Letter from the Team
Dear Readers,
In this special heritage issue, we dive deep into the stories that make our community unique, celebrating our heritage and sharing the interesting history of Govanhill.
From the bustling streets to the quiet corners, Govanhill’s history is etched into its very fabric; inscribed on historic buildings, or meticulously hidden away and catalogued by local archives. This issue brings to light the hidden gems of our past.
And, as we reflect on the past, we also look forward. After four years of running the magazine, we have decided to take a pause to think about how we can use our limited resources and time to best serve the community.
When the magazine was launched in 2020, it followed months of community consultation and outreach to ensure it best met what people wanted from the mag. But a lot has happened in those four years, so now feels like a good time to go back to our readers.
This means over the next couple of months, we will be publishing less online and spending more time engaging with local community groups, businesses, neighbours and our members and readers, to find out what really matters, where information gaps might lie, and how we can best meet these needs as a small team.
We’re excited to move things forward and work on really building our own community. We’ll also soon be publishing an impact report on the first four years of our work, written by Emily Menger-Davies.
To find out more and have your say on the future of the magazine, visit: www.greatergovanhill.com/listening or email newsroom@greatergovanhill.com.
Thank you for joining us in celebrating our heritage. Together, we honour our roots, cherish our present, and build our future. Enjoy the read!
Yours sincerely,
Devon McCole Journalist
A special thanks goes to our advertisers: Garolla, Home Energy Scotland, Indepen-dance, Magikats, Open Aye
Want to advertise in our next issue? Email advertising@greatergovanhill.com
Thanks to the Glasgow City Heritage Trust who have supported this issue as part of our year long heritage project.
Editor-in-Chief Rhiannon J Davies
We’re also grateful to every one of our members who help us to keep going. If you enjoy the magazine and want to support us, visit: community.greatergovanhill.com/join
Creative Director Laura Hurst www.paperarcade.co.uk
Journalism team Devon McCole and Samar Jamal
Picture Editor Iain McLellan
Cover Image Tony Hamilton at the Star Bar by Karen Gordon
Words by Ailsa Boyd, Abigail McCall, Bruce Downie, Devon McCole, Liz Ely, Katherine Mackinnon, Rhiannon J Davies, Samar Jamal
Photos by
Ailsa Boyd, Alison Johansson, Anna Širjajeva, Dan Butcher, Govanhill Housing Association, Glasgow Autonomous Space, Glasgow City Archives, Iain McLellan, James Bowden, John Bowden, Karen Gordon, Laura Vroomen, Michael Paley, Pollok Free State Archive, Queen’s Park Camera Club, Raia Gadiaga, Rhiannon J Davies, Rob Reid, Robert Miller, Samar Jamal, Simon Murphy, Stefan Krajcik
Illustrations by Kieron Redmond, Robert Wilson
Printed by Gladstone Media Ltd
Stefan Krajcik is based in Govanhill and says: “I see photography as a language, a tool of communication. It allows me to connect, listen, and learn from people’s life stories while sharing mine. Through this reflection, I strive to explore the world around me, and the meaning of community and belonging.”
Stefan’s project to document local shopkeepers is featured on page 30
Raia Gadiaga
is a member of the Greater Govanhill photography group. She says: “I always loved capturing images and looking back at the memories they bring.”
Check out Raia’s photos in the Here Today Gone Tomorrow, and Then & Now pages
Dr Ailsa Boyd
is an independent writer and lecturer in 19th century art, design and literature, with a particular interest in the decoration of the homes we live in and imagined spaces.
Read her account of the architect who shaped the Crosshill Conservation area on page 24
Are you prepared for the RTS closure next year?
With the upcoming closure of the Radio Teleswitching Service (RTS), we want to ensure you’re informed and prepared for the changes ahead.
Check if you’re affected
The system controlling teleswitch signals is set to close on 30 June 2025, requiring households with teleswitch meters to upgrade. RTS enables users to benefit from tariffs that switch between peak and off-peak rates. If your RTS equipment isn’t replaced by the switch-off date, it could result in higher bills and affect heating and hot water provision at your home.
Thinking of upgrading?
If your storage heaters are old, with manual controls, and you are finding them difficult to control, upgrading your heaters could help. Upgrading old electric storage heaters to new high heat retention storage heaters could save up to £550 and 770kg of CO2 a year.
Whether you have questions about the RTS closure, tariffs and meters, or funding for new systems, we’re here to help. Request a call back from one of our expert advisors today! Simply scan the QR code to complete our online form or call us on freephone 0808 808 2282 Mon - Fri 8am-8pm or 9am-5pm Saturdays (quote GGCM July 2024).
News in Brief
All the latest from around the neighbourhood
Volunteer Spotlight:
“I am trying to build up an archive of Sikh heritage in Glasgow”
Recipe: Classic Scotch Broth
Taken from the bestselling Glasgow Cookery Book, first published in 1910
Behind the Portrait: JR Ewen
“Art school was… a real eye-opener in terms of understanding how to contextualise your work” 12
In Conversation: Tony and Andrea at The Star Bar
“People ask how we’re so busy. I tell them it’s because we have a great community”
Dusting off the memories: The importance of archives
A delve into personal and community archives
Here Today, Gone Tomorrow
Capturing fleeting moments in our transient city
80 Bankhall Street: Over a century of life in one tenement
A semi-fictionalised attempt to track one Govanhill building over time
Heritage Tour Around Govanhill
Take a self guided meander through local history
Creating Crosshill Conservation Area
“The area remains very much what it was a hundred years ago, with bustling shops and family homes”
How honey mangoes have come to mark the start of summer
A sweet story from Pakistan to Govanhill
We’ve packed so much into this FREE mag. If you can afford to support us, become a member here:
Back to the future: Could we see the return of the public diner?
Before the UK had a national health service, it had a national restaurant service
This is our legacy: Getting to know the shopkeepers around Govanhill
“Often, what you see on the surface isn’t what you get when you learn about people”
The Lasting Legacy of the Pollok Free State
“We will fight them in the Beeches!”
If these walls could talk: Stories from the locals “Pubs helped them integrate into a community that wasn’t always welcoming” 36
Then and Now
The Greater Govanhill Photography group recreate old pictures of Govanhill 38
Building a Citizen’s Agenda
“The experience left an indelible mark; a reminder of the power and importance of every vote cast”
40 What’s On
The latest events from around the neighbourhood – and Govanhill Festival special 42
Colouring in Dixon Halls by Robert Wilson 42
Poetry Corner
Glasgow, By Mark Clyde, ‘The Homeless Poet’
Quizzes
Bag yourself two chances to win a Greater Govanhill t-shirt!
news in brief
Plans to take the council to court to stop them ‘privatising local park’
The fence that has been erected around the football pitch in Cathkin Park, continues to spark local outrage as local residents claim it restricts public access.
In 2022, the Jimmy Johnstone Charitable Trust was granted a 20-year lease of the football pitch, with the condition that the facilities remain ‘open to all.’ However, in 2023, the Trust faced backlash for allegedly violating this agreement by fencing off the green space, prompting residents to fight back.
Mount Florida resident Greg Brown has now launched a Crowdfunder to raise enough money to pay for the “unavoidable costs” of challenging the park’s closure in a court of law, stating he has received “expert legal advice” that the fence is unlawful.
The Crowdfunder can be found on www.crowdjustice.com as the ‘Save Cathkin Park’ campaign.
Govanhill International Festival & Carnival
Govanhill International Festival & Carnival – an anti-racist festival of creativity, solidarity and liberation, is returning for its 8th year with events across the Southside. The programme of events runs from 1-11 August. Organised by Govanhill Baths Community Trust, in collaboration with over 50 organisations.
The Baths’ arts manager, Simone, said that this year's festival: “Promises to be an unforgettable celebration of creativity, unity, and diversity. This festival, rooted in Govanhill's rich multicultural history, is a testament to the power of collective effort and resilience. It's an incredible opportunity to experience the unique and dynamic culture of one of Scotland's most diverse communities."
Local musician corto.alto nominated for Mercury Prize
Local artist corto.alto’s work, Bad With Names, has been nominated for a Mercury Prize celebrating ‘Album of the Year’. The record sits alongside 12 other artists, including Charlie XCX. Commenting on his nomination on social media, he wrote: “I still can’t believe it, but my debut album has been shortlisted for this year’s Mercury Prize. Thank you to everyone who worked on this record, and to everyone who has supported and listened to my music since starting this project in 2019… This album was recorded with some of my favourite people in the world, across two years in my flat in the Southside of Glasgow.”
Labour win all Glasgow UK parliamentary seats
At the General Election in July, Scotland’s largest city experienced a political shift from yellow to red as both SNP MPs, David Linden and Stewart McDonald, lost their seats.
Labour’s John Grady will now be representing Govanhill after beating SNP’s David Linden who served Glasgow East since 2017. With 15,543 votes, he scored a majority of 3,784 over Linden.
Across the constituency, 51 percent of the 68,988 people registered to vote turned out, significantly lower than the national average of 60 percent, which is thought to be the lowest turn out for more than 20 years.
After his win, John Grady, responded to us on the matter of his new position as MP for Glasgow East, saying “Govanhill is a brilliant diverse community – and since being selected to stand for the seat last year I have spent a lot of time in Govanhill listening to residents. It has been a real privilege to do this.”
Invasive plant is destroying historic buildings in Glasgow
Writing on X, Deirdre Molloy chair of the South Glasgow Heritage Trust has warned Glasgow residents about an invasive plant growing on some of the city’s most iconic buildings. The invasive plant species, buddleia, has pretty flowers and is known as ‘butterfly bush’ as its an important pollinator, but is said to pose a risk not only to Glasgow’s built heritage, but also its residents. Left unchecked it can threaten the structural integrity of some of Glasgow’s oldest buildings, which may need to be demolished.
New guide for refugees published
The Scottish Refugee Council has published a new online guide to help new refugees in Scotland understand the process after getting leave to remain. It includes information on topics including: what you need to open a bank account; what your homeless rights are; and how to register with a GP and dentist. Find it online at scottishrefugeecouncil.org.uk/ information-for-new-refugees
Roma Cultural Centre Opens
Scotland’s first ever Roma Cultural Centre opened its doors on 11 June. Located on Nithsdale Street, the centre will be a formal space for the Roma community as well as a cultural space for exhibitions and festivals. The new space has been host to two events since the launch. The first was the Festival of Social Action, programmed by young Roma activists from Romano Lav’s Community Catalyst group, aiming to inspire others and encourage change by platforming lived experiences. It also hosted an afternoon of remembrance, reflection and solidarity to commemorate Roma Genocide Memorial Day – marked each year on 2 August.
news in brief
Govanhill Litter Pick is now monthly
The group of local residents and organisations (including Greater Govanhill) is now running regular clean-ups in Govanhill on the last Saturday of the month. You can now stay up-to-date with the Govanhill Litter Pick group by following them on Instagram at @govanhill_litterpick.
The group is also calling on volunteers to join them and is asking local businesses to consider sponsoring their monthly community clean-up. If any local businesses are interested in supporting the Govanhill Litter Pick group, they can contact the organisers by email at govanhill-litter@greatergovanhill.com
Greater Govanhill launches new gambling harms project
In Issue 9 of the magazine, we published a special feature on gambling harms funded by the GCVS small community grant fund. We are now pleased to share that we have now received funding from Gamble Aware to build on this work.
Speaking about the project, Greater Govanhill founder Rhiannon J Davies said:
“When we reported on this topic before, we heard so many stories of how this ‘hidden’ addiction was affecting people in our community in different ways.
“With this new project, we’re looking forward to getting much deeper into the issues, by supporting women with lived experience to tell the stories that they think need to be heard. We’re also excited to be combining journalism skills with a participatory action research approach to empower participants to bring about positive change.”
If you are a woman with experience of gambling harms and you’d like to get involved with this paid opportunity, email @training@greatergovanhill.com
Greater Govanhill hosts event on future of local news in Scotland
Indie News Week wrapped up last month, celebrating independent news outlets in communities across the UK. The initiative, created by the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF) saw 45 publishers take with the ethos of ‘No News is Bad News’. Various events took place, including a gathering organised by The Scottish Beacon, a collective of 24 independent community based news outlets set up by Greater Govanhill CIC.
