This map incorporates many points of interest from the old Ordnance Survey map published in 1914 – the text for the introduction by Gilbert Bell is reproduced here.
The McKay family moved to Bellshill from Eglinton, Ayrshire, sometime before 1900, two years before Jonas Šugžda and his family arrived in Bellshill from Lithuania in 1902–3. My grandfather George McKay and his younger brother Robert (“Buddy”) were both born at Bothwell Park Rows (top left). The Šugžda family moved to Bothwellhaugh (just off the map to the bottom) in 1911. Jonas’ step-daughter, Ona Simanavičiūtė, married Jonas Zinkevičius in 1911, but he died in a Russian camp in 1921. Ona eventually moved from Bothwellhaugh to Bothwell Park Farm (by 1937), and remarried in 1938 (to Willie Dubickas) — she later lived at New Orbison Rows and, finally, at 23 Croftcut Avenue.
Andrew McKay had relocated his family to Galston by 1905, but returned to Bothwell Park before 1920. After Andrew died in 1932, our only family members left in Bellshill were my granny’s older half-sister, Annie (previously Zinkevičius, now Annie Dubickas), and John Shugesda (her younger brother), and his family. Johnny had returned to Bellshill from the USA in 1931, and a number of his descendants still live in the vicinity.
Was born in 47 Reid street behind the church , there was a big swing park that I could see from my window. Moved to Mossend 1961 when I was 6 , good times in the old 1 room house
Also lived there on Reid Street, from 67 to around 72, or whenever the council forced us out for demolition when I was 4.
Lived towards the end of the block, on the ground floor, and remember coal bunkers of some sort at the end of the block.
It was my parents first house before I came along, and all the friends they made there were life-long.
Would anyone happen to know where Hawthorn Park was? It would have been Bellshill Athletics first ground
Sorry, William – I’ve searched all the old maps from 1870–1960, but I can’t see Hawthorn Park on any of them.
Hi William,
My grandfather’s brother died (aged 34) at 39 Reid Street, in 1927. You wouldn’t have any photos of Reid Street or the Bothwell Park Rows by any chance?
Cheers,
Alan
My family lived at 43a Reid St. until maybe 1925. Looks like the street is gone now?
Hi Sally,
Yes Reid Street has been swallowed up by roads and roundabouts. I think Bellshill has changed dramatically since our families lived there! 🙂
Compulsory purchase order slapped on it to build Cardinal Newman High School, then it was torn down.
In the end, they never did use the land.
The school was supposed to be a donut shape, but the council ran out of money, so the land was not used and the school is just a half moon.
I lived at 43a Reid Street from 1960 until 1963. We had the upper flat and my mother’s uncle and his family lived below us. Our flat had 2 rooms, each with a coal fireplace, a tiny scullery and wc which had been added on to the rear of the original building. No bath tub! I remember a communal washhouse for laundry in the courtyard and a big park with swings and chutes in front of the row. We all moved to new council houses in the mid 60s. I think Reid St was demolished to make way for the development of the new RC high school in the mid 70s.
Hi Lynne,
Thank you for that information. You lived quite close to my grandfather’s older brother, who died at 39B Reid Street in 1927 (he was only 34). Their father and his boys all worked at Bothwell Park mine.
I could see from the maps that Reid Street had disappeared with later development. Do you have any photos of the street by any chance?
I lived at 41a Reid St Bellsill * think from my birth in 1955 until 1961, when I was abandoned by my mother…Margaret Kerr nee Moffat and taken to Yorkshire by my father…John Kerr. Just wondered if you remembered anything from that time. I have never see or heard from my mother since the day I was taken away.
Thank you, this is very helpful information for me, as I am writing a wee novel based on the life of my family who lived there in the 1910’s. I was not imagining it with two stories. Was 43a the upper flat? And were the two rooms a general purpose room and a bedroom? And they both had a fireplace? Was there a door in between? Did you have a metal washtub for baths?
Looks like I lived downstairs decades later, as my mum said we lived in 43 from 66.
Was wondering if anyone can remember my mother in laws family who lived at 73 Thorndean Avenue Bellsill.
The head of the family was William Macdonald, he wife was Sarah. They had 4 children, John, Malcome, David and Mary. Mary, my mother in law was born in October 1923 in Crown(?) Terrace, Union Street Bellshill. She married my father Hashu Advani and had 11 children. One of the children, Ramesh, died in March 1952 aged 9 months. We are not sure when the made the move to Thornhill Avenue only that they lived there for a long time.
Many thanks
Angela
My wife Susan Martin nee Farrell was born in Bellshill Maternity Hospital in 1953. Her father John Farrell worked in the mines and lived in miners cottages in the area. Are there any photos of those cottages available?
Hello Anthony,
I’m sorry to say that I don’t have any photos of the Bellshill miner’s rows – more’s the pity! I would dearly like to see the rows at Belgowan Terrace and Bellside Terrace, as well as the Bothwell Park Rows a little further out of town — but none seem to exist. If you ever find any, please let me know.
