The Hidden Glasgow Forums

My father was born in January 1915 at Bishopbriggs. On his birth certificate, the place of birth is given as "Schoolfield Cottage", Bishopbriggs. I am trying to pinpoint where that was. I have a Godfrey Edition ordnance survey map from the year 1910 but a lot of the roads and streets are not identified by their name. So I tried a present-day map, looking for any Schoolfield Street or road but still found nothing. Does anyone have any idea where it was?

1911/12 Post Office Directory lists it as Schoolfield - no street given

1st column near foot of page Nisbet, Robert, Schoolfield

http://www.archive.org/stream/postoffic ... 3/mode/1up

This site http://www.kenmure-church.co.uk/chapter1.html refers to Schoolfield Lane (the above Robert is also mentioned as being a Joiner)

*EDITED* Church Hall in Schoolfield Lane demolished in 1986,as part of the Triangle Centre development - hope that directs you closer

1896 OS Map, shows UP Church north west of Station

maps.nls.uk/os/25inch-2nd-and-later/view/?jp2=82891428#jp2=82891428&zoom=6&lat=7564&lon=13405&layers=BT

1912 OS Map shows Hall marked in same location

maps.nls.uk/os/25inch-2nd-and-later/view/?jp2=82891431#jp2=82891431&zoom=5&lat=7720&lon=13408&layers=BT

Is it definately Schoolfield and not Springfield?
Springfield Rd,which is just off the Cross, had some small cottages maybe Springfield Cottage (?)
Colston School,further down Kirkie Rd,would have been around then not sure what other schools served the Briggs area. Might be worth checking out the old schools.

Apologies if those last two links didn't create properly - sent from my mobile

yoker brian,
Oddly enough, I happened upon that Kenmure Church page which mentions Schoolfield just yesterday.
My father's name was Kenneth Martin, and his father was John Martin. John worked as a cashier mainly with the railways, and moved around a lot. He had two brothers not too far away in Kirkintilloch. The brothers lived at a place called "BENALLAN", Glasgow Road, Kirkintilloch, and I am curious about that place also. It sounds like it might have been a large house with a nameplate at the door with BENALLAN on it. (Just guessing).

Bridie,
I have the birth certificate beside me and it is definitely Schoolfield Cottage. I am pretty certain it must have been demolished a long while ago, but I would still like to trace where it was.

You could try looking at the 1901 census on microfilm, at the beginning of each enumerators book there is a general description of the area including street names - the properties would follow a logical sequence and you could try and pinpoint it a little better.

If I get a chance I'll have a check next time I'm in the Mitchell.

The 1901 is the last census available on microfilm - 1911 being released online only.

War Baby wrote:yoker brian,
Oddly enough, I happened upon that Kenmure Church page which mentions Schoolfield just yesterday.
My father's name was Kenneth Martin, and his father was John Martin. John worked as a cashier mainly with the railways, and moved around a lot. He had two brothers not too far away in Kirkintilloch. The brothers lived at a place called "BENALLAN", Glasgow Road, Kirkintilloch, and I am curious about that place also. It sounds like it might have been a large house with a nameplate at the door with BENALLAN on it. (Just guessing)

I grew up in Kirky, but not familiar with that name WB. There are a lot of "named" houses along that road though, mostly near the Fire Station along from the foot of Washington Road, but also some out on the Kilsyth Road, which has been called Glasgow Road by some.

I shall try to remember to look next time I'm over there.

Long shot and you've probably tried already - contacting Bishopbriggs library ..0141 772 4513

Bishopbriggs/ Kirkie were pretty rural places in those times,my grandmother rode on a horse and cart for dairy provisions to Bishopbriggs from Blackhill. I would imagine by the sound of those names that they were largeish detached houses.

Hope you get lucky and let us know

Bridie,
Thanks for the information. I phoned Bishopbriggs Library and they said that a lot of their records were transfered to
Kirkintilloch Library. That suits me, because I can ask about them about Schoolfield Cottage and Benallan in Kirkintilloch at the same time. I am going to email them though. I think I would prefer to give them the information in writing as it involves two seperate inquiries. Thanks again.

Schoolfield Lane was in the area that became Morrison's supermarket car park/ taxi rank. Kenmure Chuch Hall was there and was home to the 182nd Boys Brigade. I knew two brothers called Gillies who lived there. Iain and Alistair. Both are traceable. Iain is an artist/designer in Austin, Texas. Alistairis a Glasgow lawyer. They are first cousins of the late Joe Strummer.

They may have known your father/family

Took a wee amble along Glasgow Road this afternoon, and could see no houses along there named 'Benallan'. However, there does seem to be a lot fewer than I remember (I used to be a window cleaner along there, and had a good many of those houses on my route) and many of them have no names on them at all any more.

In a lot of cases, the windows above the front door was where the house name would be painted, and it seems a lot of them have been replaced with plain glass; similarly with names carved onto wall pillars - in a lot of cases, they are either no longer there or have been 'restored', rendering any name essentially invisible. It would appear that the library may well be your only avenue with any hope of success. Good luck, and let us know how you get on.

Edit: I must point out my wee survey wasn't exhaustive - a few of the houses aren't easily visible from the road, and it seemed impudent to wander up someones' drive!

How many have been replaced by Dunrobbin?

Is this any help? http://www.edinburgh-gazette.co.uk/issues/22429/pages/1455/page.pdf

Bottom left side of this pdf mentioned Schoolfield Land and Low Road being "stopped up". Done a quick google search but neither are there any more. But this shows it was still there in 1988, and sounds like you've got another road nearby to go on.

You might even be able to trace the original planning application with plans which would show you exactly where it was located. The application number's on that pdf.

Kirkintilloch library have acknowledged an email I sent them last weekend, so I am waiting on a reply....