Say “hi!” and let us know what you think of the website! Visitors from all over the world, please feel free to scroll down to the bottom of this page and leave me a little message. I hope you’re enjoying the Blantyre Project website and the book and I’m only too happy to investigate something or ancestry in Blantyre for you. I’d also like to hear from people who have stories, memories, or photos of anything Blantyre related. Who knows, your comments may just end up in one of our many planned books over the next couple of decades.
This site is very informative. I was very interested in the recounted story by Hugh Brown. The near of of his story about helping find the Brown family hits home. They are my ancestors. Not a direct line but my gg grandfather’s nephews. I only knew about the father James Brown and two sons, not three. So I will have to investigate the 3rd son some more. So sad for the entire community who lost anyone in this disaster.
Brilliant website! I came across The Priory Pit bathhouse the other day, and I was really curious what was the building about. Then I came across this amazing website.
Thank you very much for your good work =)
brilliant site,paul . was born in blantyre ,croftpark cres.i have lived in canada for over 40 years but still look forward to visiting blantyre when i come home.many great memories
Any Allisons showing up ? I thought grandpa Will said it was “Mud Row”
Wow !
Just dsicovered this impressive site !
Not Blantyre-born unfortunately – my parents had moved to England by the time I arrived on the scene, but I have many childhood memories of overnight coach trips from Victoria station in London in the ’50’s, and holidays in Blantyre – the “bing”, the “heather”.and of course Linvingstones.
Later memories of the “Welfare” and the bowls club, where one of my uncles “Big Wullie Richardson was at one time the groundsman
My father was Robert Brown of 93 Calder Street, born August 1917
His parents were George Brown , miner, and Marion née Frame, both from Blantyre I believe..
I have been living in France for just over 50 years, and my Granddaughter has asked if I can find any info for starting a family tree, hence this request.
(Her tree will be quite complex – her 4 great grandparents on our side of the family were French, English, Scottish, and Puertorican !)
I will continue seeking in the depts of all the info this site seems to contain, and would welcome any info about George Brown & Marion Frame whos were born I imagine about in the 1890’s.
repeat thaks for this wonderful site !
Tena koe Paora (Hello Paul)
I live in New Zealand and by chance I came across your impressive and very informative website while researching my wife Diane’s family tree.
I was particularly drawn to your article on Stoneymeadow Farm. Diane’s great great grandmother Christina BOYD was a daughter of Stevenson and Margaret BOYD. She was born c1863 and it was Christina who with her husband David McDOUGALL, a carter in Glasgow, who left Scotland in 1884 for New Zealand. They had married at Blantyre on 27 June 1882 and with their first son, also David, born 13 October 1882 (not William) they undertook in 1884 the 3 month journey for a new life in Aotearoa New Zealand.
They landed at Dunedin and then journeyed inland to East Gore where they settled. David Snr undertook various employment as their family grew by a further 12 children. David had a dairy farm and supplied milk to the town of Gore. He also continued to work as a carter. He would also win a number of prizes for his quality Ayrshire cows that he and Christina had bred.
In 1913 he decided to enter local politics and would go on to serve as Mayor of Gore on several occasions between 1913 and 1929. In 1928 he took a another step up and was elected as the district’s Member for the Parliament of New Zealand. He would hold his seat until 1938.
Christina died in 1929 and on her tombstone is recorded her birth at Stoneymeadow and the ‘toll gate’. David died in 1943 and is buried alongside her at Gore.
Are there still BOYD descendants living at Blantyre? Diane and I would welcome further contact.
Kia ora
Michael and Diane Stevens
Hi Michael and Diane – there are certainly still BOYD family members living in Blantyre, although Im not sure if they are related to this family. The old toll gate is pictured at the back right of this photo. You’ll know this is a big family. I’ll need to try and get my head around it all again!
Stevenson and Margaret Boyd were my Great great great grandparents,I am a descendant of John Boyd ,Christina Boyd’s brother who came to the United States and settled in Boone, Iowa. My great aunt Mary Boyd put together 30 pages of Boyd descendants in the 1950’s as well as visited Scotland and New Zealand to see relatives. Thank you for preserving history.
Steven Boyd