At the beginning of the 1970s, Angus MacDonald of the butcher’s shop at 5 Kirk Road, putting up a new sign above his door, took down the old one and found painted on the stone wall beneath the words Drummond Place, a name of a hundred years ago.
Just as then, in the second half of the 20th century much new building activity has taken place. From 1958 there was Laidlaw’s new estate of houses on Craigsheen’s land with Picketlaw Drive, Woodside Road, Woodside Gardens and Woodlands Gardens running off Craigsheen Avenue. The bungalows on Parklea Drive (off Kittochside Road) were built in 1959 and the houses on the new road Waterside Gardens (off Waterside Road) between 1959-60 - all by Laidlaw. In 1963 Varneys put up the two terraces at the far end of Bankhead Road and nowadays the residents own the field in front of them. In 1964 the terrace on Busby Road was built by Laidlaw opposite Bankhead Farm. Then Varney’s built the three cul-de-sacs of houses in place of Gallowhill Farm in 1967 - and in March 1977 the Shelter Housing complex for pensioners was opened opposite them. In 1969, by Laidlaw again, Sycamore Way, an estate of houses part of which is similar in style to the Busby Road terrace, took the old (18th and 19th century) Manse ground.
By 1973 the new circular-built Primary School further out Waterside Road was ready for Carmunnock’s 110 pupils; from there, at that time, they advanced to the huge Cathkin Comprehensive High School ready since 1970 for 1,800 and soon afterwards accommodating more than 3,000 children. Now-a-days they progress either to the Kings Park or Mearns Castle Schools. In 1974, no. 9 and the old schoolhouse at 11 Manse Road were reconstructed and a new house no. 7 built west of them, dated 1973. As already mentioned, by 1976, Cameron Crescent - its planning receiving much high level attention - was built by Bovis, Ltd., taking the place of the High Green and its old quarry, and to the back of it another new road of houses, Cragwell Park went up in 1977/78 on land owned by Mr. Miller Matheson formerly of Cragwell, 121 Waterside Road (beside the old Doo Well).
Back in 1963, a Veto Poll resulted in a limitation of Public House licensing. The Boghead Inn continued, and the other licence for the district went to The Neuk Restaurant - till one dark night in March 1965 this establishment was burnt down only hours before the Licensing Board was due to sit the following day!
Still the Boghead continued. Rowdiness and trouble from incoming drinkers was rife, however, and complaints from villagers were constant. But it wasn’t until three years after publican Mr. Jim MacAulay retired that the breweries sacked the new manager and in 1974 decided to close the Pub.
Now Carmunnock became a dry area. Then, later in the 1970s the old Inn, bought by Mr. Atta Toruner, was called the Orient Express, serving eastern foods. In 1984, under new management and further developed, it became the highly recommended Malaysian and Cantonese Cool Jade Restaurant with a table licence. In 1996, it changed to become the Copper Chimney Indian Restaurant.
Old Mr. and Mrs Hawthorn of the nursery garden in Pedmyre Lane left after their son was killed in a car accident; they had sold the site to Stewart Landscapes, Ltd. who took over in January 1974, joined in 1981 by civil engineers MacKenzie Construction. Not far from there, Bankhead Farm which had lain empty for a number of years since Mr. Jim Twaddle left, was bought by Mr. and Mrs Gavin Lessels in 1976 and restored into an attractive private residence. However, the next year the bee boles, sheltered against a retaining wall in front of it, were moved from their place of origin to a new site.
Mr. Johnnie Crawford, brother of Tom of the joinery family, was well-known for his sincere efforts over the years to do the best for his native village. He felt strongly that Carmunnock-born young folk must have every opportunity to obtain houses here, thereby ensuring that they wouldn’t be forced to move away.
Johnnie was also the owner of several small areas of land. In 1976 he sold the field in front of Bankhead Farm that he had got from Jim Twaddle, for the building in 1977 of two bungalows now known as 22 and 24 Busby Road. Before the houses were started, he acquired from the Lessels the bee boles in the field’s north-east corner and because he was afraid that they wouldn’t be safely cared for in a newcomer’s garden nor seen to the best advantage by the public, he had them carefully moved away section by section.
