In June 2026 P7 pupils at Strathblane Primary School tackled a project in which they were asked to imagine being young employees at Blanefield Printworks. Here are two particularly impressive samples of their work. Both girls chose to describe the events surrounding...
This is a typical “Broadside Ballad”, printed on a single sheet of cheap paper, often with a woodcut illustration, as here. They were a common form of printed material in the 19th century. This one was published by James Lindsay between 1860 and 1880. Firmly based in...
Helen Lillie produced historical novels, Home to Strathblane in 1993 and Strathblane & Away in 1996.
Murray O’Donnell was the embodiment of a “man o’pairts”. Panto dame, dramatist, local historian, bowler, mason, mechanic, family man and friend to those in need. The list could go on much further. He was born in Ballewan Crescent, Blanefield in 1943 to Winifred and...
This poem was first printed in the Lennox Herald on 10 September 1881 and was “inscribed to AP Coubrough Esq, Blanefield Printworks”. McAuslane was clearly a friend of the Coubroughs, who owned the Printworks. It may be intended to voice the thoughts of Anthony Park...
The poet Thomas Thorpe was born on 9 March, 1829 in Milton, Dunbartonshire, son of a block printer at the local works. When he was five, he moved with his family to Strathblane. One of his earliest childhood memories was being with his sisters in a wood where wild...