Like many Blantyre people in 1926, local man Mr John Mackie had his eye on job prospects abroad. The call of countries like America, Australia and New Zealand offered attractive prospects by comparison to a hard life in Lanarkshire’s mines. Trouble was, John was in love with his sweetheart, Miss May Dickson of 80 […]
In August 2015, I was contacted by Lesley Dawson from New Zealand who said, ” Hi Paul. I have contacted you before and was delighted to get your book. We are visiting (from NZ) Blantyre on Monday 24 Aug 2015. My ancestors Coats and Scott sailed to NZ in 1857. Could you recommend places we should […]
In May 2014, I was contacted by Blantyre Project reader Linda Robertson who lives in Western Australia. Her grandmother Elizabeth McGregor Whitelaw (nee Stirling) was born on 19th February 1910. Although Elizabeth was born in Burnbank, the family moved to Blantyre shortly after when she was young child. Later in life, Elizabeth had the foresight […]
James Wells was born in Blantyre in 1859 in Shuttle Row, Low Blantyre. Despite having famous neighbours in David Livingstone’s family, the Wells family up and left Blantyre in 1865, forsaking the mills and seeking adventure and a more prosperous life in New Zealand. Settling in Whangarei, the family carved out their own new lives […]