The Edinburgh event included discussions on the future of local journalism in Scotland’s communities through workshops, with a keynote speech from MSP Richard Leonard and panel discussions with industry experts.
As part of Indie News Week, Greater Govanhill also launched a crowdfunder where all donations were matched by the Indie News Fund. The generosity of donors meant that the Greater Govanhill raised over £2000. Thank you to each and every person who donated including: Maria Ampuero, Jenni Dunsmore, Zoe Greenfield, Kirstie Johnstone, Fiona Barry, Lucas Batt, Lindsey Stephens, Becky Duncan and so many more!
GAS reopens in new Govanhill location
Glasgow Autonomous Space (GAS) reopened in a new premises, Victoria Court Workspace, Hollybrook Street, on Sunday 28 July. GAS faced challenges in its former location in Tradeston, but secured a new lease in 2024 with Govanhill Community Development Trust after the old venue closed 18 months ago. They wrote:
“GAS is an autonomous, self-organised social centre, run by and for people and groups excluded elsewhere. In a context of public spaces being closed in favour of private interests, GAS exists to provide space, support and resources to those fighting oppression. GAS is a space for gathering to cook and eat community meals, organise, fundraise, make banners, host workshops, hold meetings, watch films and build power to resist oppression together.
“The space is used regularly by core groups including Language Exchange and Industrial Workers of the World, and is available for hire (for free or by donation) to groups and individuals organising for justice and against capitalism and its impacts.” For more info, visit: glasgowautonomous. weebly.com
Glasgow Central Mosque considered for Category A status
Originally completed in 1984, this significant landmark is now being considered for a Category A listing by Historic Environment Scotland, recognising its architectural and cultural importance and underscoring the mosque’s role as a key religious and community hub in Glasgow.
Gurdev Singh Pall Volunteer Spotlight
Interview
by Rhiannon J Davies
Iam currently trying to build up an archive of Sikh heritage in Glasgow.
I’m doing this because I went to an event which had information on Jewish, Italian and Muslim communities in the city but there was nothing about the Sikhs and our contribution.
The last Maharaja of the Sikh Empire, Maharaja Sir Duleep Singh, was deposed by the British after the second Anglo-Sikh war. He was exiled to the UK and given an annual pension. He lived in a castle in the 1850s and 1860s and was known as the ‘Black Prince of Perthshire’. That’s the earliest recording we have of a Sikh in Scotland.
My grandfather came here around 1930. But my research found that Sikh immigration really began when people came from the Punjab in the 1920s and stayed in Dundee.
Many worked as door-to-door salesmen, selling things like small bottles of perfume, ladies blouses, stockings. They went all over Scotland. It was before there were department stores where you could easily pick up these things.
My grandfather worked in palmistry – he was able to look at your hand and tell you things about yourself. He worked in administration in the Punjab and got permits that initially allowed him to travel to other parts of the British empire. Then he started to go west through Africa, Italy, Spain and eventually to the UK.
When people moved here they settled in one area. People talk about a ghetto and it gives you a negative impression, but the word, when actually looked at properly, is a gathering of a community in one central area. For the Sikh community in Glasgow, most settled in the Gorbals. My mother lived here 36 years and maybe knew only 30 words of English, but she could go into any shop and they’d serve her what she needed.
My grandfather and others were involved in clubbing together to purchase 79 South Portland Street which became one of the city’s first gurdwaras.
I have always been involved with volunteering, alongside my roles working in care settings. I have also done a lot of fundraising, running races and earning sponsorship for charities.
Currently I run the EKTA Group Elderly Care Forum which exists
to promote the Health and Social Care needs of the Sikh and Asian elderly population of the City of Glasgow and to assist the Sikh and Asian elderly population to access services with the view to combating and alleviating social exclusion and isolation. In Punjabi, ekta means unite.
It’s volunteer run, and we meet weekly on a Monday in the Pollokshields Burgh Hall from 12–3:30pm. We run activities such as yoga, light massage, board games. We’ve also taken on IT, embroidery, you know, basic things that are creative and keep people focused. And then, you know, there’s some individuals who don’t want to join in and prefer just to have three hours of gabbing away.
We also go on educational visits up and down Scotland. We want the community to have a deeper understanding of the history of this country, and actually there are similarities between the Punjab and Scotland in terms of how they lost their independence to Britain. For the last 76 years, the Sikhs haven’t had their independence and have been going to parliament every year to ask for those rights.
I’m looking for people to share photos and memories of the difference that Sikhs have made to local communities. If you have anything to share, you get in touch via ekta969@hotmail.com.
and photo
Scotch Broth from the Glasgow Cookery Book
By Devon McCole
Photo by Iain McLellan
Ingredients
• 250g of mutton (or lamb)
• 250g of beef
• 50g of barley
• 2 liters of water
• 25g peas
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced
• 100g of turnip, peeled and diced
• 1 small parsnip, peeled and diced
• 1 onion or leek, diced or shredded
• A small piece of cabbage, shredded
• Chopped parsley (to your taste)
• Salt and pepper (to your taste)
This recipe for a classic Scotch broth is taken from the national bestselling Glasgow Cookery Book, nicknamed ‘The Purple Book’ which was first published in 1910. The book was often considered the cookbook for women in its day, and a centenary anniversary edition can be purchased online.
It began life as the textbook of The Glasgow and West of Scotland College of Domestic Science and was put together by staff to document the recipes taught in class. The college was founded in 1908, during a time when there was a growing recognition of the importance of domestic science in improving the health and wellbeing of families. The institution aimed to equip women with practical skills like cooking, nutrition and general household management, which were seen as essential by the modern homemaker.
The influence of the College of Domestic Science reached far beyond its immediate environment, with many graduates going on to become public figures in education, public health and social work. The college's curriculum was innovative for its time, combining theoretical knowledge with practical training. It covered a wide range of subjects, including nutrition, dietetics, laundry work, and childcare, demonstrating a holistic approach to domestic education.
The college, nicknamed ‘The Dough School’ by students and locals, got its tongue-in-cheek name from the college approved abbreviation of ‘Do. school’ (Do. being an abbreviation of domestic). Not everyone was a fan of the pun though.
Mr Osbourne Hattrick, Chairman of the Board of Governors, made an impassioned plea to change the “time-honoured” nickname in 1943. In The Bulletin, a Glasgow newspaper of the time, it was reported: “A wave of giggles ran round the listening girls as he [Mr Osbourne Hattrik] remonstrated on the lack of dignity of the title”.
Method
1. Scald barley by submerging in boiled water for a minute or two, then drain to stop the cooking process. After that, put it in a pan with meat, peas and water.
2. Bring to the boil and simmer for 1–1hr30m.
3. While boiling, peel and dice all veg.
4. Add diced vegetables except cabbage, leek and parsley.
5. Season and cook slowly for 30 minutes, or until vegetables are tender.
6. Add cabbage and green leek, shredded. Boil for 10 minutes, check for seasoning, add parsley and serve.
Note: If preferred, after cooking, any meat may be removed from the bone, cut finely, and returned to the broth.
BEHIND THE PORTRAIT
JR Ewen
Interview by Devon McCole
Photo by Simon Murphy
JR Ewen, co-founder of Glasgow’s Southside Studios, is an artist and maker whose journey is marked by his family’s legacy and his own creative evolution – whether that’s sculpting colossal art installations or sharing his love for bagpipes with his great grandfather. He shares insights into his creative process and his experiences working with diverse artists at Project Ability and his own Southside Studios on Westmoreland Street; a space for artists to rent out studios and work on their own projects.
This portrait forms part of Simon Murphy’s ‘Govanhill’ project. The second edition of his book Govanhill is now available to purchase published by Gomma Books. Follow @smurph77 on Instagram for more.
This was taken when I was dressed in all this heavy, traditional gear for the Govanhill International Festival a few years back. Simon Murphy caught me and took me aside to this wall at the garages near the health centre – I think it’s his favourite wall for a photograph – and he got the picture then.
My dad encouraged me to play an instrument, as he knew it’d be good for me when I was older. So I took up the bagpipes, they were incredibly difficult to learn to play but now I can play weddings, or other events that, if you were a drummer for example, wouldn’t be available to you.
My great-grandfather used to play the bagpipes. He was a really hard man, I’ve been told, and very practical. And he was proud of his Scottish heritage, the bagpipes were a big part of that.
An artist’s job can be a difficult one. But I find one job follows another job, just like any sort of tradesman. The work just kind of snowballs really and you gain a lot of experience. It’s all about problem solving; being a self-starter and working things out for yourself.
My dad’s influence has stayed with me throughout my life. He was a GP but he also did a lot of painting at home. Dad was always really good at art and drawing and always encouraged me to do so.
Art school was the foundation that allowed me to develop my practice. It was a real eyeopener in terms of understanding how to contextualise your work. It was less about technical skills, but more about how to position your work within a broader conversation and how to speak about it critically.
It’s fantastic that after art school I managed to get into a job role where it was kind of my field anyway. I started working at Project Ability, a charity that works with people with disabilities or learning difficulties, people who’ve experienced mental health issues, children with autism. We don’t class it as art therapy, but people benefit from it in that regard. The focus is on making quality artwork, that’s the focus we’ve always had. I still work there as a technician.
I recently worked with Tramway on this massive clay sculpture, we called it the ‘god monster’. It was part of Ramesh Mario Nithiyendran’s exhibition, Idols of Mud and Water. It was an insane piece, I mean huge. That was pretty wild. I’ve gotten to work on pretty interesting projects over the years.
When we started this place, we didn’t know what we were doing. We had been in studios before, obviously. We had an art background, so we were makers. But since starting the Southside Studios, it has been an incredible place for me to grow as an artist. There’s about 14 or 15 people that rent studio space from us, it’s always interesting to see what the other artists are working on.
Self motivation is very rewarding. It’s important to always be learning something new, and I think it’s especially important to find someone you can learn from as well. That’s invaluable. My great-grandfather was that person for me.
In Conversation
Interview by Devon McCole
Photos by Karen Gordon
Tony & Andrea at the Star Bar
The Star Bar on Eglinton Street is housed in one of the most iconic buildings around Govanhill, occupying the ground floor of a tenement built in 1892. This legendary pub has stood the test of time and witnessed many changes in the neighborhood over the decades.
The Star Bar sits on Eglinton Toll, but the area was formerly known as St Andrews Cross; a cross-shaped road junction that was used by several local bus routes – and at one point, trams. You can still see the words ‘St Andrews Cross’ carved into the exterior. The name is thought by some to reference the fact that the junction’s shape resembles that of the Scottish saltire. However, once the separating fence was erected in 1946, the cross no longer operated and so the area became more known as Eglinton Toll.
It was called this as it intended to be the dock area for a canal, which was never completed – and instead replaced by the railway. It was an industrious area that once had a cinema, a power station and a bus depot. It was a popular point for drivers to swap shifts, with many bus drivers and other working class clientele drinking there.
Nowadays Eglinton Toll is quieter. The cinema, power station and bus depot have all gone, but the unique looking tenement, reminiscent of the Flatiron Building in New York, has remained a permanent fixture on Eglinton Street.
The pub itself is also known for serving up the cheapest 3-course lunch in the city. There are different options available but for just £4 (cash) you can have a meal that includes soup, followed by Scotch pie with chips, peas and gravy, followed by a bowl of creamed rice to finish.
We caught up with regular Tony Hamilton and manager Andrea Purdie for a bar-side blether.
Tony: I’ve been coming here for over 50 years. I moved to Govanhill in 1972, it was the first pub I came to. There’s always been good clientele here. It’s a brilliant mix of people.This place has the best deal you can get too… It was a pound when I started coming here, and you used to get a drink with your dinner then.
