Historical Background
In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Nitshill as:‘Nitshill, a village in the SE corner of Abbey-Paisley parish, Renfrewshire, near the right bank of Levern Water, with …
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An oral history of a former mining village
In 1882-4, Frances Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland described Nitshill as:‘Nitshill, a village in the SE corner of Abbey-Paisley parish, Renfrewshire, near the right bank of Levern Water, with …
Find Out MoreThe documented history of Nitshill and nearby Hurlet gathers pace during the seventeenth century against a background of mineral extraction. By the mid-18th century, coal and other minerals were becom…
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When it was first produced in the 1870s, asbestos was often called a ‘wonder’ mineral. Its natural fibre and other useful properties meant that it could be used as a strengthener and as a heat resista…
Find Out MoreBrick making manufacturing was not new, indeed, it was brought to Britain by the Romans and after their departure, brick-making fell into decline, though many of the bricks from Roman buildings were l…
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In the 1950s, my upstairs neighbour, Mr Phillips from Haughburn Rd., was the night watchman there and he had a little howff. Mrs Phillips would take me with her sometimes when she was taking his ‘piec…
Find Out MoreBy 1847, there was considerable competition for jobs in the coal mines, where miners received from 3s.4d to 4s. per day, together with free houses, fires, and gardens. By contrast, labourers earned fr…
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'On Saturday morning, a fearful explosion occurred in the Victoria coalpit, belonging to the Messrs. Coatts of Paisley, situated at Nitshill, a few miles from Glasgow. The explosion took place about 2…
Find Out More‘Mr George Coatts, the managing partner, was present shortly after the accident, and did all that man could do to urge on the measures for clearing the shaft and relieving those who might survive. Mr …
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Thomas Allison, unmarried, grandson to James KerrJames Baxter, married, brother of Joseph Baxter, born Pollockshaws, age 23Joseph Baxter. unmarried, brother of James Baxter, born Pollockshaws, age 171…
Find Out MoreThis colliery had an abundant downcast and up cast shaft, with a tube fitted for a furnace; but so well satisfied was the manager with the ventilation that the furnace had been discontinued for some m…
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Many people we spoke with mentioned a former resident of Nitshill, Jock Purden, but they knew little about him. For those interested in learning about Jock, otherwise known as ‘The Miners’ Poet’, read…
Find Out MoreNitshill experienced sad changes with the outbreak of WWI as the village was stripped of its young men, some of whom then perished. Many of those losses are registered on the local war memorial, which…
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Nitshill has changed much over the twentieth century. The extraction industries disappeared long ago, as did brick manufacturing in the 1970s, and social life also changed. A century ago, there was …
Find Out MoreForty former and current residents were interviewed for the ‘Nitshill Memories’ project, and many more shared their memories and stories via social media and emails. Those communications explored a my…
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Margaret thought that the best things about growing up and living in Nitshill were the friendships she’s made. Recently, she has renewed contact with a group of friends from school, including the Inte…
Find Out MoreWhen Janette was growing up in the area, people knew all of their neighbours and it was a close-knit community. Her parents socialised with some of the neighbours but mainly with their extended family…
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Speaking about the original Nitshill Parish Church, Margaret said: "Yes, it was on Pinmore Street. The early locals called it the Kirk Brae. There was a minister's house on that property when I was a …
Find Out MoreJanette remembers playing outside playing most of the time. They played hide and seek, rounders, peever, skipping ropes, Chinese ropes, hitting a ball in a stocking against the wall, and they played s…
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Not every school holiday, I wouldn’t know the exact year, but the old Corporation of Glasgow opened up a local school, and the dinner-hall ladies served us free dinner ticket weans. The kids in our st…
Find Out More“Where Brannan’s is now, there was shops there, really old, and you could go up the stairs and there was a café up there run by a dad, two brothers and a sister. There was also a hairdresser and a Co…
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Lillian remembers that buses had an open platform at the back, and often she and her friends were late going back to school, so they would run behind the bus trying to jump on! They loved getting the …
Find Out MoreWhen I was a wee girl my Dad actually got T.B., in the 1950s, when we lived at Ibrox, and he was hospitalised for it, and he was treated successfully. But there was a national campaign that you would …
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Janette’s mother told her, on the last day of school, to go into Glasgow and find a job, and not come home until she had one. After trying lots of different shops, Janette went into Woolworth’s store …
Find Out MoreI think, actually, compared to other families, we were really really okay for holidays. My Granny had a house in Rothesay, in Bute. So despite us not having much money, and we didn’t go every year fo…
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Spending my pocket money at Cafe Deluxe or Betty Doyle’s on a Saturday when visiting my Grandparents on the Peat Road. Happy Times. It was in the 1970s- 1980s. I’d buy a comic from Betty Doyle’s and …
Find Out MoreThere is so much more I can recall, but it would require a lot of ink and paper, but suffice it to say, I set out to note changes in the district, and there have been many. We liked the old village l…
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