At the time it was constructed, it was the largest council house scheme built by Dundee Corporation. Due to a drop in the cost of building, the initial rents also made them the cheapest corporation homes in Dundee. Priority was given to tenants living in slum housing.

Beachtower was built in the 1870s for Andrew Adie, who ran the South Anchor Jute Works in Dundee. Later it was lived in by William Hunter, draper and twice Lord Provost of Dundee.

#StreetoftheWeek
2/2

He was killed in action on 18th August 1916 aged 19 in France

Ref: GD/X1059

We assume the first photograph was taken shortly after enlisting. The second was taken during his convalescence after being wounded.

He was wounded twice, and as he returned to service the final time he remarked that you don't come back a third time.

The current road up that links Blackscroft to Princes Street was opened on 24th November 2002

You can find more photographs of Blackscroft here:

The street is home to the St Roque’s Reading Rooms (not called the Blackscroft Reading Rooms to avoid confusion with the Blackness Library). The Reading Rooms were opened in 1910 and closed in 1979. The building was later used as a nightclub.

By the late 19th century the area was densly populated, with just over 2000 people living in 5 acres. It was noted that the death rate in the Blackscroft area was 27.9 per 1000, compared to the city average of 19.