Issue Fifteen: A Collection of Artworks

ISSUE 15 4th DECEMBER 2020 Front Cover Artwork by Gillian Grant Back Cover Artwork by E.M. “Sometime soon we will dance together again No longer fearful of our breathing and our being together”

THE CLACK AND YAK KNITTING GROUP

Do you remember our group?

A hobby of ours was knitting to do.

Aran, Fair Isle, we did the lot It all depended on what wool we’d bought.

If a baby was born A shawl we would make.

Although complicated We never made a mistake.

Our mothers had taught us when we were small Before then we held the hank Whilst Mum rolled the ball.

Sometimes we’d hear of a jumble sale With stalls of home baking And sometimes old balls of wool Made of colours Old fashioned and new With shades of a rainbow in every hue.

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FRANK MCGARVEY: GROWING UP IN EASTERHOUSE & BALORNOCK Case study prepared by Serena Swanson Frank played for Celtic, signed for Liverpool and also starred for St. Mirren, Queen of the South and Clyde, scoring over 170 career goals. For a short time in 1980, he was Scotland’s most expensive footballer and won two League Championships, two Scottish Cups and one League Cup while with Celtic, most notably scoring the winning goal in the 100th Scottish Cup Final in 1985.

Frank McGarvey was born on the 17th of March 1956 and grew up in Easterhouse with four brothers and a sister. Frank recalls that money was often tight, but his mother and father were determined to keep the family well-fed and the house in order. McGarvey credits his parents for their strong influence and for encouraging himself and his siblings to do the best they could in life.

For Frank and many other children growing up in Scotland in the 1950s and 1960s, football was a major part of life, and Easterhouse had no shortage of football pitches or other boys to have a kick-about.

Frank’s family moved to Balornock to be closer to his mother’s family. At Frank’s new school he met kids from Maryhill, Possil, Springburn and Milton.

These were four of the ‘hardest’ areas of Glasgow and “a fair portion of them wanted to fight the new boy”. Frank was in 10 fights in the first 6 weeks.

Frank looks back fondly on his Easterhouse days: “Football was my big passion, and Easterhouse in the 1960's was a perfect place to develop that love affair. It was football, football, football. I am proud to have been brought up in Easterhouse and I don't feel stigmatised by it”. He also acknowledges the role of others, “In February 2007, I sat at the top table at my benefit dinner … Ian French, who had been my coach at youth level and who had shown endless faith in me as I'd tried to make the grade, was also beside me. He deserved no less for his part in shaping my career. Without him, I would never have become a professional footballer”.

Frank left school at the age of 15, getting an apprenticeship as a joiner. “Getting a trade was a big thing for a school leaver and it was eventually the thing that saved me”, McGarvey writes. There were times when McGarvey considered giving up football but influenced by his parents and other important figures in his life, he eventually achieved his dream of becoming a professional footballer.

Excerpt from Local Heroes a project led by Professor John McKendrick of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University. The collection is edited by John H. McKendrick and Stephen Campbell. For more information on the Local Heroes series contact John at j.mckendrick@gcal.ac.uk / 0141 331 8221

Elaine Fisher

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THE TREES

The sun is shining through the trees Deep in the woods the birds sing sweetly They sing for everyone they please Listen carefully they sing so neatly Blue skies and leaves of green The trees grow tall and some are lean The most pleasant thing I’ve ever seen The day brings joy see what I mean The forest hides so many trees Some are tall and some are small Their flowers they attract the bees While little birds hide between the leaves Winter comes and the leaves they fall To the forest floor where the creatures crawl Squirrels and rabbits, mice and badgers Search under the leaves for their winter larders Seasons come and season go It’s strange how all the creatures know That after winter comes the spring Renewing life is what it brings Then the leaves they reappear bringing Colour and life to all my dear Margaret Steele

WALTER SMITH OBE: GROWING UP IN CARMYLE Case study prepared by David Bouse Born on February 4th 1948, Walter Ferguson Smith, grew up in Carmyle in the east end of the city. Smith credits his working-class roots for providing him with the hard-working, no-nonsense and competitive principles which propelled him to the top of football management.

