Birkenshaw

I Was Born in Ashgill

I was born above the old post office in Ashgill and my family moved to Cornsilloch when I was around 6 months old.
My whole family from my grannie and grandad Nellie Waddell and John Smith and their parents Hugh Smith all lived in Ashgill Prospect Drive and Douglas drive.
My uncle Sandy had tomato houses out at Ayr road, I spent many a school holiday working in them.
Many a great time I spent in my formative years visiting the area.
Now here I am living in the great state of Wisconsin USA.
Happy happy memories,

John Smith.
tshanter@hotmail.com

Fond Memories of Ashgill

My Dad was from Ashgill and my Mum was from Stonehouse. Emigrated to Canada in 1957 where I was born. First visit to Scotland in 1967 and met my grandparents in Ashgill - 15 Bogside Rd - Peter and Jeanie Hamilton. My Dad was Willie Hamilton, or Bill. Am very familiar with the school in Dalserf - Dempsters garage - the Fingerpost - the old Post Office. The old miners houses at the bottom of the hill called Tint-a-view? (one of Dad's cousins lived there. There was no bathtub or shower and it was only one bedroom) and the Meeting Hall at the bottom of the hill - the farms up top (the Marlege?) Moved to Scotland in the early 1970s and attended Larkhall Academy while living in Stonehouse. My few years in Lanarkshire allowed me to see the whole village with my Dad's Uncle Geordie on our Sunday walks. Moved back to Canada in the mid 1970s but have been over... Read more

Granda

I remember Ashgill well, my mum was born and brought up there. They lived at 51 Bogside Rd, granda was a miner. I never met my gran, she died when my mum was very young - their name was Dodds. There was Lizzie, Mary, Matt, Jeannie and John. Can anyone tell me if there was a wee shop at the bottom of Bogside Rd called Queenies? I am sure there was - anyway great times was had in Ashgill.

The Village of my Birthplace

I was born at no 24 Miller Street, Glassford in the year 1938 and lived there till 1948. I have very happy memories of my childhood there. Dad was a miner and was transferred to the east coast when I was 10 years old. I am the youngest in the family. I emigrated to New Zealand in 1958, got married and settled in Dunedin. I loved the freedom we had living in the countryside. I have been home on holiday four times and I always have a visit to 'the glessert' on my 'must do' list. Last time I was there we had a meal at Steayban eating place. That was in 2003.

Titled."Summers in Kirkmuirhill".....My Granny Brown lived there and as a wee boy I was sent from my home in Glasgow to stay with my Granny for the summer. I loved the time there and enjoyed the fequent walks with my Uncle Dan down by the river Nethan, where he would guddle for trout. There was a pub on the main road and a little shop was nest to it. On a Friday my uncle always said he was going to see a "man about a dog". Naturally he was going to the pub. I would walk along with him and waited on the wall beside the pub with a "jotter" and pencil in my hand which he gave me to copy down the registration of any cars and buses passing. Of course in those days hardly anyone had a car and the bus passed every hour. Needless to say I never logged too many numbers. I still have fond memories of those days and think of it often in Canada... Read more

Wishaw

I was sent to live with my grandparents John and Teen (Christine) McIndoe in Wishaw at the start of theSecond World War. They lived at 62 East Academy Street, and when old enough I attended East Academy Street School. I loved that time, my grandfather was a baker at the Co-op in Wishaw (head baker I believe) and I used to get cream buns (left overs) from the bakery which I thought were fantastic. My grandfather also used to belong to the bowls club. In my memory they were happy times, although I do remember being carried down to the wash house one night when German planes were overhead. I slept in the proverbial (hole in the wall) and thought it was the best bed ever. There were also trips down the Clyde to Rothesey on a steam boat, many many happy memories.

Prefabs Alexander Ave Wishaw

We lived at No 11 Alexander Avenue the Mcallisters. There was our eldest brother John (MAC) who sadly passed away on the 19th February this year. Our next brother Gordon (JOC) who thankfully is still with us. Then there's me, Ellen, who lives in London and have done for over 40 years and last but not least our Elsie who still lives in Wishaw. All of us went to Wishaw Academy between the 1950s and 1960s. The one thing I would dearly love to see is an aerial photograph taken of the prefabs which I am sure dates back to the 1950s which I know appeared in the Wishaw Press. I have tried the Wishaw Press Office but they have no record of it and the library was burned down so no record of the prefabs survived. If anyone can help to trace either that photo or any other of the prefabs I would be most obliged. thanking you in anticipation.