Andrea: There used to be six or eight of them coming in for dinner and a drink. Out of this picture (right), Tony’s the only one left. The rest have passed away. When The Unique [a much loved cafe on Allison St] was closed, they’d come here. A lot of people who come here are well into their 80s.
T: I come for my dinner and to read my paper. There used to be groups of taxi drivers at one table. When The Unique wasn’t open, they came here, ‘cause the two places had the cheap 3-course lunch deal. I was a shipyard man, but a lot of the taxi drivers came in here from there.
T: I remember there was a guy, I told him my fish was salmon, mind that Andrea? He thought I was getting special treatment because my fish was massive, you see, so I started winding him up. I said “Oh aye, it’s salmon.” He believed me.
A: Remember your brother-in-law when he came in?
T: Oh aye. He was very well brought up and asked Andrea for tartare sauce with his fish. She said, “Where the f**k do you think you are? The Ritz!” He couldn’t believe it.
A: Oh aye, it’s definitely the customers that have kept me here for 45 years. I left for a few weeks to work for the airlines years ago, hated it, and came back. My bosses Paul and Giovanna are amazing. I worked with Giovanna for years, her behind the bar and me waitressing, we just worked so well together. She retired after the pandemic. Paul runs the place now and I’m the manager.
T: There’s no nonsense here. It’s as simple as that.
A: We get a mixture of people, and it’s good. Most of my customers are elderly, but it’s a community. We have a band on Saturdays, and it’s great. We also do karaoke on Fridays. We’re starting to get more artsy people. They’re amazing. When I say time to go, they go, when I ask them not to block a door or sit somewhere they move. They’re more than welcome.
A: They all knew everybody. This is Tony right at the back of the picture. Here’s Willy Hale, Alec, Peter, and Murray – all gone now. They used to come and banter. Even though his pals are gone, Tony still banters with everyone… During the pandemic, Tony would call to check on me. Even though he has family, he would just phone me to see how I was doing.
T: It was very isolating during the pandemic since I live by myself, so I’d call and see how she was doing. There was one time I phoned her up on the bus to put my fish on because I was running late. She said “Do you know where I am right now, Tony?” She was lying on a beach somewhere.
A: It’s good banter. Pubs are all about banter and enjoying each other’s company. Some pubs just take your money and there’s no chat, but not here.
T: Aye, she’s worked here for years, Andrea. She was a dolly bird then, when she started. You used to fight to get dates with her and all that. She’s quite posh now because her daughter’s a schoolteacher. A: Well, I’ve had to grow up here. I refuse service when necessary, and my regulars respect me. It runs well. People love it here. People pass by for years before coming in, but when they do, they love it. I like to think we run a tight pub. I’ve been here since I was 15. In some pubs, staff are part-timers, but here, it’s a community. Everybody gets treated the same.
T: The place hasn’t changed much. Every few years, they change the wallpaper and sometimes, when they feel like it, maybe the carpet.
A: My customers are here rain, hail, or snow. I’ve seen many people come and go, but once they make this a regular spot, they’re here forever. Regular customers’ grandkids come in now. We brought customers in with a three-course lunch deal. I can’t charge too much for meals because people won’t pay for it here. We keep prices reasonable, around 4 or 5 pounds. This place is all I know. I’ve given my life to it. Everyone knows everyone here. I reserve tables for groups if they call ahead so they can sit together. I try to make people feel welcome. I’m not looking to be a millionaire. I love my job. As long as I get a holiday now and then, I’m happy. People ask how we’re so busy. I tell them it’s because we have a great community.
Dusting off the Memories
the importance of archives
By Devon McCole
Archives exist as a means to connect us to our past, whether personal, social or connected to a particular place or movement. Preserving these stories provides a chance to learn from what’s gone before.
Sitting in one of the small booths in The Church on The Hill, I nurse my drink while waiting for Lesley. I spot her scanning the room for me, her hands full. I wave her over and, after hastily making room for the two large photo albums she’s brought, we take a seat.
“I’m not quite sure what to tell you,” Lesley begins. “My father died when I was only two.” A staff member briefly interrupts us, placing a cup of coffee on the table. “He was always a keen photographer, and my mother never threw anything out. I suppose I’m lucky in that way.”
It’s my first time meeting Lesley. We were introduced through the Queen’s Park Camera Club (QPCC) after she dropped off boxes of old photographs belonging to her dad, Robert.
“He was a member of Eastwood Photographic Society. We think he grew up in Clarkston and joined because it was the nearest. When he married my mother, they moved to Tantallon Road, and I imagine he joined QPCC because it was closer.”
Photos courtesy of the family of Robert Miller, with thanks to the Queen’s Park Camera Club
“YOU MAY BE BEAUTIFUL, INTELLIGENT, AND A GOOD NURSE BUT YOU’RE A DAMNED BAD CORRESPONDENT!”
Lesley opens one of the albums, revealing black and white photos beautifully capturing family moments and landscapes. “Unfortunately, we don’t know who a lot of the people are,” she says, pointing to the smiling figures. “I think these are my grandparents and great-grandparents. I didn’t get to know my dad’s side of the family well. He was only 48 when he died.”
From the photographs, I sense the warmth of the family, tightly packed together, squinting in the sun. “In the ‘30s my father had a great social life. There he is on the beach with friends, and there he is with his tennis racket.” Lesley points to a portrait of her father, smartly dressed, with slicked-back hair, the iconic tenements of the Southside in the background. “They had a wonderful time.”
In another photograph, I see a handsome young couple – Lesley’s parents – gazing down lovingly at a newborn baby in white. “This is either me or my brother getting christened. We were both christened here when it was a church and not a bar and restaurant.”
I had no idea of this coincidence when I’d suggested The Church on the Hill for our meeting. It is even more surprising to me that, despite never knowing her father, Lesley tells me so much about him and his relationship with her mother – gleaned through photographs, letters, and stories passed down over the years. I get a real sense of their lives, adventures, and personalities as she talks.
“My father met my mother through his work tarmacing and repairing roads. My mother lived up north, and he had a job in Leith. They met at a local dance there. He started courting her, and they wrote letters to each other. We have all their correspondence from day one.”
She shows me one of these letters. In a particularly funny exchange, the first paragraph reads: “Dear Jessie, your last letter was interesting and enjoyable but a little out of date. You may be beautiful, intelligent, and a good nurse but you’re a damned bad correspondent! Even a P.6 would bring more excitement to my monotonous life.”
We laugh at this, and Lesley tells me it’s nothing compared to some of the “rather scathing” notes left for her father about his photographs, written by other camera club members trying to help him improve his technique. “At least I think that was their intention,” she jokes.
Sure enough, some photos have yellowing notes attached, with comments written in sprawling cursive that, to my Gen Z eye, is almost illegible. One comment compliments Robert on a portrait of Lesley’s rosy cheeked brother as a toddler, although follows it with: ‘But pity! What a shame it is that the image is out of focus. It has a slightly fuzzy appearance’. The author was kind enough to leave tips to improve this.
Speaking about these notes, Lesley says: “They were lovely to see, and we found the criticism amusing. I don’t know if I would have survived it, but it seemed a shame to throw them out. When I was clearing out my sister’s house after she passed, I found so many boxes of photographs and letters I thought I should donate some to the QPCC.”
Robert’s photos and the letters between him and Lesley’s mother, Jessie, showcase not only family history but also the camera club’s history – and sheds some light into life during wartime: “My mother was training to be a nurse in Leith Hospital at the time. They brought the wedding forward because Leith docks were being bombed.”
I’m moved by her parents’ chance meeting, their longdistance correspondence, and their enduring love during hardship, and can only imagine how Robert’s death affected the family.
“When my father died, my mother was left with four children on a widow’s pension. It hit her hard. It was amazing, the help she got from the government. Sadly many women were on widow’s pensions at the time because of the war. My father died suddenly of a heart attack. But she was incredible. She was never in debt and gave us all the opportunities we wanted.”
The challenges and joys of preserving these family memories are clear. There’s a sense of loss in Lesley’s story and plenty of gaps in her knowledge of who is who, but the annotated photographs and letters left by her father serve as a profound gain. They are a tangible connection to these memories and the people that held onto them, keeping the past alive. They are a treasure trove of memories, needing only to be dusted off for the lost to be found again.
I tell Lesley it is a beautiful gift to leave behind and we part ways after spending so much time reflecting on the past and the power of recording your own history. For Lesley, the traces left by her parents are worth more than their weight in gold, preserving a family history that could have so easily been lost to time. I imagine Robert could never have known how valuable they would become to his young daughter.
This is just a selection of archives from around Glasgow.
There are many more out there, we’d love to know about the ones you know of so we can publish a full list. Please get in touch via newsroom@greatergovanhill.com to tell us more.
AN INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNITY ARCHIVES
Society isn’t fixed. It fluctuates. Like most things in life, the here and now is fleeting; here one minute and gone the next, lost and forgotten, eroded by time. And, whilst the future might be unknown, the here and now exists in this very moment. One day we’ll look back at today with the same nostalgia that people now feel for the distant – or not so distant – past.
The Cambridge dictionary defines an archive as ‘a collection of historical records relating to a place, organisation, or family.’ Lesley’s archive is a deeply personal one. But archives also represent the collective memory of a place or group, and the stories contained within them tell us the stories of a Scotland we live in today. In Govanhill, and across Glasgow, there are a number of community archives for people to learn from or get involved with.
THE GOVANHILL BATHS ARCHIVE
This archive catalogues a unique collection of materials reflecting the wide range of activities at the Baths over the past 100 years, from its use as a municipal swimming baths and wash house, through the Save Our Pool campaign, to the development of the Govanhill Baths Community Trust. Organised into three sections – Before Closure (1914-2000), Save Our Pool (2001-2004), and GBCT (2005 onward) – the archive is accessible both at the Baths and online, preserving the building’s history and promoting education, health, and wellbeing in the diverse community.
Visit govanhillbaths.com/archive to access some of their materials online
The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale St, G41 2PZ Call 0141 433 2999 to arrange a visit
COLOURFUL HERITAGE ARCHIVES
From 18th century lascars to academics, community councillors to MSPs, the South Asian story in Scotland is a fascinating one. Colourful Heritage started a decade ago as a question among friends: “Without a mention in the history books, how do we capture the stories of our elders for future generations?” A free multimedia archive containing hundreds of inspiring first-hand video interviews, an expansive digital timeline, one official library collection later and much more.
Visit colourfulheritage.com to access some of their materials online
423 Paisley Road West, G51 1PZ
Email info@colourfulheritage.com for more information
GLASGOW TENANTS ARCHIVE
The Glasgow Housing Struggle Archive is a new project to record, share and discuss the past and present of workingclass organising for decent housing in our city. The archive aims to be a place where the people of Glasgow can access information about the city’s radical tradition of housing struggle – the campaigns, rent strikes, occupations and other direct actions and resistances that shaped the city we call home.
Visit glasgowtenantsarchive.com to access some of their materials online
You can contact them through the website
ROMANO LAV COMMUNITY ARCHIVE -
coming soon!
Romano Lav are developing a digital community archive and are in the process of creating a body of work that will represent Roma culture, history and diversity for everybody to enjoy or appreciate. The purpose of this is to ensure Roma communities are properly represented. In the process of shaping the Romano Lav digital archive, they are asking local people of a Roma background to fill out a short survey to assist them with their collection. This can be found on their website: romanolav.org/community-archive
Email hello@romanolav.org for more information
SCOTTISH JEWISH ARCHIVES CENTRE (SJAC)
The purpose of the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre (SJAC) is to preserve the records of the Jewish experience in Scotland stretching back over the past 200 years and to make them accessible for education, research, publications and tourism. The archive preserves and gives people access to the history of one of Scotland’s largest minorities. It’s important as a repository for the history of Jewish people across Scotland.
Visit sjac.org.uk to access some of their materials online 129 Hill Street, G3 6UB
Call 0141 332 4911 to book a visit
HOW TO BE YOUR OWN HISTORIAN
We asked local archivists for tips on how to build your own.
HARVEY KAPLAN FROM THE SCOTTISH JEWISH ARCHIVE CENTRE
• The Scottish Council on Archives would be a good first stop to find out more about all aspects of all different types of archives.
