These little faces (I think) are Blantyre siblings, Minnie and James Ritchie. A photo remarkably taken around 1895, some 127 years ago! Their father was David Ritchie, a master joiner and likely the person who took the photo given his keen interest in photography. Their mother was Mary Ann Fleming. The parents married in Strathaven in 1888 before […]
It’s for a long time been known, that most Blantyre women are strong minded and can take matters into their own hands when the situation arises. One such occasion arose in 1909, where a High Blantyre woman called police to her husband, after it was discovered he was living “two lives”, married also at the […]
‘Lady Park‘ was the former name of upper fields belonging to Greenhall Estate adjacent to Greenhall Farm. In May 1917, Alexander Marshall Junior (14) of School Lane was caught deliberately setting fire to 8 yards of hedge at Lady Park. He pled guilty in court. He was caught red handed by an approaching police officer who […]
It’s almost difficult to even recognise this next picture, the scene has changed so much. Pictured in 1904, at Kirkton, High Blantyre Main Street, is a rare view of the east side of the Speirs Laun building. What’s nice about this photo is that it shows so many other buildings that were in School Lane, […]
The 1835 Statistical Account suggests at that date Blantyre had 4 schools. One at Blantyre Works (at the quadrangle), one at Hunthill (The Hall School, predating School Lane Parish school), one at Auchinraith and also a female school. Despite looking, I am unsure where the one at Auchinratih in 1835 was and where on earth was […]
I’ve been told on several occasions that these photos are of School Lane, Kirkton, High Blantyre in the 1920’s. I have to say firstly, they are AMAZING photos capturing kids playing and 1920’s everyday life. They depict a very natural, fun Scottish street scene. The photo was on the wall in Carrigan’s Pub, High Blantyre […]
This photo dates from the late 1880’s or early 1890’s. A charming photo of Kirkton Top Cross. Another source suggests the photo was taken between 1900-1910 but I believe that to be incorrect. The style of the clothes, the fact that the men have beards (that fashion started to fall away by 1900) and other […]