Good luck with your research,
Alan
Hi Alan, Just wanted to say thank you for sharing your family history. I have been finding out about my Lithuanian grandparents through church registrations, certificates and censuses and have recently discovered an extended family I knew nothing of. My grandparents lived at 5 Bellside Terrace (1906 – 1908) and 5 Bellgowan Terrace (1906) and my granduncle lived at no 4 (1911) so I appreciated your article very much as your family’s story must be very much like my own. Like you, I have discovered that my grandparents had several members of their families, brothers and cousins, ghettoed in Glebe Street. One again many thanks.
Hello Jacqui,
Many thanks for your note. Yes, there seems to be a whole bunch of Lithuanians at Bellside & Bellgowan Terraces. My great-grandparents live at 7 Bellside in 1904, and at 6 Bellside in 1911. In 1910, they lived at 4 Bellgowan, but by October 1911 they had moved south to Bothwellhaugh.
An interesting find I had for the 1911 census was a “Jurgis Shusda” at 4 Bellgowan (where my family had lived the previous year). Perhaps “Shusda” is a misspelling for my family name “Šugžda / Sugzda”? Also some Vidrinkas family lived at that same address – and “Vidrinkas” was my great-great-grandmother’s family name. I suspect that many Lithuanian migrants from Suvalki arrived at Bellshill at the same time and all lived around Glebe Street! I also suspect that some of these might have been my great-grandparent’s families, all migrating together.
Perhaps we are related! 🙂
Best wishes,
Alan
Hi Alan
I have recently come into some documents that have set me off on a journey to discovering my lithuanian family ties.
My great grandparents came from Lithuania, Namely Elverite (Great Grand father) and Suvalki (Great grand mother nee Januleviciute) From what I can make out, they met in Bellshill and married in 1906.
What you mentioned above, makes me think my great granny arrived in Bellshill with her family.
I have a birth certificate for one of their children my late great uncle Johnny as I remember him – Jonas Blonskiz, but known as John Millar.
Born on Christmas day in 1908, the address on the birth certificate mentions 4 Bellgowan terraces.
Later docs show they lived at 2 John Street.
My grandfather was born a year earlier, known as Anthony Millar. I recall my dad telling me he was known in Bellshill as “Knocker Knocks” sorry I dont know if thats the correct spelling or indeed if thats true.
I have a few photos of groups of gentlemen, probably around 1950 which I think belonged to my Great Uncle Johnny. They are not dated and I dont see any landmarks in the background. He had cancer of the throat and they removed his tongue but still managed to talk. he had skin taken from his forehead used to line his mouth.
Its a long shot but in your research have you come across the Blonsky’s / Januleviciutes ?
Many thanks
Samantha
Hello Samantha,
I haven’t come across those names (Blonsky / Januleviciute) in any of the documents I have, but my great-uncle Alex Šugžda (a younger brother to my granny) was born at 4 Bellgowan Terrace in February 1910! I have no doubt at all that our families would have known each other! By the 1911 Census, my family had moved next door to 6 Bellside Terrace, where they had lived in 1904. Do you know where your family lived in 1911?
Another interesting thing was that your great-uncle was known as “Johnny Millar”. There was a famous author called John Millar (1924–2015) from Bellshill, whose birth name was “Jonas Stepšys”. John’s family had originally come from the same farm estate (Sakalupis) that my family came from in Suvalki – and given that my 3g-grandmother was Ieva Stepšytė and also lived at Sakalupis means that John and I are probably distant cousins. I have a couple of John’s articles about Lithuanians in Scotland on this site (under Front Page > List of General Articles > ).
I would be delighted to hear more about you family, and I’ll keep a look out to see if those names ever pop up.
I’ll also send this reply you by email just in case you didn’t tick the “Notify Me” box. :-)
Alan
Hi Samantha I was just reading about your search for Lithuanian relatives in bellshill and I read about the name John Miller known as knocker knocks he was a local man who was well-known in bellshill he was decorated soldier during the war.i am from bellshill if you need some help I can possibly help with local knowledge I also looking for Lithuanian relatives called Blazaitis if you come a cross this name and looking for Grigaitis as well.
Hi Alan,
Thank you for sharing all the interesting info about your family as well as the maps of Lithuania and Glasgow! You answered so many questions I’ve had while conducting my ancestry research.
My great-grandfather and his brothers (last name Raudonaitis) migrated from Suvalki to Bellshill to work in the coal mines in the early 1900s, then most moved on to Scranton, Pennsylvania, USA. I have found other Lithuanian town names that I can’t locate on any maps or with Google searches. I believe it’s the case of Americans spelling it out by sounding it out like you mentioned above. I’ll message you about those town names in a different post. I’d love your thoughts on the town info!
After searching various records, I was able to locate that my great-great uncle lived at 7 Glebe Street! Very exciting reading your stories and others’ comments — it is a small world! I have been looking for photographs of the row homes, too, with no luck. I will keep trying and let you know if I find anything.
Thank you so much and thanks to all commenters!
Take care and all the best,
Kath
Hi Kath,
Really pleased you’ve been able to get some information from my site. Please do let me know if you ever find photos of Glebe Street – I’d be thrilled. I wouldn’t be at all surprised if our families knew each other!
