Here’s a story which you may not have heard of. In 1885, local people witnessed a spectacular and curious phenomenon, not seen since…. when the River Clyde was visibly on fire near Bothwell Bridge. Yes, you heard that right. The newspapers of Tuesday 14th July 1885 reported this rare and strange event as follows: “The […]
Shared here by Rob Gordon, the brother of late Blantyre historian Neil Gordon, this photo is of Blantyre Station, I think taken in the 1920s. The platforms and station were upgraded in 1899 for the turn of the century, the buildings then renovated into this shown configuration. The canopy of the ticket offices protruding out […]
This fantastic aerial photo was taken by the late Neil Gordon and shared here recently by his brother Robert. Taken in 1999, it shows the construction of the current David Livingstone Memorial Bridge over the River Clyde near Blantyre Weir. These were days before drone photography and to get aerial shots like these back then, […]
Another great photo previously unseen of Sydes Brae, High Blantyre. This is from the top of Sydes Brae taken next to the entrance leading to Chapman’s house (he owned butchers shops) and opposite is the road that was locally called ‘Rabs Corr’. Today, this is fairly near the modern Crematorium. In the background , you […]
Local man Willie McClelland messaged me recently saying, “I was born in 16 Sydes Brae, first cottage on the right going into the yard. Hoping some readers may have a photo of the house in previous years. Hoping that you might have a photo of the four white posts that used to sit half way […]
Even in the years after David Livingstone’s death, a steady stream of visitors came to Blantyre to see where the famous Explorer was born. Long before any museum, the tenant of the birthplace would show late Victorian tourists around. Interest in this site during the 1890’s continued when a memorial plaque was added in 1897 […]
With thanks to Jim Henry for these photos. Did you know there are 66 men and boys buried in Dalbeth Cemetery (St Peters), London Road, Glasgow who died in the Blantyre Pit Disaster in 1877. These photos were taken a few years ago and do show the memorial in quite a poor condition. The memorial […]