A charming, forgotten Blantyre poem from 1924. It’s about a Blantyre lady (Peg) with a motor(caur) spying a wee lad on his way to the Pit to start work for his first time. The location is perhaps Station Road, the boy heading to a pit in Bothwell and having to cross the suspension bridge. The […]
Thank you to Andy Callaghan for sharing this touching poem he wrote, about his father, who was a miner and the importance of being outside in the fresh air. “THE RACE” Slight, but tough and strong as a pit-prop, My Dad cut coal in the dark all week. When loused he loved to walk for […]
Local man, Jamie Stirling shared this with me a few weeks ago. His wee girl Sophie had a class task about Blantyre and wrote up this excellent poem. Typed up in the library, schoolgirl Sophie won a little reward for such a first class effort. I love to see local children taking an interest […]
“The House by the Mill in the Meadow” by James Cornfield (2004) Down Pech Brae by Calder’s stream, in autumn is a place so green, orange, gold and yellow too, all enhanced by old Millheugh, the place that Blantyre people know, as the House by the Mill in the Meadow to describe the scene […]
“Tressa McGuigan” by James Cornfield (2005) She was a child of her time, she was born in that year of 1894, she was the youngest daughter of James and Margaret she was born and resided at 72 Spittal Rows, Bardykes, She was the 9th child in the family of ten She walked every Schoolday up […]
‘Tis true there was a Priory here, of that there is no doubt, the markings, Tommy Hawkins, was the man who carved them out. ‘Tis said that a tunnel was discovered in the year of 1945. a monk buried under every tree? Not proven yet not denied…… This Priory built by men of God is […]
How did Blantyre get its name nobody seems to ken, some say it’s from the Gaelic, or the field of the Holy men, others say a warm retreat, still other’s the field of St Blane whatever you choose you may be right, but first let me explain…. In ancient times ‘tis written, that a […]
“A Lassie fae Blantir”, by Paul Veverka (2017) Blantir lassies, wha ken their ‘ain minds, staun’ heidstrong ‘an sure, ‘ur awfy kind, some blessed wi’ fortune, others in the mire, But ye’ll never tak a lassie awa’ fae Blantyre. Fair heided maidens, wi’ love ther herts’ fill, Fae Springwells tae Kirkton, Barnhill ‘an Coatshill, their […]