• Visiting archives is also a good way to find out about what people are doing and how.
• It is important to decide on a collecting policy and how you will protect and use relevant material and prevent it from being discarded, destroyed, or lost.
• An appeal for material might be considered and this will have to be circulated and publicised to relevant community organisations, newsletters, newspapers, social media etc.
• Oral history interviews should be considered with people who live or have lived in the community. A lot of history is lost or destroyed over time, but oral history and people’s memories survive a lot longer.
• The key challenges are having enough people and funds to do all the tasks. Looking ahead is important and the conservation of fragile items will be a challenge and expensive!
PAULA LARKIN FROM THE GOVANHILL BATHS COMMUNITY TRUST
• The idea of building an archive of the events following the announced closure of the Baths, goes back to the occupation. People knew it was wrong to close the Baths and important to make sure others remembered that.
• Preserving that history is all about preserving the history of the communities that frequently used the Baths and eventually managed to save them. That activism from the occupation informs everything we do.
• We initially tried to contact other already existing archives but they wanted to split the collection up. Some wanted only one of our banners for example, we didn’t want the collection to be separated.
• We applied for a grant and were successful in getting the project funded, after that we made callouts letting the community know we were building this archive and were looking for materials to catalogue.
• I also work on the Spirit of Revolt: Archives of Dissent project, which documents and preserves our radical, social history. Like the Baths archive, this is a project that exists so people can look back and use it as a blueprint or for inspiration in their own campaigns.
• A large part of recording the history of minorities, small communities, or grassroots movements is gathering something we call ‘tangible cultural heritage’. This is essentially recording oral history; talking to people, finding out what they know and backing it up through further research.
The Greater Govanhill Photography Group Here today, gone tomorrow
Our attempt to capture the transient nature of life in our city, as part of our project to document the area, and build our own photographic archive.
Photos by Dan Butcher, Iain McLellan, John Bowden, Karen Gordon, Laura Vroomen, Michael Paley, Raia Gadiaga
80 BANKHALL STREET:
Over a century of life in one tenement
This article is a semi-fictionalised attempt to track one Govanhill building over time. None of the people in this story are the real inhabitants of 80 Bankhall street; characters have been created around what would have been ‘typical’ in Govanhill at the time.
By Liz Ely, Govanhill Housing Association
Bankhall Street was built after 1880, but before 1910, constructed from red sandstone, likely to have been brought in by rail from quarries in Ayrshire and Dumfries. Before the railways connected up Glasgow with these quarries, tenements were constructed with blonde sandstone from more local Bishopbriggs and Giffnock quarries.
The tenement is four storeys high and contained 12 dwellings at the turn of the century. Each floor had three apartments, which were ‘room and kitchen’ flats. Most tenements in Govanhill were built after legislation which required all dwellings to have a minimum of two rooms and a shared toilet. This means that 80 Bankhall Street is unlikely to have contained any of the infamous one room, or ‘single end’ flats that were common in other parts of Glasgow.
A single-end is a one room apartment, where a family would all live in the kitchen, with a wooden table in its centre, a coal fired range, skillet, and a Belfast sink.
Susan and Patrick McFadden moved to Govanhill from Donegal at the end of the 19th century. They attended mass at the newly opened Holy Cross Church on Dixon Avenue with their family. This mass was so popular that sometimes tickets were required to control the number of attendees.
Back home, cooking would have taken place on a coal-fired range with a cast iron skillet, which also provided heat for Susan, Patrick, and their young son, Tadhg.
At night, the family slept in recess beds in either the parlour or the kitchen, with a platform bed for Patrick and Susan and a truckle (pull out) bed below for Tadhg. When their second child Nuala was born, they might have built a shelf on which to place the baby and allow for ease of feeding during the night – a move that would horrify modern day health visitors.
The toilet, or ‘cludgie’ was on the stairwell and shared with the other families. Washing would have taken place in either a tin bath, or at the nearby Govanhill Baths. Laundry would have been done at the local wash house or ‘steamie.’
By the 1920s, the McFaddens had new neighbours, the Bermans, who had moved to Govanhill from Poland, seeking a better life. The Bermans installed a mezuzah, a small case affixed to the doorframe, which contains a tiny scroll of parchment inscribed with a prayer. Whenever they passed through the door, they would touch the mezuzah and kiss the fingers that touched it.
The Bermans may have paid the now teenage Tadgh McFadden as a ‘Shabbas goy,’ to perform services which are religiously forbidden to Jewish people on that day, such as extinguishing lighted candles and lamps on Friday night and making a fire in the oven on Sabbath mornings during the winter.
Photos supplied from the GHA archive
By the 1940s, the gas lighting in 80 Bankhall Street was replaced with light bulbs. This brought with it new possibilities for decor. In the gas era, most tenement walls were painted brown or other dark colours to mask stains from the coal fires and gas lighting.
An era of ‘slum clearance’ followed the second world war in Glasgow, and many tenements similar to 80 Bankhall Street were demolished; their inhabitants rehoused on the fringes of the city in new developments in places like Castlemilk, or in new towns like Cumbernauld and East Kilbride.
Another major change to Govanhill at this time was the arrival of people from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. In the 1950s, the Sodhi’s moved into 80 Bankhall Street. As with many families from South Asia, the family came to the UK with clothing in suitcases to sell around Glasgow and were eventually able to open their own store.
As 80 Bankhall Street was nearing its 70th anniversary it was starting to show signs of age, with internal structural issues and rot while the red sandstone was stained black through years of exposure to pollution from heavy industry.
On 15 January 1968, the Sodhis’ experienced a generation defining storm when ‘Hurricane Low Q’ blew its way through the city, killing nine people and leaving 700 more homeless. 80 Bankhall Street survived the storm. However, this event shone a light on the state of the city’s tenements and was a factor in policy changes that would secure the future of the building.
The 1974 Housing Act brought with it funding for tenement improvements, and groups of residents came together across the city to ‘stop the bulldozers’ and preserve and improve tenements, and the communities around them.
Govanhill Housing Association was formed from this movement and later purchased all 12 properties in 80 Bankhall Street.
At this time, many properties in Govanhill were empty. An article in the 1981–82 Govanhill Housing Association annual report states ‘There can
it was just far enough away from the city centre not to be ‘top of the list’ for the encroaching bulldozers
hardly be anyone in Govanhill who is not worried at the number of empty houses around’.
Upon acquiring the property, Govanhill Housing Association made significant changes to the tenement, they amalgamated four flats, bringing the total number of apartments within the block down from twelve to ten. The toilets in half landings were brought inside the middle flats, and the front of the building was sandblasted, removing decades of soot, vastly improving the outer appearance of the tenement.
This created larger properties on the ground and top floor, more suitable for families. In 1981, 80 Bankhall Street was just one of 179 properties that had been improved by the Association.
The more recent changes to 80 Bankhall Street, though vital, are far less drastic. These include rainwater and guttering replacement (2000), installation of a door entry system (2010), window replacements (2013) kitchen replacements (2002 and then as and when) and central heating replacements (1997 and then as required).
Sometime around the turn of this century, 80 Bankhall Street celebrated its 100th birthday. The fact that this tenement survived its first 100 years is the result of many coincidental factors, as well as is the case with any long life, a great deal of luck.
It was luck that 80 Bankhall Street survived the second world war, positioned far enough away from munitions factories to escape German bombs, although nearby Boyd Street sustained some damage.
During the 1950s and 60s, 80 Bankhall street was just far enough away from the city centre not to be ‘top of the list’ for the encroaching bulldozers (unlike tenements in nearby Gorbals). It was also in the right place at the right time to be purchased by Govanhill Housing Association who had the will and appropriate funding to invest in the property.
The occupants of 80 Bankhall Street, are likely to have followed the pattern of Govanhill itself in all its diversity; a neighbourhood that continues to provide a welcome both to those born here in Scotland and those who have arrived from elsewhere to make a home.
Govanhill
HERITAGE TOUR AROUND GOVANHILL
By Bruce Downie
Photos by Laura Vroomen and Iain McLellan
If you go on the tour check out our accompanying quiz on p42!
Begin at Queen’s Park railway station.
1
Queen’s Park Train Station, 492 Victoria Rd. Opened 1886.
This forms part of Scotland’s first suburban railway line. Originally, the plan was to have a platform that connected Victoria Road and Pollokshaws Road, but that proved too ambitious.
However, the track between Queen’s Park and Crosshill had to be built under the tenement houses on the east side of Victoria Road, which had only been constructed a few years previously. Those houses were propped up while the line was constructed.
Exit the station onto Victoria Road. Turn to the right.
2
Betfred, 498 Victoria Rd. Opened c.1889.
The curious Tudor-style building next to the entrance to the station, now a betting shop, was originally Queen’s Park Studio, premises of society photographer Charles Mitchell. Mitchell specialised in formal studio portraits. He also took the earliest known photo of Queen’s Park railway station from the window upstairs, which included a view of the now longgone Hutchesontown Gardens. Turn north on Victoria Road. The next location is just on the other side of the entrance to the station.
3 Inex Home Hardware, 490 Victoria Rd. Opened 1920.
What is now a hardware shop, was at one time, Crosshill Cinema, designed by architect Joseph Boyd. Unlike many cinemas of the time, this was a conversion of existing commercial premises rather than a new build. An elaborate classical façade was created to face Victoria Road, which was unfortunately removed when the cinema closed in 1952. A remnant of that façade can still be seen on the side of the building facing the train station, including an inscription with the architect’s name.
Continue north on Victoria Road. As you’re walking, look at the wall above the row of shops, to notice the hooks that once held tramlines which crisscrossed the streets –you’ll see one above the Victoria Road Street sign on the corner of Calder St. Turn right and cross to the other side at the traffic lights. Head down Calder Street.
4
Govanhill Baths, 99 Calder St.
Opened 1917. Originally known as Govanhill Baths and Washhouse. Construction started in 1913 and
was scheduled to finish in 1915, but the outbreak of world war one delayed the opening by two years. The washhouse or ‘steamie’ closed in the 1990s. The swimming pools were closed in 2001, despite a heroic effort by locals to keep the building open and the longest ever sit-in of a UK public building. Govanhill Baths Community Trust have secured significant funding towards renovating and reopening the building, but much more work needs to be done before it can reopen.
Turn back to Victoria Road. Cross over to the west side of Victoria Road and continue north until you reach Coplaw Street, turn left onto Coplaw Street.
5
Third Lanark Drill Hall, 41 Coplaw St. Opened 1883, extended in 1903. The small, square tower near the west end of Coplaw Street, now a residential block, was originally part of the headquarters of the Third Lanarkshire Rifle Volunteers.
Volunteer regiments were formed all over the country in the 19th century, originally autonomous, they were gradually absorbed by the British Army. Around 1907, the Third Lanarkshire regiment became part of the 7th Cameronian Rifles, whose crest can still be seen above one of the windows, once the main entrance to the Drill Hall.
Return to Victoria Road. Cross over and head east along Coplaw Street.
6
Samaritan House, 79 Coplaw St. Opened 1896, extended in 1907, 1924 and 1936.
Samaritan House was originally part of the Glasgow Samaritan Hospital for Women. The money for its construction was raised by the local branch of the Ladies’ Auxiliary Association. In 1909, it would become known as the Royal Samaritan Hospital for Women. In 1948, it was taken over by the NHS and continued to function as a hospital until 1991. Today, Samaritan House is home to Govanhill Housing Association. The rest of the former hospital has been converted to residential accommodation.
Continue east. Turn right down Langside Road, pass Govanhill Park on your left, until you reach Govanhill Library on the righthand side. This park was gifted to the burgh of Govanhill when it was formally incorporated into the city of Glasgow. The south east corner of the park was in the early 1890s a football stadium called Eglinton Park, home to a team called Glasgow Wanderers.
