Thinking of earlier days in Oatlands I remember some of the strengths that made the area such a great place to be brought up in.
Indeed, the word “community” had real meaning because the lives of all the different families were linked into one another.

In the many closes (common entrance passage) the nameplates on the doors read like an A-Z of clan members: - Bonnar, Cameron, Curr, Docherty, Gemmel, Hay, Lewis, Mackelvie, Mackenzie, Macusker, McHugh, Shearer, Taylor etc. Each family was a part of the “Oatlands” jigsaw and contributed to the area’s rich history.

Those same names could be heard each evening as the role call began and the ‘weans’ were shouted in for a wash before bed. You could give your pals in Toryglen Street a wave from the windae as you stood up in the kitchen sink for a quick rinse, then a nice wee ‘nod aff’ to the strokes of a bone comb.

One particular family whose roots run through three generations in Oatlands, are the Findlays. My ‘mature’ pal Billy Findlay, along with his two brothers and three sisters, were brought up at the family house at 12 Granton Street. His sister Michelle and brother Leslie still live there.

Their grandparents William and Christine Findlay first took up residence at that flat in March 1934 and three weeks later Mrs Findlay gave birth to their third child, William Junior. (Billy`s Dad). The birth took place in the family front room – home births being quite common in those days.

The new addition to the family, William, was the first baby to be born in the then, newer Oatlands and to celebrate, he was given a commemorative bank by the local Council, Later in the 1970s and 80s, William Findlay became a Community Councillor and worked hard for the good of the area.

Michelle has memories of her dad, other Councillors and an MSP, holding meetings in the house, discussing plans etc for the future of Oatlands. William Senior died in June 2004 and Michelle and her brother Leslie presently await news of their own move into one of the 12,000 new homes being built by the Bett Partnership.

Recently Billy, his wife Cathy and their two sons William and Jordan took up residence on Newliston Drive, (New Oatlands) as one of the first families to move in. ‘We’re happy with our new house though we’re still sorting out some teething problems,’ he told the LOCAL NEWS.

‘We’re all trying to get used to the big changes and settling in.’ Added Cathy, ‘I was very excited about coming to the new house. It is bigger than the old house -our sons each have a room of their own and we’ve two bathrooms! But I’m beginning to realise how attached I was to the Granton Street flat where we lived for almost 20 years.’