Soon they were set up again in the back garden of 10 Busby Road - Jackson’s Lands or the Barracks building - at that time the home of his youngest daughter Mrs Isobel McColl who became the owner of the historic listed item. However, the young couple and their children later moved to a part of the village not in the conservation area, and had the bee boles transferred to their new garden. Carmunnock Preservation Society has since had consultations with the Planning Department in Glasgow and the Historic Buildings and Monuments Office of the Scottish Development Department in Edinburgh in the hope of having the bee boles relisted for the village.
Back in the 1950s the mill cottage at Kittoch Mill was refurbished and partly reconstructed incorporating the barn by people called Main who preceded the Kirklands; then in 1980 Brigadier and Mrs. Jordan became the owners. In the 1960s Millhill Cottage at the top of the lane, once Katie Clark’s, was developed into a much larger house. Beside it, Brier Cottage was added to.
Throughout those years and in the 1980s too, several individual properties have gone up on small areas of ground here and there in the village. Some have filled vacant spots in sore need of enhancing and some have been built on land sold off by owners of gardens too large for them. In 1972 my husband sold the treed and sheltered piece of ground, the orchard at the foot of Trestermyre’s long garden where Mr. and Mrs Telford George built their bungalow Mountgrove, 19 Busby Road at its junction with the foot of Kirk Road.
For a time the site across from us on the upper part of Kirk Road, on what had been Nan Twaddle’s overgrown garden, had served as The Neuk Restaurant’s car park, soon becoming an untidy spot. Then in 1971/72 the architect Mr. Jim Quin designed and built the house Snowberry for himself and family, greatly improving this previously neglected area with his unusually structured house and the landscaped garden.
The Quins went away in 1980 and Mr. and Mrs David Graham moved into it (from Five Acre Gate at 150 Waterside Road). Now Snowberry’s garden really took shape as small trees, shrubs and flowers filled the borders and rockeries. Then the Grahams, selling Snowberry, obtained planning permission to build themselves a small house in its garden - on the very spot once occupied by the early cottages that faced the church, before they were so ruthlessly demolished in 1964. Once more, conservation experts architect David Miller and builder Thomas O’Brien did the work, and now, from midsummer 1988, Kirkton Cottage replaces the 18th century ones.
It is interesting to mention at this point that, across from Snowberry, during renovations to Trestermyre in 1985, wheelwright’s tools belonging to Mr. Robert Whyte who died in 1916 were discovered in an indoor wall recess. Other wall cupboards were also found in what had long ago been the croft’s dairy.
Opposite the Park Gates on Pathhead Road, O’Brien the builders bought the site of the British Legion Hall knocked down in 1988 for their new house. The new owners of Five Acre Gate sold their triangular wedge of ground and by 1980 a house was built at the top of Pathhead Road. A few years later, they sold the ground on the other side for 150A Waterside Road.
Further out Waterside Road, part of the Findlays’ big garden at 176 (where Mr. George Gray lives now) was sold for the new 176A. In the mid 1980s a small house was added at the end of the row opposite.
Down Busby Road, Mr. Jim Murray at no. 47 put up four detached houses at the end of the 1980s on the adjacent strip of land. Further down, at the top of Pedmyre Lane a new house was put up about 1970. Next to it the Millers of Holmglen built themselves 66A on part of their extensive garden in 1983, then sold the older villa. Mrs Spittal of Comely Bank (formerly known as Craigmiln) had a house, 78A, built in her garden, then sold the 19th century one to the Masons.
Mr. and Mrs Downie who had owned Crag Lodge in the 1970s built themselves the property now known as Whispers on their neglected overgrown garden, before they left in 1980. In 1981, a new house with a sizeable garden, entering from Craigsheen Avenue, took up part of The Craigs’ land.
Here and there in the village there were others. In 1979 when Miss Georgina and her brother Bob MacGregor of Viewfield on Windlaw Road sold part of their garden, a modern house was slotted in. After two new houses 18A and 18B Busby Road replaced the old cottar ones in the Lane next to Bankhead farmhouse in 1972, a modern bungalow 20A went up in 1983 on the west side of the house. This replaced the cottage removed in 1963. Two bungalows also went up on Old Playing Field Road in 1983/84.
