Blantyre Timeline

Important Dates in the History of Blantyre all listed in Chronological Order

Blantyre Project’s chronology & timeline is intended to be a quick factual reference point for the key dates and milestones for Blantyre’s history. Blantyre’s History Timeline in an expanded detailed format is the subject of a new illustrated book coming in 2019, “Blantyre – On this day in history” by Paul D Veverka (c) 2019

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Do YOU want to add an important date or year to the timeline? Leave me a comment by scrolling to the bottom of this page.

Blantyre’s Historical Timeline

1200’s

• 1238 – First mention of the Blantyre Priory.
• 1298 – First mention of the name Blantir or Blantyre

1500’s

• 1536 – Construction of the cottage at Barnhill later known as Aggie Bains
• 1586 – On 13th May Mary Queen of Scots crossed the Calder at Pattenholm Ford
• 1598 – High Blantyre (Kirkton of Blantyre) is incorporated in the Burgh

1600’s

• 1667 – Boatland Cottage on River Clyde Constructed and ferry service started

1700’s

• 1727 – The Milheugh Mill is renovated, where once stood an older mill
• 1730 – Croftfoot House High Blantyre is constructed
• 1745 – Barnhill Tavern is constructed at Barnhill, Bardykes
• 1747 – An excellent first map is published of Blantyre properties
• 1777 – Smithycroft in High Blantyre is constructed next to the Parish Church location
• 1785 – David Dale buys land and builds the mill at Blantyre works
• 1792 – Montieth buys the David Dale mills and established Turkey Red dye mill

1800’s

• 1801 – Professor John Millar of Milheugh dies
• 1813 – David Livingstone is born at Shuttle Row, Blantyre Works Village
• 1823 – The little cottage at 375 Main Street is built, still existing in 2017.
• 1834 – Mr Arthur Brown forms Barnhill Nursery at Barnhill, junction with Broompark
• 1852 – Mill owners Monteith open the first suspension bridge over the River Clyde
• 1860 – John Brown inherits his father’s nursery at Barnhill
• 1865 – Tenements on South side Main Street at Kirkton constructed
• 1870 – Robertson’s of Springwell’s open in Glasgow Road. Photographer Thomas Annan photographs several large houses and mills in Blantyre.
• 1873 – David Livingstone passes away
• 1875 – High Blantyre Primary and Stonefield Primary schools open same day
• 1877 – The great Pit Explosion of Blantyre killing over 200 men and boys
• 1880 – Water Supply established in High Blantyre
• 1882 – The first Co-operative Society in Blantyre opens in Station Rd
• 1885 – Wardrop -Moore Arch constructed at High Blantyre Cross

1900’s

• 1903 – Monteith Mills at Blantyre works closes permanently after 118 years with the remaining houses in Blantyre Works Village, condemned. Robert Craig opens the Old Original Bar in Glasgow Road. Mr John Templeton of Barnhill smiddy passes away. Clyde Bridge Walkway constructed and existing railway bridge reinforced.
• 1910 – Blantyre Cottage Hospital opened on 25th June by Mrs Bannatyne of Milheugh
• 1912 – Colliery Cashier Neil Douglas passes away
• 1913 – Calder Street Secondary School opens
• 1917 – Dr William Grant passes away
• 1919 – The Dookit Cinema opens in Glasgow Road
• 1925 – Mrs Templeton of Barnhill smiddy turns 100 years old. Victoria Street houses are built.
• 1928 – Waterloo Row, homes in Blantyre works burn down on 25th January. After demolition, work commences on establishing a permanent memorial to David Livingstone.
• 1929 – David Livingstone Memorial opens at Blantyre works. Dookit cinema is bought over and starts showing talkies. The road is re-profiled at Barnhill cutting the gable of Barnhill Farm and Aggie Bains Cottage.
• 1930 – Auchinraith Colliery explosion kills 5 men
• 1939 – The Broadway Cinema opens in Glasgow Road. Blantyre Cottage Hospital closes on 13th February.
• 1946 – High Blantyre Industrial Estate opens
• 1947 – Simplicity Patterns open their factory in the High Blantyre Industrial Estate
• 1948 – The Pey Brig Suspension Bridge closes permanently due to poor condition
• 1952 – The first David Livingstone Memorial Bridge opens spanning Blantyre to Bothwell
• 1957 – Serial killer Peter Manuel worked as a labourer installing gas lines in Coatshill
• 1958 – Meadow Avenue, Kirkton Avenue in High Blantyre is built over Bellsfield & Birdsfield
• 1966 – Clyde Railway Bridge demolished
• 1977 – The High Blantyre Coal Monument is opened by Neil Gordon (late historian)
• 1989 – Blantyre Highland Games opens in the Summer at Wilkies Farm
• 1992 – Priestfield Cemetery is extended at High Blantyre Hillhouse Rd
• 1997 – Low Blantyre post office demolished
• 1999 – The David Livingstone Memorial Bridge is demolished and a new, current one constructed

2000’s

• 2000 – Renovation of Barnhill Tavern. Name change back to Hoolets Nest.
• 2004 – Blantyre’s late historian Neil Gordon passes away, aged 67
• 2012 – Blantyre Community Committee is formed to bring community together
• 2013 – Crossbasket House is extensively renovated
• 2014 – Crossbasket Nursery is opened in August, near Stoneymeadow Road

Copyright notice: All articles may be printed off for offline use copyright free. Where any of these images or words are intended to be published online or in books, please strictly contact me first for permission. Due to continued copyright theft, Mr Bill Sim is strictly prohibited from using any research on this site. These are Blantyre Project words and will not appear on other sites or books. Thanks.