Andrew Little’s Shop 1930s. Isabella Little. Shared by G Cook
Pictured here in the 1930’s is the shopfront of Andrew Little’s the well-known bakers of Glasgow Road. Photo is protected not for publication, even by myself.
Andrew Little’s shop opened in 1928 and was located at 200 Glasgow Road. (opposite the bottom of Victoria Street close to the old entrance to the park) In the photo is Isabella Little who was born in 1903. The business was later worked at by brothers James, William and Andrew Little who run the bakehouse at the read of the property and also run the shop facing out on to Glasgow Road.
Little’s Bakery, and especially the delicious rolls are fondly remembered by many people in Blantyre. The shop, unfortunately became a casualty of the Glasgow Road redevelopment and opened for its last day on 17th February 1979, when the till rang for the last time with the sale of a wedding cake for William’s daughter. James, William and Andrew were present and worked on that sorrowful day.
At the rear of the shop was the bakehouse. Gordon Cook has shared this 1970’s photo of the bakehouse. Gordon told me, “I used to call in every morning at the bakehouse round the back of Little’s shop to pick up freshly baked rolls after coming off the nightshift. They were still hot when I got home and the butter just melted right into them, delicious. I have attached a photo of the actual bakery down the back. Inside the bakery there were usually three men working, all mature gents, and then there was the cat. This cat had the run of the place and was more often than not padding along the counter leaving footprints in the flour.”
1970s Andrew Little’s Bakehouse beside Glasgow Rd. Shared by G Cook
In September 2015, William Little confirmed to me via his granddaughter Hazel, that this was indeed the bakehouse and his old Triumph car in the photo.
There’s a great poem written about Little’s Rolls, written by the late Jimmy Cornfield. It can be read on Blantyre Project here:
https://blantyreproject.com/2015/09/20/andrew-littles-rolls-by-j-cornfield/
Do you remember Littles?
On social media, may people did:
Margaret Brown Burns To this day I still have not tasted a roll to beat Littles they were the best
Andrew Little Good memories from a time long ago – remember the bakery fondly until the modernisation fiasco of the late 70’s
Stephen Morrison Hot rolls
John Calderwood I stayed with my Gran in Small Crescent in the late `50`s early `60`s She used to send me down to Littles and I can still taste the fresh rolls which were something else.
Jackie MacDonald Best rolls ever.
Andrew Obrien The best rolls I’ve ever tasted
Anne Mckillop Had them every morning, I worked next door in the grocery,that was Berrys then Napiers
Drew Semple this turned out to be our first shop after the bakers closed down,before the dreaded asda.
The Blantyre Project I didnt know that Drew. What year did you guys move in?
Drew Semple i reckon it was around 1979/80 Paul.
Gerard Barrett best rolls ever
Pamela Campbell Best rolls ever Norris’s fresh butter on them yum!
Jeanette Allardyce Ward Was the best bakers in Blantyre. Roll an tatty scones every weekend. U can’t get a decent tatty scone now x
The Blantyre Project If Hazel is reading this, I’d still like to meet up sometime and hear those stories from William. Thanks.
Hazel McKay Hi – I have been tagged in this by a few people. Please message me when you want to meet with grandfather
Mary Crowe Best rolls ever
Margaret Mary OSullivan Loved their snowballs! Had icing in the middle. My Mum also used to send me for,”Well fired rolls.”
Charlotte Ogilvie Best rolls ever.
Hazel McKay My great grandpa xx
Marion Craig Yes I worked in it and loved it x
Sally Mckean We stayed above Adams shop at 226 and I can remember going round to the bakehouse to get rolls for my gran
Ann Maxwell Best rolls in Blantyre.
Henry Hambley I agree. Without doubt, the best rolls in Blantyre. Other things were pretty good.
Colin Duffy The best rolls ever
Elizabeth Kennedy Best sausage rolls ever.
Bill Graham I dont remember this one but as a teenager, I remember walking up to High Blantyre from Highland Avenue and near the doonin pub, and on the other side of the road was a bakers, we used to get hot rolls straight out of the oven and eat them on the way to school. I think the building was quite old and may have been part of the old pit buildings.
Gord Fotheringham There was none better than Iza littles rolls……
jane Maxwell The best rolls ever and they were always warm. I would get them for my friends on my way to work in Honeywell in Uddingston they all loved them. We would have lurpak butter at the ready great times.
Davy Thomson Only rolls now that even come close are barry Douglas,s in burnbank,, them ,, and buchanan,s square sausage,, cannae beat it
Margaret Lindsay Gem A Lindsay
Gem A Lindsay Hazel McKay Mags thought you and your Mum would like this!
Helen Stewart Brill rolls with sweeneys steak slice x
Ilived in the store above, 200a Glasgow Rd..
I liI bought the house. For 400 pounds.
Lived there 1967-1971′
Betty mc.
Alan Robert Webb Was this the same family that had a shop in Victoria Street, I remember going in it when I visited my grandfather who lived in Morris Crescent.
Margaret Quinn Best rolls walked through the park from the prefabs every morning to get them for ma dads piece and our breakfast happy memories
Jim Ogilvie Best rolls and pies you have ever tasted I worked next door as apprentice electrician
Frances McDonald Little`s rolls and Peter Craig’s sausages the best ever.
William Houldsworth It;s a pity that Blantyre couldn’t retain much more of the old buildings everywhere in the town, such loss of character,, that’s progress?
I’m not sure if this is where my grampa used to go to talk to his old mate a Mr Black? Mr Black worked at the back of the shop is what I remember, and used to make wee toffees in fairy cake papers, we were amazed that a cat was allowed in where food was made at the time, my grannie didn’t approve but Mr black was our grampa’s friend and grampa didn’t care about whether there was a cat in there or not. Does my memory serve me, I don’t know, but its lovely anyway.
Jim Smith – My Granny worked in the shop in the 1960s, Janet “Netty” Mackintosh. Walked to work at the crack of dawn from our house in Calderwood Drive High Blantyre