Other old properties have been improved and converted. Conservation Committees in Glasgow and Hamilton advised that the gap in the row on the west side of Kirk Road should be in-filled. In 1982 this was done, replacing the tenement knocked down in the 1930s, with 6A and 6B Kirk Road. In 1983/84, the high building next to them with its 14th century base and 18th century upper storeys was restored and refurbished into two houses 8 and 8A Kirk Road. Old Mrs Begg who had lived there since 1939 moved into a harled brick house behind it on Stuart Road, specially built for her beside a similar one already six years old.
After lying empty for a number of years the condemned tenement on Greenside, built in 1828, was happily rescued just in time and restored in 1984/85 into one two-roomed and three one-room flats. Since the autumn of 1987 when old Mr. Angus MacGregor left, the new owners of Wellside Cottage at 31 Kirk Road completely gutted, reroofed, restored and replanned it, yet the house still retains its attractive 18th century outer appearance.
Davielea villa and its big yard, which had belonged to Orlando and Stephen Young of the passenger-transport business, was sold and became a servicing garage for a few years before it was taken down in 1978. This made way for the building of the Kirk Care complex for pensioners the following year. The aged Madam Stuart Stevenson, long since an impoverished widow, came to live in one of the Kirk Care flatlets - quite a change from the years of her youth among the grandeur of Castlemilk Mansion House!
Madam (her own self-styled title) had lived abroad for some years after her husband died. Returning to Carmunnock, she greatly enjoyed her positions as Honorary President - especially of Cathkin Braes Golf Club - and held a grand party there for all her family and friends, including Club members and their spouses, to celebrate her son James’s 50th birthday.
Frequently she was to be seen walking in the village, a tall distinctive and still elegant figure. Few people knew her, however, and perhaps this offended her. One day in the street the old lady stopped some noisy boisterous lads as they roughly pushed past her, “Don’t you know who I am?” she asked them in a haughty tone, scolding them for such carelessness when passing an elderly person like herself. Quite clearly, she wanted them to show the respect she felt she was due.
Their parents or teachers had obviously scolded them too. Next time the same boys met Madam they were on their bicycles; the two older ones turned sharply preparing to greet her politely and the younger one, still astride his machine, saluted her so smartly that, not looking where he was going, he bumped into the other lads and fell off. Madam graciously acknowledged this splendid display of respect, but was noticeably concerned for them. On the following occasion she carefully ignored them and walked straight on. She was probably terrified that if the previous performance were to happen again, the boys would land in a heap among the traffic on the busy road.
The old school next to the one-time Inn and opposite the Clason Hall, the original part built about 1840, stood empty from 1973 and the village wondered how to use the building. Eventually it was decided to turn it into a Recreation Club. Much work was done to replan and refurbish the interior before it was opened in 1981. Mr. Ross Drummond (of Hillcrest) tells us that while work was in progress, they found clear evidence of the long-ago schoolmaster’s 3-roomed flat with gable fireplace in the attic area. It is interesting that a building worker came across a stonemason’s mark - a rose - on one of the sandstone blocks. Not long afterwards it was recognised as that of Robert MacGregor, long since dead, grandfather of Mr. Bob Steele till lately of Stuart Road, and Mr. MacGregor’s mark can be seen on Holmglen’s gate-pillars too.
While 4 Busby Road at Campbell Place continues as a newsagents and grocers, in 1981 the village’s Post Office was moved from there to 15-17 Busby Road (formerly the Rutherglen Co-operative Society’s general store on the site of the 17th century Beeches Cottages). For some years the Post Office was in part of the new shop there, known as the Mini Market and then the Foodstore. The shopkeeper also carried out the job of Sub-postmaster.
Next-door to the butcher’s shop in Drummond Place, the Cafe tearoom changed hands in the 1960s and was run for several years by Mrs MacDonald, Angus’s mother. After it closed when she retired, the name The Craigenputtock was revived when in 1976 Mrs Lorna Mackay (of Kittochside) bought the business, serving morning coffees, lunches and afternoon teas. It became the most popular meeting place in Carmunnock; the gratifying number of customers from near and far quite clearly enjoyed the good food and attractive surroundings. Then in the early 1980s under new management, it became The Silver Platter for three more years before the tearoom closed - and many a disappointed visitor to the village asked forlornly where they could get a cup of tea.