Smith developed his skills in a crushing concrete environment, playing football in the streets or bombed-out spare ground. Apart from the ball, kids like Walter would only require a pair of old scuffed shoes - unless one’s ambitions and ability grew to play for the school, Scouts or Boys Brigade, in which case a pair of boots would be required. These would often be hand-me-downs or borrowed.

There were no referees and so any dispute would have to be settled by other means. Even at the age of eight, young Walter stood up to bullies and wasn’t scared of local gangs. Smith says that “it would be wrong to paint an oversentimental picture of a period when gang warfare was rife, but a shared sense of community was evident”. Smith was unsympathetic to those who indulged in complacency or self-pity. This attitude contributed to Smith’s hard-line reputation, but it is also one which commanded respect from his players and others around him. Today, Walter Smith continues to be referred to as the ‘gaffer’ by those who worked with him; a term of endearment and respect for the man whose values and qualities were, according to biographer Neil Drysdale, “an inevitable reflection of his upbringing” on the streets of Glasgow’s East End. Walter Smith enjoyed a solid, if unspectacular, playing career that began in the harsh learning zone of Scottish Junior football with Ashfield and moving on to become a defensive enforcer for Dundee United in 1966, where he spent most of his playing career. He became assistant manager to Jim McLean at Dundee United in 1983 when the club were Scottish Champions and reached the semifinals of the European Cup. During this time Smith also coached the Scotland under 18s to victory in the 1982 European Championship, as well as being appointed assistant coach to Sir Alex Ferguson for Scotland for the 1986 Mexico World Cup. Smith was appointed Rangers manager in 1991 and went on to become one of the club’s greatest ever. His role of honours includes 10 league titles, 5 Scottish Cups, 6 League Cups and 10 individual Manager of the Year awards. He also managed Everton and Scotland.

Excerpt from Local Heroes is a project led by Professor John McKendrick of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University. The collection is edited by John H. McKendrick and Stephen Campbell. For more information on the Local Heroes series contact John at j.mckendrick@gcal.ac.uk / 0141 331 8221.

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Coming up to Christmas, we all use Sellotape! Here’s a tip for finding the end of the sticky tape – stick a small button on the end and you will never lose it again!

(A small grenade will do the trick too!)

ALL HAr.]D 6EE NADE Urru_ Do TTEKICI<

-Too Marlene Finnigan

Elaine Fisher

SKANKY THE SKUNK Skanky the Skunk has hair like a punk, she’s a feisty little minx who has a scent gland with a super pooper stink, she will stamp her feet first, then out it will come, from her hairy bum, her repulsive spray, it truly will make you sway, you’ll konk oot in the mud and you’ll lie there like a total fud, another one of her super powers is her big spike in her hairy heid, so be careful how you proceed, she’ll toss you up and down, all over toon, you’ll feel like an absolute eejit, and you’ll think she’s a crazy git, she’ll slam you doon on the ground, with a big smile like a scary clown, and you’ll feel like a wee ragamuffin, and remember you’ll be boking and guffin, her spike will knock you aboot, and you’ll want to scoot. So this is the story of Skanky the Skunk and her rank, reekie, smell and her big spikey wig as well.

Angela Cunningham

THE SECRET JOBBY

I own a guest house and all the tenants are quiet as a mouse. I only have two tenants the now who don’t get on and often row. One is the local bobby, who’s always lurking around the lobby, the other works for the railway, a weird little man that the bobby can’t stand.

One day I went into the loo and it was all blocked up with water too, so when it was unblocked I got a terrible shock, there sticking on the bowl was a big brown bear, no budging stuck glue was this big sticky poo.

But who was the culprit who left this big brown bear for me? Well I have to swear I don’t think it was the local bobby who left this big sticky jobby. I think it was the railwayman living in my house who leaves secret jobbys and drinks all my Famous Grouse. He went to my loo and did a big Casey Jones Poo, coming down the line – toot toot! He must have been relived to get that oot.

So a word of warning – keep railwayman away from your loo if you don’t want big secret sticky poos!

Angela Cunningham

THE TERROR

Slowly, silently she climbed the stair, half afraid to breathe.

Should she continue up or should she quickly leave?