It is small world – good luck with your research, and don’t hesitate to contact me if I can ever be of help.
Best regards,
Alan
I’m happy to find this map! My family (McGarrity) lived at 29a Reid Street from 1915-1925, when they left Scotland for America.
Fascinating to see this Alan, my great-grandparents were the Blažys who moved to Bellshill in the 1910s (I think) and would have been part of the same community. My grandmother Mariona aka Mary Crossan lived in Mossend kept the books for the Scottish Lithuanian Social Club on the Calder Rd for years.
I would love to find out where in Lithuania the Blažys came from, sadly they are all in the Bothwellpark cemetery now so I can’t ask them!
Hi Tony,
Yes, like you, I wish I’d spoken to some of my Lithuanian relatives before they passed (including my own mum, who died at 62). Luckily, I have a couple of cousins who knew something of the Bellshill Lithuanians, and both my grandmother and her older half-sister had applied and received copies of their birth certificates from Lithuania in 1927 – both these parish records have since been destroyed, so we are very lucky to have the copies. However, many records are still available in Lithuania, and a researcher was able to get quite a few of my ancestors’ BDMs – if you ever want to go down that path, I can suggest a researcher. 🙂
Good luck with your research,
Alan
Hi Tony was reading your post about you looking for blazes Lithuanian family who lived in bellshill.iam looking for Lithuanian relatives Blazaitis who stayed in bellshill Carnbroe area do you think your name Blazes has been shortened.are you from bellshill?.
Hi Robert – that’s a very similar name and may well be connected, but I’m not aware of any connection to the Carnbroe area for my family – I have two addresses for the Blažys one is in Mossend the other Bellshill Main St. Both my mother and father came from Bellshill
I have relatives that lived at 33 Reid St. I cant work out where it was. Does anybody know of any photos of Reid St?
Hi Barbara,
Reid Street was just behind the Church Manse about 500 metres (550 yards) west of Bellshill centre; it’s on my map marked in green. One of my grandfather’s older brothers died at Nº 39 Reid Street in 1927.
Like you, I’ve been hoping to find a picture of Reid Street, but I’ve never found one, not even in the National Library.
If I find one, I’ll let you know.
Cheers,
Alan
Hi Alan, thank you for the informative Bellshill map which I think shows the outline of Gardenreach Cottage, being the building closest to your Dismantled Railway label.
Alexander Forbes, colliery manager, and his wife, my great great aunt, lived in Gardenreach Cottage at least 1901-04.
I assume he worked at the Bellshill Colliery where the minerals railway led, on an alignment behind the cottage as shown on the 1897 OS map.
Is it correct that Gardenreach Cottage was demolished and was located where the Philip Court development is today?
Regards from (another) Alan
Hello Alan,
Thank you for the information about Gardenreach Cottage – that’s very interesting.
I can’t help you with your question about Philip Court, but I’ll have a search or two to see if I can find anything about it. Bellshill has changed out of sight since the days my family lived there.
Cheers,
Alan
doing my family history and my grandfather”s mother Jessie Hamilton was residing at I believe Bells hill. Now I believe this would have been around 1880″s I believe had three children RoseEllen, Hamilton born 1887 then Jessie Tennent Hamilton born1890 and then Agnes Simpson Hamilton in 1893. Now I believe she was not married at that time as Hamilton was her maiden name. She then married by great grandfather in 1894 William Brown.
After her husband’s death in 1905 some years later she migrated to Australia with only I believe tow of her children from the Marriage to John Brown. Just interested in what work she may or may not been available to her during this time. Her mother’s name I believe was Janet Shaw or may have been Tennant too???
Many thanks if any one is able to help me . I realise a long shot but am doing as I said our family history prior to the family migrating Regards Glenda Woodford
Have just seen this site and although not connected myself I found an old letter in a book I bought long ago. I have tried many times to find somebody connected to these people as the letter might be of interest to the family.
I wonder if anybody knows to whom I can send it.
The letter is dated December 1947. It is from Willie Reid who is in the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards in Palestine. It is to his cousin Helen Brown of 74 North Road, Bellshill, Nr. Glasgow. I am a local historian but none of my searches have helped, possibly because it is fairly recent.
Hi Mary,
That’s an interesting find you have. I can’t help with the names ‘Willie Reid’ or ‘Helen Brown’, as neither of those names are in my family tree.
However, one thing that sparked my interest is that my dad (Iain Craig of Govanhill) also served in a Welsh regiment in Palestine in 1947-48.
My dad, a signalman, was in the 1st Battalion Kings Dragoon Guards (based in Swansea).
His story is on this website:
https://www.craig-galt.info/craig-brown/iain-craig-army/
Cheers,
Alan
If anyone finds my bright red tractor in the park, can you let me know. List it there around 1970.
Thanks.
😂
Hi Allan enjoyed reading about your journey through your family history Iam looking for Lithuanian relatives blazaitis and Grigaitis who lived in Bellshill area but hard to find if you could help with any information of any of the family names would be a great help. I also live in bellshill area if I can help you in any way just let me know thanks.