7 Govanhill Library, 170 Langside Rd. Opened 1906. This is the ninth of fifteen district libraries that were built in Glasgow in the early 20th century. The original plan was to build only eight libraries but a grant of £115,000 by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie made the additional libraries possible. Famous psychiatrist R.D. Laing who grew up on a top floor flat on Ardbeg Street (look for the plaque at No. 21) would look out his window, see the angel on the roof of the library, and dream of distant worlds and possibilities.
Turn left onto Calder Street, head east. Cross Cathcart Road and continue along Calder Street
8 Calder Street School, 311 Calder St. Opened 1875. The first public school and the oldest public building in the area. In 1889, the older pupils in Calder Street took part in the nationwide ‘schoolboy strike’. They walked out in protest at long hours and homework. The name of the school has changed more than once over the years, currently it is home to the Little Wonders Nursery.
Turn right onto Hollybrook Street, then first right onto Bankhall Street, go past the school playground, until you reach the next building on the right
9
Govanhill Picture House, 47 Bankhall St. Opened 1926. This former cinema, with a unique, Egyptian-themed design, was imagined by architect Eric Sutherland, who was inspired by the discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamun just a few years earlier.
The cinema closed in 1961, then became a bingo hall for a few years. Most of the original interior has been demolished and now functions as a fabric store, but the original façade is protected.
Turn left onto Cathcart Road. Continue south until you reach Dixon Halls on the right-hand side.
10 Dixon Halls, 652 Cathcart Rd. Opened 1879
Originally known as Crosshill and Govanhill Burgh Hall, this was the gift of landowner William Dixon to the recently formed Burgh of Govanhill and the neighbouring Burgh of Crosshill. The boundary between Govanhill and Crosshill intersected the building, so the courtroom for each burgh was in the same building, but each room lay in different jurisdictions.
CREATING CROSSHILL CONSERVATION AREA
Robert Duncan, Architect of Dixon Avenue
When walking along parts of Dixon Avenue, you might have noticed it’s rather different to the other streets of Govanhill and Crosshill. The area remains very much what it was a hundred years ago, with bustling shops and family homes in the tenements above. But in Dixon Avenue, where I live, there has been no building since 1950, and the terraced houses are set back from the road by gardens.
On the south side of the street, after you walk past the Al-Farooq Mosque, the red and blonde sandstone houses have large bay windows, stained glass and ornate cast-iron railings. It is this special character that led the council to create the Crosshill Conservation Area in 1975, and a great deal of it is down to one man, architect Robert Duncan, who lived from 1841-1928.
Duncan is not very well known, but my research has uncovered 95 buildings designed by the architect – villas, tenements, stables, shops, warehouses and churches – across Glasgow, Hamilton, Helensburgh and Kinross-shire. Eight are listed and some are familiar Glasgow landmarks.
Born in Cardross, Dumbartonshire in 1841, Duncan was the second of five children of Ebenezer Duncan, a master builder. After his father’s death, the family moved to Glasgow, and in 1871, the whole family were living on Victoria Road. Robert, now an architect, stayed with his elder brother Andrew, and his mother was across the road, above what is now the Anarkali restaurant.
Agnes Gemmell lived in the same close, and she married Robert in 1876. They moved to a small flat on Langside Road where they had three boys. By this time he was in partnership with an older architect, John Grahame Peat, designing tenements, workshops and villas in Hamilton.
Peat & Duncan became established in Glasgow through
their work for grocers, Cooper & Co. With three shops in Glasgow and premises in 46 other towns across the United Kingdom including London, Cooper’s was the premier ‘tea, coffee and provision merchants, grocers, manufacturers, and cigar importers’. Between 1885–1891 most of their Glasgow shops, factories, bakeries, sausage works and stables were designed or altered by Duncan. Cooper’s was an innovative company, using electric lighting, telephones and delivery vans. Their beautiful shops and cafes were full of tempting foods at economical prices. In 1886, Duncan designed their flagship store on the corner of Great Western Road and Bank Street (now a bar, once again named Cooper’s). The front door is flanked by huge polished granite pillars, and the four impressive floors are highly decorated in plaster and stone, with balconies, fish-scale roof tiles, and a four-sided clock tower topped with a Greek temple. This is perhaps the most exuberant example of Duncan’s free renaissance style.
Taking classical elements like pediments and columns, Duncan freely combined them with Italianate carved decoration, steep, French mansard roofs, playful little classical temples, and dramatic curved shapes. He also used modern materials: plate-glass, coloured Minton tiles, and columns and balconies in cast iron.
All this work for Cooper’s enabled Duncan to start his own building work, and
he chose the south side of Dixon Avenue, around the corner from his flat. In 1887, only Dixon Halls and tenements at the Victoria Road end had been built; the rest was empty ground. Duncan built a row of eight villas (No. 92–106) and was determined to make them stand out.
The first thing you notice are the huge bay windows, far rounder than typical Victorian terraces. They are joined in pairs and built of buff sandstone with slate roofs, decorative iron finials and wooden bracketing at the roof line.
Words and pictures by Dr Ailsa Boyd
Cooper’s, 499 Great Western Road
West end of Dixon Avenue, Glasgow
Duncan moved into No. 92, and advertised the others in the Glasgow Herald for £700; the typical yearly wage for a professional man. All were sold by April 1891 – to a doctor, grocers, a hardware merchant, property factors, and a missionary. The Battersby family at No. 100 exemplify the social mobility possible in the industrial city of Glasgow. Originally an iron turner, James Battersby was, according to the 1881 census, a ‘Shopman Chandler’, who bought several flats in the Gorbals, becoming a prosperous landlord. Ten years later, he purchased a new villa on Dixon Avenue. Of his eight children, six of them – including girls – had a university education and became doctors, lawyers and teachers.
However, the missionary living at No. 96 has a more direct connection to Duncan’s career. John Henderson also owned 98 and 104 Dixon Avenue, renting them out, and in 1895 bought 25 Albert Road East, also built by Duncan. He was chaplain to the Glasgow Mission for the Deaf and Dumb, which assisted people by providing interpreters, finding employment as well as holding religious services in finger and sign language.
In 1889, they needed a bigger building, and who better to ask than the neighbour of the chaplain? Peat & Duncan were commissioned to prepare plans, and the four storey red sandstone building at 158 West Regent Street in the city centre opened in January 1895. It has a striking façade, which the Glasgow
Herald described as ‘a well-balanced composition in the Italian style’. Above the central door is a carved relief of Christ healing a deaf man, flanked by large hexagonal pilasters and two bay windowed towers. We see Duncan’s favourite rounded and massive forms, but he has also added Scottish baronial pointed turrets.
Inside, facilities included a gymnasium, reading room, billiard room, and a top-lit hall to seat 600 for lectures and services. All the walls were panelled in wood, with coloured encaustic floor tiles, and ornate wrought iron balustrades on the stairs.
During this time Duncan was busy with several large villas in Pollokshields, and a couple of churches, like 70 Coplaw Street, which is now run as The Ark community centre and sadly missing its original stained glass windows. He also did smaller jobs like workshops in lanes off Cathcart Road and Pollokshaws Road. His last building was a laundrette on Battlefield Road in 1906, still standing and the home of Glasgow Floors.
But it is his houses that really shape the area. In 1895, he built red sandstone tenements on the corner of Cathcart Road and Dixon Road, for workers and families: two rooms, a kitchen and a bathroom, with shops at street level.
Round the corner is a terrace of six villas, completed in 1896, 133–145 Albert Road East (now Albert Road, next to Holyrood Secondary School). These are smaller than his first Dixon Avenue group, built from textured red sandstone with charming stained glass trefoils above the front door. Again, Duncan moved into one of the houses, and sold the others, to builders, a plumber, a draper, an engineer, a surgeon and clergymen. Between 1897–1904, he repeated this design, adding dramatic semicircular bays, on the other houses he built westwards along 42-74 Dixon Avenue. In total, this local architect built 21 houses in just this street, giving a unique character to the whole of Crosshill.
I am currently researching more about Duncan for a book about his architecture, and would welcome information from people who live in houses designed by him. You can find out more on my website: ailsaboyd.wordpress.com
honey mangoes mark the start of summer
The arrival of the pop-up honey mango stalls around Govanhill and Pollokshields have come to mark the beginning of summer in the neighbourhood. Samar Jamal delves into the heritage of this popular fruit and what it means to South Asian communities across the Southside.
By Samar Jamal • Pollokshields mango illustration by Kieron Redmond
During the long, dark winter days, I find myself yearning for the warmth of summer. The sight of yellow boxes stacked outside pop-up honey mango stalls, spilling onto the pavements is always a sweet indication that the season is just around the corner.
The first bite of a ripe mango is like a burst of sunshine in your mouth. Buying my first box of honey mangoes of the season always feels precious. I carefully carry the aromatic box home, popping the colourful confetti stickers on my fridge as a keepsake of this much-anticipated, but short-lived season.
Personally, once I’ve given the mango a rinse, I slice it into four pieces. As I take the first bite, the juicy pulp melts in my mouth, perfectly balancing sweetness and tanginess contrasting with the slight fibrousness near the pit, a result of my too eager slicing.
The earliest records of mangoes in Europe can be traced back to 1498 when colonial Portuguese traders introduced the fruit to the world as mango. The word derives from the Tamil word for mango tree; man.
be extracted to form the base of thick milkshakes and smoothies, or combined with yogurt to create a frothy tangy glass of lassi. They can also be used in sweet preserves or pickles, or chopped into salads. Often they are simply enjoyed with the flesh cut from the stone and eaten in its soft silky form. While the mango is loved for its taste, for many it is more than just a fruit; it’s a reflection of home, a symbol of love, highlighting the intersections between heritage and food.
for many it is more than just a fruit; it’s a reflection of home, a symbol of love
Suffian, the manager of World Food, shares how customers eagerly await the mango season. Each year he gets in touch with his supplier who imports various types of mangoes but it is the honey variety that’s particularly popular, with a short season from late May to July. They’re quite expensive compared to other fruit, but he says: “We don’t make much money selling the mangoes, the profit is about 50 pence a box. So it’s not about the money. It’s for our customers who come in knowing that they’re going to have something from home.”
So it comes as no surprise that in Glasgow’s Southside, which is home to a large number of people from the South Asian community in Scotland, the golden fruit is found in abundance during summer.
You’ll find them in most locally run grocers, like Mr Khan’s on Victoria Road, World Foods on Nithsdale Road and the Fruit & Veg store on Allison Street. You can also buy them from pop-up stores, that appear for just a few weeks a year, reminiscent of the vibrant street markets in South Asia, bringing a taste of home to the community.
Mangoes are a versatile fruit – the sweet pulp can
This deep connection to mangoes is not a recent phenomenon for Suffian who grew up on the other side of the Southside in Bellahouston. He recalls fond memories of tracking them down: “I’m 60 now, when I was younger there were only a handful of shops selling mangoes in areas like Bellahouston, so we would go to Pollokshields. You couldn’t get them in as many shops then, but they were cheaper to buy – you used to get seven in a box.”
The cultural significance of mangoes in Glasgow was celebrated at Rumpus Room’s ‘Mango Party’ last year. It was a tribute to the season’s debut of the juicy fruit, coupled with ongoing workshops at Rumpus Room,
which were held in partnership with the OSCH (Our Shared Cultural Heritage) and Uronto, a Bangladeshbased artist collective.
Miriam Ali, who photographed the Mango Party, also has many fond childhood memories of the fruit: “From a young age I remember seeing the aunties in the shops sifting through the boxes trying to get the best ones and then seeing my dad do the same.” Over the years she says her association with mangoes has been coupled with the long summer days of Ramadan when iftari (sunset meal) passed through solstice: “I always looked forward to cutting mangoes in the fruit chaat for iftari and eating them at sehri (dawn meal).”
Archival manuscripts offer a glimpse into the mango’s early presence in Scotland. Scottish colonial officer James Forbes, who spent 18 years in India, was particularly fascinated by the fruit. In his letters home, he wrote: ‘If you can conceive a fine nectarine, improved by the flavour of the pineapple, and still heightened by the orange, you may form some idea of a choice mango.’
