest, then I was born three years later in 1938, 18 months before the outbreak of World War II. My younger brother John was born four years after me. The streets were lit by gas, and a gas lamp post is seen framed between the tenement and trees in the photo.”
James grew up at 66 Broompark Road. The two sketches below show the modest living space his family had and how the family slept in “holes in the wall” beds.
James continued ,“An Aladdin lamp stood on the high mantle shelf which was the sole source of light after dark. As chidren we went to Sunday school in the Wee Tin Kirk in High Blantyre (Baptist Church) because it was near home. We moved to Bethany Hall, Glasgow Road when old enough to walk the longer distance.”
James has written a book about his life experiences and growing up in Blantyre. Having read it in July, I would highly recommend it. It can be bought on http://www.amazon.co.uk by searching for “Memoirs of a Brickie“.