Jack Byres shared this photo of some Blantyre Co-Op Tokens. The Co-operative Society has long played a vital part in Blantyre’s commerce since the 1880’s. It was such a monumental part of everyday life in in this town that it’s worth touching upon their history further. Although the Co-op, as an enterprise has roots as […]
Next up is an old Blantyre advert, put into local newspapers on the run up to Christmas, but in 1904! It reads “Before purchasing your Xmas & New Year presents, you are invited to Inspect the Stock of William Izett, who has the largest assortment of Fancy Chocolate Boxes in Blantyre. See Windows” Three things […]
Ice cream merchant, Peter Lombardi of Blantyre found himself in Hamilton Sheriff Court at the end of February 1905, charged with installing a “lottery machine” on his premises at Glasgow Road. The “penny in a slot” machine contained a mechanical device where balls were freed within then caught by chance by small receptacles, something which […]
A lot of people will remember or be familiar with the YMCA in Blantyre, once on Glasgow Road. However, I’m willing to bet that not many of us knew there was once a YWCA in Blantyre too! In April 1907, a proposal came about to create a Young Women’s Christian Association in Blantyre. One of […]
Blantyre Works Funeral Society was a former local institution which operated to provide funeral services for bereaved families. The society was instituted in 1821 largely due to the Village at Blantyre works which was growing at that time. A large community had been created at the mills operated by Henry Monteith & Co and where […]
How incredible we take certain things for granted these days. This advert from 1907 for Gilmours on Glasgow Road, Blantyre was a good reminder of progress and trying things for the first time. “Food for the Gods – BANANAS – Carefully ripened in our own Banana House. You cannot know how good Bananas are until […]
During the first decade of the 20th Century, the Blantyre Gas Company Ltd came under some criticism for not being able to supply all the Blantyre residents with the gas they so dearly wanted. The problem wasn’t just infrastructure, but also storage capacity, the works unable to hold the amount of gas demanded by residents. […]