For Humza, who works at the Fruit & Veg store on Allison Street, it’s his first mango season since moving to Glasgow. His memories of eating mangoes come from picking them fresh:
“In the summertime, we would wait for the sun to go down, it’s the best time to walk to the muraba (farmland). There would be a 20-minute journey through the dusty roads before we got there .”
Now far from home, the fruit still evokes strong feelings of nostalgia and belonging for Humza: “Here in Glasgow, there are so many mangoes everywhere. Whenever I take a bite it feels like I’m back home. There are so many types but the Chaunsa is my favourite.”
Similarly, for resident, Sehar there is a deep nostalgia for mangoes: “My grandmother in Pakistan owns mango trees, and those groves are my clearest memories of my paternal home in Pakistan. I think
about them a lot, especially their transformation from pink and yellow clusters into bright gold. Back when I was a kid growing up in Pollokshields, any relatives who went to Pakistan, would bring back boxes and bags of mangoes from those trees, dropping off a few at our house. It’s a precious memory. The sight of mangoes split me in two; half of me misses those groves that I spent hours exploring and the other half loves the communal feeling of eating mangoes together with friends and family in the Southside.”
With hundreds of varieties, there is a mango for everyone. For many, the Chaunsa (or Chausa) mango – also known as the honey mango – is a household name for its sweetness. This was named by the Indian ruler Sher Shar Suri commemorating his victory in the 16th century Battle of Chausa. Other varieties like the Anwar Ratol (named by the person who cultivated it) are smaller with thicker skin. Miriam shares childhood images of her dad squishing the mango in his hands, taking off the stalk and handing it to her and her brother to slurp out the pulp.
The mango represents the integral role of agriculture throughout South Asia and the legacy of those who spent their lives cultivating it. This practice is tied to seasonal cycles, festivals, and rituals. Their names, cultivation, and consumption reflect deep connections to heritage and tradition, making them a vital link between past and present.
Poster created by participants at Rumpus Room’s Mango Project
Back to the Future: Could we see the return of the public diner?
By Abigail McCall
Images suppled by Nourish Scotland
It’s not as well known but before the UK had a national health service, it had a national restaurant service. British Restaurants were state-supported restaurants serving affordable meals to the general public.
Glasgow used to have at least 10 of these restaurants... now there is a call to bring them back.
What were British Restaurants?
British Restaurants were originally called ‘communal feeding centres,’ and were designed to get fit and fighting bodies ready for war. The name change was ordered by Winston Churchill who wrote to the Minister of Food, Lord Woolton in 1941 to say:
“I hope the term “Communal Feeding Centres” is not going to be adopted. It is an odious expression suggestive of Communism and the workhouse.
I suggest you call them “British Restaurants”. Everybody associates the word restaurant with a good meal.”
By all accounts, they lived up to their new name – art on the walls, warm lighting, tablecloths and ambient music. At their peak in the late 1940s, there were more British Restaurants than there are McDonalds in the UK today. They were ubiquitous public infrastructure in the same way our libraries, parks, hospitals are today. The state supported this infrastructure with subsidies to start up and scale up the restaurants. This support system meant the restaurants could keep prices low and, importantly, continue serving good food in bad times. However, the subsidies did not cover the running of the restaurant – this was a local operation.
Restaurant running decisions were local. The state did not decide the location, décor, opening hours, or even whether the name had to be ‘British
Restaurant.’ Decisions were also open to democratic scrutiny. As publicly funded infrastructure, these restaurants were owned by the people and this created a mandate for community participation in their operation. This allowed for things like voting on the names of things like the restaurant and public accounts.
British Restaurants did not end when the war did – the last one closed in the 1970s. They lasted because affordable restaurants made sense with or without a war.
The case for revival
Despite their numbers and influence, you would be forgiven if you’ve never heard of British Restaurants. Rationing usually takes the cake when it comes to remembering wartime food policy. In Liverpool, historian Dr Bryce Evans has been bringing attention to this forgotten history.
His work has inspired a major project here in Scotland, with more than 80 researchers now looking into these British Restaurants. Thirty alone are focusing on the Glasgow story. The organisation leading this charge, Nourish Scotland, admits that this effort is not all about the history – they see British Restaurants as a legacy to build on, stating:
“Remembering is not about replicating British Restaurants today – but it is about “normalising” this history of publicly funded restaurants. This history says: we have made affordable restaurants possible before, we could do it again.”
Nourish is using the research into British Restaurants to help create the case for new publicly subsidised restaurants across the UK: ‘public diners:’
“We have built infrastructure for so many other aspects of our wellbeing; water, transport, healthcare, housing, even wifi. But we haven’t done the same for food. Public diners would fill this infrastructure gap.”
Public diners in Govanhill?
An interesting picture emerges when you insert these British Restaurants into the Govanhill picture
They enter a place with multiple other examples of the neighbourhood eating together. The practice of langar in the Sikh community comes to mind. MILK now runs a community meal on Tuesday evenings, and Kin Kitchen organises community meals and food projects in partnership with other organisations. Communal eating practices like this have a lot to offer the design of public diners today.
But Govanhill also has a history of people fighting for democratic infrastructure which is something to
build on – whether its tenement housing blocks, the library, park and most famously, Govanhill Baths.
The 140-day long sit-in protesting the council’s decision to close the Baths in 2001 is still the longest occupation of a public building in the UK. It didn’t convince the state to keep running the Baths, but it did pave the way for them to be transferred to a locally-owned trust. This was a testament to community conviction, and it was a win in the sense that the Baths were not sold off or closed – but it isn’t necessarily the justice that protestors set out to defend.
The occupation was about stopping the state from abandoning a piece of public
infrastructure that the neighbourhood valued in their everyday life – it wasn’t about running the Baths themselves.
After 20 years of restoring what was a glorious bathhouse on funding cycles and donations, the fight to fill the pools continues. Above all else, this fight speaks to the resilience of the community – but it also shows the big gap in state-supported infrastructure in the neighbourhood.
British Restaurants were not perfect but they were public infrastructure. In theory, they extended people’s democratic control into their food environment.
Public diners could do that again – and Govanhill would be the perfect place for them to start.
How did the public diners operate in the UK?
Public diners were state-subsidised. The Treasury and the Ministry of Food ran a grant programme open to businesses and local authorities. A quarter of the capital grant could be used for start-up costs, such as equipment.
Public diners had a clear economic model. Although grants were awarded to get these enterprises off the ground, any future funding was conditional on the venues breaking even or tuning a profit. The diners also benefited from a central procurement of food, reducing the costs.
Public diners struck a balance between what people ‘should’ eat and what they would like to eat. The grants offered by the government were conditional on certain nutritional criteria, corresponding to the current Eatwell Guide. But, there was a tension between the government’s nutritionists, who were keen for people to eat more veg, and restaurateurs whose priority was to offer customers what they wanted to eat (meat and pudding!).
Public diners were desirable places to go to. They saved time and energy spent on cooking, making life easier, particularly for women. The diners were designed as places where anyone – that is ‘you and I’ – might dine. They were well decorated, inviting, contemporary. Food historian Bryce Evans describes them as “centres of civilization where people looked forward to go and dine”. Taken from nourishscotland.org
This is our Legacy
Getting to know the shopkeepers around govanhill
When we think about the heritage of a place like Govanhill, we are often drawn to the community buildings – the churches, the halls, the synagogues – or the tenements which give the neighbourhood its unique character.
Yet too often, the businesses that breathe life into an area – the places that draw people in, provide services, goods and employment, and generate income for residents – go undocumented.
Last year, photographer Stefan Krajcik embarked on a journey to capture these shops and local businesses, driven by a desire to connect with the people and places that make up the community. Speaking about why, he says:
“We live in a society where increasingly more things are conducted online. Although some need to happen in physical space (such as haircuts, fixing your car, or others), it appears that we take the existence of these places for granted and perhaps undervalue their importance in our lives. I also think that some of these places have been around for a while and deserve to be explored. Who knows what tomorrow brings, and I wanted to capture just that.”
“We know that all people have a story, and this proved that. Often, what you see on the surface isn’t what you get when you learn about people. This project was an opportunity to connect with people and places on my doorstep. I learned a lot about the history of places and the past of the people I interacted with, making me look at the place I live in more holistically.”
Jim’s Barbers
By Samar Jamal
Photos by Stefan Krajcik
“This is their legacy, so we’ve got to keep that up. We don’t want to let our parents down.’’
That’s Jim speaking, named after his father Jim O’Connor, the original owner of Jim’s Barbers at 97 Calder Street. The barbers first opened in 1945, and changed hands several times before being bought by Jim O’Connor in 1984. The Irishman was well acquainted with the skill, working in the trade since he was 13. Now, the first floor shop is a family affair, operated by his children – two sons and a daughter. Previously the ground floor was run by their mum as Sinead’s, named after her daughter. It remains a hairdresser, but is now called Just William’s, named after the present owner, who also worked there when it was Sinead’s.
Jim recalls memories of being in the shop when he was 12 and helping to sweep hair. “We’re never gonna leave, put it that way”, he adds with a smile. “We’re in with the furniture.” The customer base has changed over the years, previously being a hotspot for Irish migrants, now their clients are mostly people from the South Asian community. But Jim says traditions have stayed the same: “People think the Turkish shave is a new thing, but my dad learned to shave when he was 13. He got that antique shaving set from a retiring barber in Ireland there on the wall and that’s about a hundred years old”. The rich history and commitment to quality have made Jim’s Barbers a cherished space, blending old-world charm with a sense of community.
JRM Motors
Passing by the exterior of the building located on Inglefield Street, you wouldn’t realise the history of the garage within. The painted sign above the doors reads ‘JRM Motors Engineering Ltd’. Previously written as ‘J & RM’, the ampersand has now been removed. The obvious removal is almost like a ghost sign, a lingering memory of the previous owners and the arrival of Ezat, who took over four years ago.
The garage has been around for over 40 years, Ezat explains, and the decor of the space confirms that. An unconnected beige rotary phone hangs on the wall, and the car ramps have been in the space since the early 1980s. Although the surrounding houses have been developed, this building has remained unchanged.
“You can see, that door is a hundred years old, and the space used to be a horse stable,” points out Zakaria, one of the mechanics, as he gestures towards the sturdy doors, a mixture of wood and metal. “It was one of the first garages around to do MOTs, so it’s been here a long time and we have regulars who have stayed loyal.”
Southside Music
“My parents are here” Charlie gestures to the shop’s busy interior, highlighting how their presence continues throughout the space. Charlie Hepburn runs Southside Music on Cathcart Road, taking it over from his parents in 1989 who opened the shop in the mid ‘70s. The shop is brimming with stringed instruments, with a narrow path leading from the entrance to the til. When the shop first opened it provided a mixture of goods and services, including repairs for sewing machines, which many women from South Asian communities used.
“Over the years, the focus shifted –from music and photography to just music. It’s evolved significantly.”
While Charlie’s aware that more and more people are shopping online, having a physical presence is invaluable to him. “I’m not a fan of the modern world. I prefer face-toface interactions and truly getting to know people. I dislike the impersonal nature of just clicking on a screen to make a purchase. You can tell I’ve not changed things much, even my haircuts from the 70s,” he jokes.
Over the years, Charlie has met his fair share of stars, from Simple Minds band members to musicians touring with Lionel Richie. Each encounter adds another layer to the rich history of Southside Music, making it a cherished spot for musicians far and wide.
Transylvania Shop and Coffee
On Victoria Road, one shopfront always stands out; Transylvania Shop and Coffee. Well known for its theatrical seasonal decorations and array of Romanian food and drink. The shop was opened by Daniel and his partner Alex in 2020 amid the pandemic. Daniel explains that at the time they weren’t working and were cooped up at home, which finally motivated them to take the plunge and open their own shop in hopes of “offering something new to the community as it’s so important that people know about our heritage and history.” Whilst Transylvanian Dracula folklore is well known, the owners felt there was an important part of Romanian heritage that people were missing out on. They have decorations on the wall which belonged to Alex’s grandmother and are over 150 years old.
