THE BUILDINGS -SITE

Situated on LOCHEND ROAD, where we now have the Thomas Mitchell homes with townhouses, flats, turning bays and a New Abbey Road is the site of the famous "Buildings". Erected by the steelworks around the 1880's , they were demolished in the late 1970's.

BISHOP'S PLACE, DEAN'S PLACE & ST. MARY'S PLACE

Bishop's Place stood behind Deans Place and contained sixteen houses, 8 up and 8 down. Both were built of greystone. All had one livingroom, one bedroom, one kitchen and an inside toilet. Covered stairways at the back gave access to the upstairs houses. Aseries of arches provided cover for the back doors of the downstairs houses.

This building was burned down in August 1919 when a Mr. Cameron tragically fell asleep in front of a paraffin lamp which overtoppled and set the block ablaze. Sadly he died in the blaze and the rest of the families were made homeless. To relieve the situation while Bishop's Place was being rebuilt ex-army huts, which came to be known as "The Bungalows" were purchased and hastily erected on land behind the present School playground below Woodneuk Road. These temporary houses proved so popular that they were still standing in the 1950's.

The "Bungalows". The photograph gives an idea of location as the school and schoolhouse can be seen (top left) whilst the houses on Woodneuk Road overlook the site.

"THE BIG CLOSE"

MORE IMAGES

LOCHEND ROAD (School side)

Taken from the"Big Close"

Over the years there has been little change in the school side as far as the Old Schoolhouse - the site of demolished "Buildings" continues, however, at Number 56, Lochend Road. The present house was one of four built in the 1980's and the first site to be developed at the location after the demolition of the "Buildings".

In this image of Smith Terrace, the Schoolhouse wall can be seen and 'Torwood' cottage downhill.

After the demolition many of the people moved to the Lochside development, off Johnston Road.

BROWN'S LAND & THE SHOPS

Before the M73 divided the village in the mid 1970's, LOCHEND ROAD was the main road through for travellers. Many of the buildings they would have passed, which had to be demolished to make way for the motorway are fondly still remembered.

In the picture above Torwood Cottage(right) can be seen as we look uphill toward the school opposite the turreted roof of the former post office

Compare it with this earlier picture- Notice the position of the turreted post office and Torwood cottage opposite.........and the missing buildings, which for many years were, in fact, the heart of the village.

The wall (bottom left) was of the station master's house. In the 1907 Directory of Scotland, he is named as Mr. Hugh Elder of Stepps Road.

The same document mentions Mary Drysdale running the Post Office at the time ............... and there being four uplifts and three deliveries!

Unlike many communities the pub did not form part of the "heart of the village" being, for historic reasons, over the boundary.

JOE LOWE had a shop at the foot of the hill.

There was a café, Naismith the Butcher, the Billiard Room (commonly known as the Buggy) and the Post Office .

In this photograph, Chaseville/Margaretville Cottage can be seen on the left. The Cottage remains today.

The Post Office at the foot of the hill on McLean Place. Run by the Cairns family for many years, it moved over to the other side beside the Village Shop before eventually Gartcosh lost its Post Office.