I read with interest recently that Valerio’s cafe (Mickeys) sold cigars and cigarettes and “due to them owning the building in Stonefield Road throughout the 20th Century, constricted the sale of cigars and cigarettes in the adjoining newsagents.“ I’d just like to point out that thats completely wrong and wasn’t the case. Not only did […]
The Anderson Church on the east side of Stonefield Road, burned down in the early evening of Thursday 8th June 1978. Vandals were thought to have caused the blaze, which totally destroyed the Church. The fire was a final act in a prolonged campaign of malicious attacks on the Anderson Church, which had not […]
Sweenie’s Butcher Shop – During the 1960’s and 1970’s Mr James (Jimmy) Sweenie had a butchers shop at 8 Stonefield Road not far from the bottom of Stonefield Road near the Old Original Bar. The Sweenie’s appear to be incomers to Blantyre during WW2 years. It was adjacent to Gilbert the Bakers at that […]
Gilbert the Bakers – was a former post WW2, bakers shop and confectioner located at 10 Stonefield Road, next to Jimmy Sweenies the Butchers at the western side of the bottom of Stonefield Road, very close to the Old Original bar. The shop was known to be there in the 1950’s, 1960’s and 1970’s. […]
Continued from Murdochs / Peppers Pub (Priory Inn History pt 2) Following a change of ownership, in May 1958, Architects Cullen, Lochead and Brown were involved in drawing up plans for alterations and extensions. The relaunched public house was given the name, the Commercial Bar. Vincy McGuire formerly owned the pub after leaving the Smiddy […]
Blantyre Lawn Tennis Club – Between 1910 and 1915, this local sports club established tennis courts and a pavilion at 81 Stonefield Road. The club arrangements were done through Mrs Catherine Weir of 16 Victoria Street. The club bought the land from the Trustees of John Clark Forrest. At that time the adjacent Bowling club were […]
Continuing with brand new ‘old’ photos of Blantyre. This photo dates from 1930 and celebrates the renaming of the former Church on Stonefield Road and the new hall to its right. The manse to the left, the new hall is to the right. In 1871, the predecessor church at this site midway down the eastern […]