FREE
By Katherine Mackinnon
THE LASTING LEGACY OF THE POLLOK STATE
In this article, Katherine Mackinnon goes digging in the archive of a protest movement, to tell the story of a legendary struggle through four of its objects.
Acouple of miles from Govanhill, in a small room in the attic of a workshop in Ibrox, treasure sits among files of annual reports, rolls of flipchart paper and boxes of woodworking offcuts. Here in the back office of Galgael, a wealth of photographs, newspaper clippings and letters tell stories of life in the canopy of a tree, communities on the march, international solidarity and police violence.
This is the archive of the Pollok Free State: a workingclass led protest camp fighting against the expansion of the M77 through Pollok Park; an experiment in communal living; a radical reconnection with the land and its ancestral traditions; a state of mind.
Pollok Free State Camp Treehouses & Banners
The people of the Pollok Free State claimed and radically reimagined the threatened area of Pollok Park. Scavenged materials were cobbled together to create elaborate dwellings, and banners hung between the trees: NO M77 – RESPECT – We will fight them in the Beeches! – No Motorway in Pollok Estate OK!
It was a ramshackle and beautiful space, filled with large and detailed wood carvings of animals and Celtic knotwork alongside colourful flags and banners, all lit up by the sun through the green canopy of leaves overhead.
The photos show meetings round the campfire, songs, discussions with visitors, indigenous delegations. In a blurry series, ranks of hi-vis clad police officers stand massed and ready to dismantle the camp on a cold February morning.
The Pollok Free State as a physical space lasted for two years, from 1994 to 1996, but the echoes continue to be heard today. For many people it was their first experience of direct action, a gateway into political activism or the environmentalist movement. Friendships and relationships were forged which remain strong to this day. But while much was gained, much was also lost.
Images provided by Pollok Free State Archive
Galgael will be celebrating 30 years since the Pollok Free State’s Declaration of Independence from August with film screenings, exhibitions and other events.
St Valentine’s Day Memorial
This memorial commemorates the loss of biodiversity at the site because of road building policy; not only that of Strathclyde Regional Council but of local authorities all across the country. The title commemorates the date police moved in to break up the camp, cutting down significant trees and attempting to disperse the inhabitants once and for all.
The M77 was ultimately built through Pollok Park and final stages of the motorway were completed in 1997. As the Free Staters warned, the motorway reduced local communities’ ability to access green space and resulted in a loss of habitat for wildlife, as well an increase in volume of traffic that rapidly choked the new motorway.
Many of the species listed on this memorial have seen huge drops in population since this poster was made, because of pollution, habitat destruction and climate change. The tiny corner of Barrhead Wood which housed the Pollok Free State was part of Scotland’s network of woodlands, which currently covers less than 20 percent of the country’s land mass. The European average is 43 percent.
Postie’s Letter
The objects in the Pollok Free State archives show us the connections that were emerging between people in the camp and those who supported and encouraged them from afar.
Faded photo albums hold contact details for Hungarian and Czechoslovakian students, who were in Scotland to visit conservation projects and learn about transport policy. Some photos show grinning visitors from other environmental protest camps, another captures a bemused Mormon exchanging his religious text for a copy of The Pagan Sourcebook.
Letters like this one poured into the camp from across the UK and beyond, and were faithfully delivered. “Opposite NSB” refers to the huge and now-demolished National Savings Bank complex which once employed 6,000 workers on Barrhead Road. This envelope of solidarity sits in the PFS archive without a letter inside – maybe the sender was the postie themselves, or maybe they added their own messages to bits of incoming post.
Scotland is rich in histories of occupation, of people taking over contested spaces to prevent factory closures or the loss of community centres, swimming pools and green spaces. For many who experienced these occupations, the heady mix of freedom and responsibility remained with them long after the buildings were secured, or the parkland was lost.
Thousands of trees have been planted, oaths sworn, other battles fought, all of which have roots in the short-lived but far- reaching experience of life in the Pollok Free State.
Pollok Free State Logo
If these walls could talk stories from the locals
By Samar Jamal • Photos provided by James Bowden
Pubs are as integral to the fabric of British culture as a cup of tea. Much like the beloved beverage, pubs are a comforting constant found on every town and city corner. Govanhill is no different, with a smattering of distinct drinking establishments around the neighborhood.
“In the early 60s, pubs served as a community hub for men who migrated from Ireland, among other places, to socialise, share stories from back home and enjoy their limited leisure time. It helped them integrate into a community that wasn’t always welcoming,” recalls Govanhill resident Rose O’Doherty. Rose is the daughter of Irish publican Eamonn O’Doherty, who “bought his first pub and created a ‘home from home’ for Irish men”. He owned three pubs in the Gorbals from the 60s to the 80s.
According to Rose, over time, these pubs have transformed from spaces where women weren’t welcome to, “fancier” establishments without sawdust on the floor or spittoons from men chewing tobacco.
Each pub has its own story to tell. Whether it’s the cosy nook where neighbours gather to catch up on the latest news, or the lively venue hosting gigs and fostering local talent, these pubs are more than just places to drink. They have been the community’s living room, stage, and soapbox.
Queen’s Park Cafe & Queen’s Park Bar
The (slightly confusingly named) Queen’s Park Cafe, newly smartened up and adorned in forest green tiles is located near the Queen’s Park gates on Victoria Road and has been serving punters since 1898.
In a book entitled ‘Killing Thatcher’, Rory Carroll writes how it was one of the spots, the so-called ‘Brighton bomber’, Patrick Magee briefly used to hide from police in 1985 before he was arrested. Eight months earlier
he had attempted to assassinate the then Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher at the Conservative Party Conference. The bomb killed five members of the Conservative party and several others were seriously injured.
On the run, Magee reached Glasgow and his arrival was flagged up when he got off the train from Euston station. Whilst the police didn’t always have direct sight of Magee, they had approximated his location as he made his way to the Southside. Before being arrested at 236 Langside Road he hid in various shops, including Queen’s Park Cafe. Meanwhile locals recount how he drank in the Queen’s Park Bar, now the Bell Jar.
Penny Farthing
Prior to the 1980s, women often faced discrimination in some pubs, including being refused service without a male companion or only being allowed to sit in designated areas. In 1978, women protested against this behaviour at the Penny Farthing on Cathcart Road by organising a sit-in. Barman Mr McGhee had refused to serve the women as “there were no toilet facilities for them, and that male customers preferred them not to be there.”
One of the protesting group, Mrs Irene Gooheir, said at the time “It must be the last place left in the country where you can’t be served just because you are a woman.” Eventually, the police were called when around 20 women refused to leave the space. The next morning Mr McGhee relented and said he would serve the women if they returned.
These photos were taken by James Bowden, a retired successful painter and decorator, who turned down going to Glasgow School of Art in order to make a ‘proper wage’. He remained a frustrated artist and had side projects all his working life – the pub pictures were one of them. He had worked in pubs and became aware of the transient nature of them, and so took these photos in the late 80s –to record them for posterity ‘before they were gone.’
Lisbon Lion, Billy McNeill. This twostorey building has a rich history, having undergone numerous transformations over the decades. Once known as a record shop, it now serves as a vibrant venue that hosts a variety of gigs, poetry nights and club nights in the space upstairs – continuing its legacy as a beloved spot for music lovers.
the
VictorIa Bar
In July 1867, four men gathered at 3 Eglinton Terrace to establish Scotland’s first ever football club; Queen’s Park. This pivotal meeting entrenched the game of football in Scotland for years to come. Today, the site is known as 400-404 Victoria Road, a B-listed building with tenements above and The Victoria Bar below. Outside The Victoria Bar, you will find a plaque honouring the site. This location is part of the ‘world’s biggest open-air football museum’, Football’s Square Mile, marking the most significant areas representing the origins of modern football in Scotland. For the map of all 21 sites, visit footballssquaremile.com
rose reilly
Mcneill’s Pub
Established in 1965, this pub has long been a haven for live music enthusiasts. Originally named The Madeira, it was purchased by the legendary Celtic footballer,
The Rose Reilly is another one of the sites on the Football’s Square Mile. This storied establishment occupies the historic site of the Hampden Bar, a beloved watering hole with its origins dating back to 1879. The current pub, named in honour of football legend, Rose Reilly, celebrates the first Scottish player to win a World Cup in 1984 – playing for Italy after the governing body behind Scottish women’s football banned her from representing her own country – forever etching her name in sports history. Housed in a distinguished C-listed building, The Rose Reilly is a vibrant tribute to its namesake, continuing the tradition of serving patrons with a side of football heritage.
Then & Now
In our last issue, we introduced the newly formed Greater Govanhill photography group – made up of nearly 50 people from complete beginners to seasoned professionals. As part of developing and sharing skills, each month, we set a photo challenge. For this heritage special, we asked members to re-create photos taken around Govanhill provided by the Glasgow City Archives.
In some re-creations, the scene changes, noticeable by the modes of transport and fashions. In others they are barely recognisable and require a good deal of imagination to draw the line from past to present.
To go digging in this resource yourself, visit The Mitchell Library or view them online at: www.mitchelllibrary.org/virtualmitchell. If you fancy having a go, we’d love to see your re-creations of old images. Please share them and tag us in or email to pix@greatergovanhill.com and we’ll include them in our online gallery.
Queen’s Park Station - 1989. Credit: James Bowden
All images unless marked © CSG CIC Glasgow Museums and Libraries Collections: Glasgow City Archives.
View from Queen’s Park Gates - undated
Credit: Rob Reid
Credit: Alison Johansson
362 Victoria Road - undated
Credit: Anna Širjajeva
Credit: Dan Butcher
Credit: Michael Paley
Eglington Toll - 1928
504 Victoria Road - 1937
Credit: Raia Gadiaga
Queen’s Park - undated
BUILDING A CITIZENS AGENDA and witnessing democracy in action
By Devon McCole
Earlier this year, in anticipation of the general election that we knew would happen, we started building a Citizens Agenda. This approach to election coverage means that, rather than let the candidates and party machines determine the agenda, we wanted to put power back in the hands of the people that politicians are meant to be serving.
To do this, we asked people ‘what do you want candidates to be talking about as they compete for votes?’ We collected responses from an online survey, through in person events and by asking people out and about on the streets of Govanhill.
Among some of the most common concerns in Govanhill were the cost of living crisis, the prevalence of child poverty, food insecurity, as well as the need to protect LGBTQ+ rights. We also found wider issues, such as Palestine, the climate crisis and a green transition were important to people.
We worked with partners across Scotland, who form part of The Scottish Beacon network of independent, community-based local news publishers. We then created a constituency-specific set of questions to put forward to candidates in both the Glasgow East (where Govanhill now lies) and Glasgow South (which includes the surrounding areas of the Southside) constituencies. We published the answers we received on our website.
We did not receive a response from Glasgow East Labour candidate, John Grady in advance of the election. But now he has become the local MP, we are in the process of arranging an interview with him in order to put your questions to him.
The next stage of our Citizens Agenda project is to hold our elected officials accountable to the answers they provided and to increase our reporting on the issues you said
you cared most about. Follow us at greatergovanhill.com and sign up to our newsletter for all the latest.
The project was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Reform Trust.
On the evening of the election we attended the electoral count here in Glasgow, to report on the events that unfolded and keep our readers informed as the results were announced. It was a momentous night in the Emirates Arena in Glasgow when Labour swept to power across the UK.
For me, while it was a long night, it also gave me the opportunity to
speak to some of the candidates and their party members in person. Politics can often feel very false, but being in the room with the individuals who are supposed to represent you, the world of politics and those in it felt more tangible and accessible. It encapsulated the drama and tension of a democratic process in action. As the night drew to a close, the sense of witnessing a pivotal moment in UK political history was inescapable after seeing the final results laid out on the electoral map, which was all red in Glasgow. It was official, after all the polls showed a Labour landslide, they won. The experience left an indelible mark; a reminder of the power and importance of every vote cast.
