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Brookfield
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Location map of Brookfield
Brookfield lies approximately 4 miles west of Paisley.
The growth of Brookfield
Peter Kerr, a civil engineer from Johnstone, bought Boghouse Farm from the Hatrick family in the 1890s and built a new house which he called "Branscroft". He then advertised building plots for sale on his land. His first customer was David Ritchie, who built two villas and named them Hylton and Heathfield. Kerr and Ritchie chose the name of "Brookfield" for the new village. By 1903 there were 44 houses, and by 1937 there were 97.
Kerr continued to take a keen interest in the development of the village, and over the years he provided facilities such as footpaths, a bowling green and a tennis court.
Today there are just over 200 homes, and the village is thought to be Renfrewshire's smallest community.
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W H Malcolm
W H Malcolm owned a small family coal business when he came to Brookfield in 1925. In the 1940s when his teenage son Donald inherited the business, its assets were a horse, a cart and one truck. The business grew and became a large haulage company with depots all over Britain. The business is now known as "The Malcolm Group" and is still based in Brookfield.
Merchiston
The village of Brookfield grew up to the west of the stately Merchiston House. Originally a private home, it was used to house Canadian soldiers during the 2nd World War, and in 1945 it was bought by Paisley Burgh for use as a hospital for people with learning difficulties. In the 1970s additional accommodation was built in the grounds for patients, and the house was demolished in the 1980s. The hospital closed in 2007.
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Finding out more
The Local Studies Library holds a collection of materials relating to the history of Brookfield, including books, newspapers and maps. You can contact the Local Studies Library by:
- email: locstuds.els@renfrewshire.gov.uk
- phone: 0141 889 2360
- fax: 0141 887 6468
- write to:
Reference and Local Studies Library
Central Library
68 High Street
Paisley
PA1 2BB
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