A completely new Petrol and servicing station, later called the Jet Garage, was established in the mid-1960s by people called Orde on the site of Stewarts’ Lands and the old Estate cottages at Buchanan or B’whinnie Corner, at the Glasgow Road or Netherton end of the village. Eastfield Coachworks on Cathkin Road, mainly doing panel-beating and paint-spraying work, developed their big workshop from Connells’ old Smiddy.
From about 1969 Mrs Mae Tait continued selling petrol and car requisites at The Green Garage after her husband died. When she retired, other proprietors came, until in 1986 McLaren Homes bought the site (where Coulters’ or Torrance’s ancient thatched cottage had also been) and - felling a fine old sycamore tree there - by 1987 had built the Waterside Court complex of flats, once more concealing the bend on the road, thus slowing down traffic to or from the crossroads.
Repairing and redecorating the Castlemilk Hall constantly demands money and so, in October 1982, funds forming part of the Warnock Trust were handed over by Glasgow District Council and passed to the Hall Committee for recent work.
Carmunnock Amateurs had continued - sometimes rather spasmodically - for many years after the war, and then even after they could no longer form a team, other teams in the League played - and these and junior teams still play - on King George’s football pitch. The City’s Parks Department look after the Park and the churchyard.
Mr. James Clark retired in 1985 from Windlaw Farm whose land was owned by Glasgow District Council. Then in 1986, its vacated farmhouse, steadings, barn and other buildings, constantly vandalised close to Ardencraig Road in Castlemilk housing estate, had to be taken down and sadly, the site as a former farm is now completely obliterated. Not far from it Mid Netherton Farm with Mr. McCoull as tenant continues on land also owned by Glasgow.
Mr. Strang of Picketlaw Farm (off Busby Road) died some years ago. But until 1987 four big friendly Clydesdale horses were kept in the old farm’s stables, grazing and exercising in fields north and south of the converted, modernised one-time farmhouse. The remainder of Picketlaw’s fields went to Parklea where old Mrs Lawson’s sons William and George, following their father and grandfather, joined in the work from the mid 1950s and later took over the farm. For some time past, the Lawsons have also owned the fields that were Waterside’s, since Mr. Tom Mair decided to retire.
From 1650, the Reid family’s main branch at Kittochside neighbouring our parish owned Waterbank Farm’s land whose farmhouse is close to Stipends or Stepends Bridge. Waterbank, formerly known as Catgill, latterly belonged to John Reid of Lawside, Jackton, brother of James Reid of Wester Kittochside. John rented Waterbank to the Ballantynes; then the two brothers Reid died in 1982, and in 1988 Mr. Tom Twaddle of Kittochside Farm bought Waterbank. His parents lived in the farmhouse for a short time, then he sold the house and the farm’s steadings to a private buyer, but kept the land. For some years, he rented Wester Kittochside’s fields from Mrs Margaret Reid (nowadays of Cameron Crescent) and since 1992, he and Fergus Watt of West Nerston have rented them from the National Trust for Scotland.
Other farms such as Bellcraig, High Flat and the Cathkin farms at one time in our parish are now included in East Kilbride’s, whereas Mid Cathkin, Muir, Muirside and the farms long ago near Castlemilk House have ceased to exist. Only Parklea on Kittochside Road and Mid Netherton Farm on the Glasgow Road remain in our parish.
At busy Parklea Farm the main proportion of the silage’s composition, processed and stored in huge towers, is from the farm’s own crops. Making up the bulk of indoor feed, and with the harvest of barley for the bullocks, this means that the cattle, healthier as a result, can be wintered in protection from bad weather.
To comply with EEC regulations, in the mid-1970s the Lawsons had to cease delivering milk direct to customers here and sold the business to the Perratts of Perratts & Sons, Ltd., of Rutherglen. After the milking in Lawsons’ milking shed, which itself is nowadays like a highly efficient factory, and some of the cooling and purifying processes were done, the milk - along with that from other local farms - was taken daily to what used to be called the Industrial Dairies Depot. From there it was brought bottled and in cartons back up to the village by Perratts’ vans for delivery and sale in the shops. Some years later, Perratts sold the milk-round to Angus MacDonald of the butcher’s.