As many people know by now, I often take visitors to Blantyre around various places, usually connected with their ancestry. I love doing this, showing them where grandparents, or great grandparents used to live, work and in some cases able to show the lairs where those ancestors are buried. Usually on a Saturday or Sunday, […]
Here’s a local anecdote from 1898, which appeared in the Blantyre newspapers in May that year. In an old school room, the school bell hung down from a rope from the ceiling. One morning, before lessons and during prayers a boy was seated near the rope and noticed a small mouse climbing down it. The […]
John McArdle shared this photo adding, “My granddad John Bell and his wife Isabelle are on right at Calder Street. Anybody know other couple? This is from the 1960’s”
Some weddings of Blantyre folks for you today, from 1967. First up is beautiful bride, Hughina Bell of Hillview Drive, Blantyre who married John McKitting of Larkhall. The couple married at David Livingstone Memorial Church, Blantyre. Also, we have the very lovely Wilma Chisholm of Devondale Avenue who married George Lightbody of Zambesi Drive, Blantyre. […]
A rather rare and unusual photo of the inside of High Blantyre Old Parish Church steeple! Through kind and generous funding from the people of Blantyre, congregation and businesses, the steeple was made safe in 2013 and restored to its former glory. Indeed, the amount raised exceeded the cost of the repairs with enough […]
Pauline Bell writes, “Hi, I hope you can help me. My father Ian Bell was born at 90 Victoria Street Blantyre in 1934. I have needed to know all off my life about his parents and upbringing and can’t get anywhere. Is there anything you can tell me that might help me out or point […]
The Scotsman on Tuesday 4th July 1933 revealed what was to happen to a well known bell in Blantyre. “There will be hung in a few days at the National Memorial to David Livingstone, in Blantyre, as an interesting link with the great explorer, the bell that did daily duty in the factory where […]