Bellsmyre facts for kids

Bellsmyre is a large neighbourhood in the town of Dumbarton in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It's located on the edge of the Kilpatrick Hills in the northeast part of Dumbarton. Bellsmyre is one of five main areas in Dumbarton that have many homes built by the local council. The other areas are Westcliff, Silverton, Brucehill and Castlehill.

How Bellsmyre Was Built

Bellsmyre was first planned by an architect named Ninian Johnston. The very first streets and houses were built in the late 1940s. These included Aitkenbar Circle, Bellsmyre Avenue, Carman View, and Lomond Drive. Many of the original houses in Bellsmyre are special because they are British Iron and Steel Federation houses. These homes were built using a special steel frame.

Growing the Community

In the 1950s, the area grew even more. The Scottish Special Housing Association (SSHA) built many more homes. Lots of people moved to Bellsmyre from the city of Glasgow. This was part of a plan to help people move from crowded city areas to new towns and other places outside the city. Later, in 1992, many of the publicly owned homes were given to the Bellsmyre Housing Association. This local group now helps manage the homes.

New Developments

Two other areas, Stoneyflatt and Glenside, were built next to Bellsmyre. Stoneyflatt has been mostly taken down to make way for new homes. These new homes are a mix of different types of housing.

Schools and Community Places

Bellsmyre has two primary schools for younger students: Aitkenbar Primary and St Peter's Primary.

St Peter's Church

The St Peter's Roman Catholic Church in Bellsmyre is a special building. It was designed by architects Garner, Preston & Strebel and opened in 1971. The church even won an award from the RIBA in 1973 for its design.

Special Projects and Events

In 2002, Bellsmyre was chosen for an exciting project. The Scottish Executive, which was part of the government, gave free home computers and internet access to all homes in the area. This project helped people in Bellsmyre get online and learn new skills.

World War II Bomb Discovery

On June 5, 2007, something surprising happened. An old, unexploded bomb from World War II was found at a building site. Because of this, some nearby houses and Aitkenbar Primary School had to be safely emptied. The students from Aitkenbar went to St Peter's Primary for the day.

Famous People from Bellsmyre

Bellsmyre was the childhood home of John McFall. He used to be a Member of Parliament (MP) for Dumbarton. An MP is a person elected to represent their area in the country's government. Today, he is the Lord Speaker, which is a very important role in the House of Lords, part of the UK Parliament. When he became Lord Speaker, a newspaper called The Times said that the way he talks about how the House of Lords checks new laws is "pure Bellsmyre." This means his way of speaking still shows his roots from the area.