Photo by Samar Jamal
Tell us your story
In this magazine we’ve brought you a small smattering of tales of local heritage, but we know that’s not all. We want to know your stories too. Whether its about moving to Govanhill, your family history in the area, or something that you found out about your home. Fill in the page, take a picture and send it to newsroom@greatergovanhill.com or drop it into The Community Newsroom at 82 Bowman Street. We’ll be sharing them on our website.
W h at ’ s O n
For more regular events and groups, or to share an event, visit: greatergovanhill.com/noticeboard
Cathcart Heritage Guided Tour
When: 4 August, 10:30am-12pm
Where: Cathcart Railway Station, Holmlea Road, G44 4ED
Join Graeme Boyle and Dougie McLellan of Southside Glasgow Heritage and Environment Trust for a tour to learn about castles and churches, royalty and rebellion, bygone industrial mills and workers cottages, of what was once a village.
More info: Free but ticketed via allevents.in
Rot Your Brain: A television reading group
When: 15 August, 7-8:30pm
Where: Glasgow Zine Library, 32-34 Albert Road, G42 8DN
Glasgow Doors Open Days Festival
When: 16-22 September
An annual event celebrating the city’s architecture, culture & heritage. Bringing together dozens of participants who throw open the doors of over 100 historic buildings, theatres, museums stores, factories, studios, breweries and more, across the city, to the public, for free. This year’s theme is “We’re All Here”: Diversity & Diaspora, with the aim of exploring how diaspora communities have significantly influenced Glasgow’s rich cultural heritage, both locally and globally. Don’t miss an Open Aye exhibition documenting Govanhill Baths on at the Deep End. glasgowdoorsopendays.org.uk
Govanhill
Festival & Carnival 2024 International
A group for people who love television, history, and pop culture. This August, the group discuss Netflix’s Baby Reindeer, and what responsibility (if any) survivors have to their audience when telling their stories.
More info: Free but ticketed via glasgowzinelibrary.com
Indepen-dance: Gathered Together 2024
When: 4–7 September
Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, G41 2PE
A four-day festival of performance from some of the world’s leading inclusive dance organisations, presented by Indepen-dance, who will showcase their own Flux and Flourish – a new work charting memorable moments from key choreographies.
More info: Tickets via tramway.org
Immerse yourself in Scottish traditions with Evie Waddell
When: 5 September, 2-4pm
Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, G41 2PE
1-11 August
There are so many events happening as part of the anti-racist festival of creativity, solidarity and liberation festival, run by the Govanhill Baths Community Trust. Here are just a few that caught our interest, but there are loads more! Most events are free, via donation, or operate on a sliding scale. Tickets can be reserved via govanhillbaths.com/festivalprogramme2024
Massacre of the Innocents exhibition
When: 29 July–11 August, 12-6pm daily
Where: The Deep End, 21 Nithsdale Street, G41 2PZ
Evie Waddell is a multidisciplinary performer and creator working in contemporary dance, Scottish step dance, singing and British Sign Language. She combines all of her skills to deliver an immersive workshop.
More info: Tickets via tramway.org
Tramway Backstage: Historical Tours
When: 14-15 September, from 11am/1pm/3pm
Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, G41 2PE
The team will highlight some of Tramway’s original architectural features while celebrating its place in Glasgow’s industrial and cultural histories; including the building and maintenance of Glasgow’s tram fleet, the female workforces and their war efforts.
More info: Email tramwayboxoffice@glasgowlife.org.uk to book a space.
A graphic exhibition of work by the Network of Photographers for Palestine who are “a collective of activists and photographers who seek to provide Palestinian photographers with a world-wide audience… to tell the story of Palestine as it is experienced now” and correct the bias in the mainstream media.
‘Why Can’t I Get a Dentist Appointment?The Politics of Teeth
When: 5 August, 6:30-8:30pm
Where: Govanhill Housing Association, 79 Coplaw Street, G42 7JG
With dental care in crises, researcher Kirsty’s presentation gets to the root of the issue by extracting from her masters’ research and exploring the political and economic history of dentistry. Offering a Marxist analysis, this discussion explores oral health inequalities, the creation of the dentist and how the profession shaped the NHS.
Researching Your Irish Family History
When: 6 August, 6-7:30pm
Where: Govanhill Library, 170 Langside Road, G42 7JU
Dr Irene O’Brien, Glasgow City Archivist and specialist in Irish Family History will talk and guide you through the wealth of facilities and resources available for researching your family history.
Cheers Govanhill Book Launch by Peter Mohan
When: 8 August, 7-9pm
Where: The Dixon Community, 656 Cathcart Road, G42 8AA
Cheers, Govanhill is a witty and insightful blog that captures the spirit of Govanhill, written by Peter Mohan. Sharp, self- deprecating and unashamedly proud of his home, this collection of the best of his writing has been compiled and published by Govanhill Baths Community Trust.
International News on Your Doorstep
When: 8 August, 6-8pm
Where: Samaritan House, 79 Coplaw Street, G42 7JG
New Internationalist co-editor Conrad Landin leads a workshop on how to build an international news story – from your neighbourhood to the wider world to demonstrate how journalism can support international understanding and solidarity.
Cine Roma
When: 8-10 August
Where: Offline Cinema, 138 Niddrie Road, G41 2AB
Govanhill: A Community Film Portrait
When: 10 August, 3-5pm
Where: Tramway, 25 Albert Drive, G41 2PE
Experience an intimate portrait of Govanhill through short films by BAFTA-winning filmmaker Felipe Bustos Sierra, unveiling the hidden recipes and secret artistry of our vibrant neighbourhood. With post event Q&A with the director and collaborators.
Readings: Irish Diaspora and Scottish Literature
When: 11 August, 12-1:30pm
Where: Roma Cultural Centre, 126 Calder Street, G42 7RA
The Roma Cultural Centre warmly welcome the Irish diaspora and their allies into their space for an afternoon of readings. With guests Charlie Gracie and Mairi Murphy.
Events at The Community Newsroom:
Govanhill Book Festival
When: 4-11 August
A film festival brought to you by Offline (formerly GAMIS) and Romano Lav, a community-based organisation working with Roma communities in Govanhill, Glasgow which aims to present diverse films by and with Roma people, exploring self-perception, identity, history and systems of power. The programme has been co-curated with a cohort of Roma young people from Govanhill.
Preserving Jewish History in Govanhill
When: 8 August, 6-7:30pm
Where: Govanhill Library, 170 Langside Road, G42 7JU
Join Harvey Kaplan and Deborah Haase of the Scottish Jewish Archives Centre, for their presentation on Jewish history preservation and the story and the vibrant Jewish community which lived all around Govanhill and Crosshill for much of the 20th century.
Letle Telt by Lainey Dempsey
Little told songs and stories of women from Scottish history
When: 9 August, 6:30-9:30pm
Where: The Roma Cultural Centre, 43 Nithsdale Street, G41 2PZ
Traditional folk song is brimming with working class and military heroes and rebels. It tends to be men we sing about, but women were there too; organising, defying and rebelling wherever they saw injustice. This is a small step on a long road toward redressing the balance of the historic stories we choose to tell.
Rab Wilson’s Poetry From the Miner’s Strike
40 Years On
When: 9 August, 7-9pm
Where: The Dixon Community, 656 Cathcart Road, G42 8AA
Forty years on from the 1984–85 UK Miners’ Strike, the largest union-led industrial action in the 20th century, Rab Wilson – a former miner deeply involved in the strike – presents a compelling narrative through his mining poems and strike diary.
A “Festival within the Festival”, Govanhill Book Festival curated by local poet and political activist Jim Monaghan has grown to be an integral part of Govanhill International Festival and Carnival. The launch day will be hosted at The Community Newsroom, 82 Bowman St, G42 8LF – but other events can also be found at govanhillbaths.com/festivalprogramme2024. Tickets can be reserved via this link also.
Govanhill Writers Meet Up
When: 4 August, 11:30-1pm
Join us at The Community Newsroom for a writer meet up and a chance for Govanhill’s writers (no matter what your experience) to come together to discuss writing in all its forms and share their experiences and skills.
Hannah Lavery “The Unwritten Woman”
When: 4 August, 1-3pm
Hannah Lavery’s latest poetry collection ‘The Unwritten Woman’, a fascinating and often brutal collection that highlights the stories of women between the lines and women of colour. The event is chaired by author Louise Welsh, Professor of Creative Writing at Glasgow University.
Jen Stout “Night Train to Odesa –The Human Cost of Russia’s War”
When: 4 August, 3-5pm
A powerful insight into what it’s like to go it alone in a conflict zone. When Russia’s tanks rolled across the border, Jen Stout, a journalist from Shetland, was working in Russia and found herself in Ukraine amid the great movement of people caused by the war. Her book captures the real stories of people under attack, a truly empathetic work from the frontline. Chaired by Greater Govanhill editor Rhiannon Davies.
COLOURING IN
Robert Wilson, an artist and illustrator who has lived in Govanhill for the past eight years, published a colouring book featuring illustrations of iconic landmarks and locations throughout Govanhill. The book includes a map of the locations featured that readers can use to explore the area as they colour in each page.
With a passion for art and drawing, Robert hopes to inspire creativity and encourage people of all ages to explore the beauty of Govanhill through his work. Robert can be found on Instagram @backcourtbooks and the Govanhill Colouring book can be purchased online: amzn.to/3ZFjsVd
QUIZZES
Landmarks & Legends
All of the answers to this quiz can be found in the magazine itself.
1. What shop now occupies the space that used to be the Crosshill Cinema?
2. Where was the first public school in the area?
3. What building originally opened as Crosshill & Govanhill Burgh Hall?
4. Where is the site of the longest occupation of a public building?
5. What transport hub originally opened in 1886?
6. Who was the architect of the villas in Dixon Avenue?
7. What motorway expansion did the Pollok Free State protest against?
Glasgow
By Mark Clyde, ‘The Homeless Poet’
Overcast and undernourished, a city with that motto; let Glasgow flourish.
Grey buildings shine along the water, investment in all our cultures in the past and in the future.
A city with people loved all over for kindness and heart, but when shall we start to begin to realise just how wise we are?
Always willing to lend an ear, a tear, a laugh or a cry, that’s why we are.
Glasgow’s our home, our floor on which we stand.
Your hand I will shake. Be safe.
We were treated to this poem when Mark stopped by The Community Newsroom one day to enquire about poetry nights happening in the area. Mark, here are a few we know about:
Time For One Poem - open mic nights 28 Aug & 25 Sep at Sweeney’s on the Park Poetry Workshop with Marcas Mac an Tuairneir 11 Aug at Roma Cultural Centre
Speakin' Oor Mind - spoken word and open mic night (hosted by See Me) 20 Aug at The Glad Cafe
Historical Knowledge Scavenger Hunt
If you take yourself on a walking tour of Govanhill that you can find in the centre spread of this magazine, you can find all the answers to the questions below.
1. What is the name given to the tudor-style building next to Betfred (Victoria Rd)?
2. Whose name is carved into the wall on the side of Inex Hardware?
3. What four features are included in the coat of arms on the memorial plaque on the exterior of Govanhill Baths?
4. A tile outside of Tesco (Victoria Rd) recalls the parrot from Pearson’s Stores which used to occupy that space. What was its name?
5. According to the blue plaque on the front of 21 Ardbeg Street, who was born there?
6. What is the motto is carved in the drill hall crest of the 7th Battalion of the Cameronians Scottish Rifles?
WHAT’S YOUR STORY?
This issue of the magazine is a celebration of the local heritage of our neighbourhood. The next stage is an audio-visual project to capture oral histories connected to the different streets of Govanhill. If you want to get involved in telling the history of your street and learning new skills in the process, email training@greatergovanhill.com.
And, as ever, we couldn’t produce this magazine without the support of our community. If you have enjoyed reading it, and want to support our work, helping the magazine remain free for all, become a member by visiting community.greatergovanhill.com/join Follow us on socials and sign up to our newsletter
If you run a local business, charity, social enterprise, or community group and would like to advertise in the next magazine, reaching new audiences while supporting a positive community initiative, get in touch via advertising@greatergovanhill.com