Every little sound brought terror to her heart.

Hark, was that a rustle, or just a silent fart?

She could feel the sweat upon her brow, In the mirror saw it glisten Taking one more cautious step, She stopped again, to listen Seeing how she’d come this far, She’d maybe chance a peep.

The door slid silently open, She could feel her heartbeat pound.

If she stood she knew he’d see her, So she quickly hit the ground, Braving one more little glance she lifted up her head Looking in upon the tiny form lying on the bed He looked just like an angel lying there content, Comfy in his ‘big boy’ bed he uses as a tent Demanding things be done ‘his’ way while sucking on his dummy Unaware what daytime does to his darling Mummy.

Annie Love

Often, at the moment, I am starting my day with porridge. A fancy porridge! I’ll share with you the recipe: 50g porridge oats 10g apple juice

40g milk (I use oat but any works!)

Dash of salt

Put this together in a pan on a low heat until it goes soft then add: Sliced strawberries Natural yoghurt A bit of honey

Bon Appetit!

Granola Toasted almonds

E.M.

CHANGING TIMES

When I first came to live in the east end of Glasgow, the only ‘wildlife’ was the gangs having a go at each other. Now there really is wildlife – squirrels, foxes and birds.

I was startled by a squirrel one morning as I went to hang out the washing. It was running along my garden fence. I must own up and say I don’t much like them and was quite shaken by it. I came indoors for a cuppa only to find that the squirrel was now sitting on my kitchen windowsill. To say that I got a fright is an understatement!!

It’s following me, I thought, which I know is ridiculous. However, I’m glad it was only a squirrel and not the fox which wanders up and down the road. It is quite tame and eats out of my son’s hand but I won’t approach it.

Most of the birds frequenting my garden and the trees across from me are constant residents – pigeons, magpies, robins and the occasional seagull. The smaller birds like chaffinches have gone to warmer climes – sensible creatures!

Jean Lawton

SIR ALEX FERGUSON CBE: GROWING UP IN GOVAN Case study prepared by John McKendrick Alex Ferguson has been known to clarify that he “comes from Govan, not Glasgow”, and it is the environment of Govan – social and physical – that he attributes to moulding his character and laying the foundations of the success he was to become in his ‘working life’.

Although harsh and not without its deprivations, the abiding memories of his Govan childhood are ones in which community spirit abounded and values for life were instilled by family and others. The toughness was a source of strength, encapsulated by the observation that “when the wind’s howling down the Clyde, that’s what forges your character”. It was a shipbuilding community of which Ferguson’s father was part, and through which the “meaning of hard work” was “passed from father to son”. Ferguson stresses that his family was not exceptional in that regard. He attributes key aspects of his own character to both of his parents, inheriting the disciplined side of his character from his father, but also observing that he, “was more like my mother, because she had fantastic determination, incredible determination.”

Although noting that the family was not awash with money, he points out that in many ways, himself and Martin (his brother) were fortunate in that their family had an indoor toilet (unlike many) and that food was always on the table and clothes on their back.

While some might contend that this was a life lived in poverty, Ferguson would disagree: “People say mine was a poor upbringing”, he once remarked continuing, “I don't know what they mean. It was tough, but it wasn't bloody poor. We maybe didn't have a TV. We didn't have a car. We didn't even have a phone. But I thought I had everything, and I did: I had a football”.

Not known for pandering to journalists, one childhood tale speaks volumes of his character. He was singled out and criticised in the local press for a lacklustre display when playing for Scottish schoolboys in London. The sixteen year old’s response was to write to the hack thanking him for “the piece of criticism you dealt out to me”, and noting, “I hope that you will come back and see me again, for I am sure I will play a lot better. On Saturday I was really disappointed with myself … and am really sorry I [gave] such a morbid display.” Frank, honest and driven to improve – what might simply be known as ‘Clydebuilt’.

Excerpt from Local Heroes a project led by Professor John McKendrick of the Scottish Poverty and Inequality Research Unit at Glasgow Caledonian University. The collection is edited by John H. McKendrick and Stephen Campbell. For more information on the Local Heroes series contact John at j.mckendrick@gcal.ac.uk / 0141 331 8221

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