Glimpses of old Glasgow

Part I. Historical

Glasgow (West)

ANDERSTON, the first house of which was built in 1721, and formed the junction of what are now North and Main Streets, was named after its proprietor, Mr. Anderson of Dowhill, and was erected into a burgh in 1824; enjoyed burghal privileges for twenty-two years, and in 1846 was incorporated into the city of Glasgow. In 1725 a few small houses were erected on Mr. Anderson's Stobcross farm. In 1734 Mr. J. Orr of Barrowfield acquired the lands of Stobcross, and gave a fresh impetus to building. Shortly afterwards Anderston became celebrated both at home and on the Continent for its cotton manufacture, and for productive power was recognised as "the cradle" of Glasgow manufacturers. Several of its eminent manufacturers acquired large fortunes. The district lost its prestige for cotton, but ere long it became famous for its iron manufactures; and, as is well known, occupies a high place in the engineering and shipbuilding world.

Anderston's chief street in those bygone days, as well as to-day, was the MAIN STREET. On its north side stood Provost M'Naught's fine old-fashioned mansion-house and grounds, on part of the site of which now stands the large warehouse of Thos. Hodge & Co. The cotton mill, which was owned by the provost, and stood at the back of his residence, was pulled down by Messrs. Hodge in order to extend their warehouse. The old shops had not a great deal to boast of, either in size or elegance; but the trade of Anderston has grown with the expansion of the city, and can bear favourable comparison with some of the shops and warehouses in the centre of the city.

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In this district have occurred many changes, and buildings and old landmarks have for ever disappeared: such as the Gushet House, which divided Stobcross Street from Main Street. Gone, too, is the dingy close which had to be passed through ere the severely plain Relief Church could be reached. This church, built in 1770, was then the only church west of St. Enoch's, and the only one in Anderston for twenty-three years. It owed its existence to Mr. James Monteith, an elder in Havannah Anti-Burgher Church, declining to stand church censure for going into the Tron Church of the Establishment. This old Relief Church was taken down, and in 1840 a new one was built, the approach to which is by Church Place. On both sides of Church Place are fine new buildings, as well as large halls for the use of the congregation. The late Rev. Dr. Struthers, author of the "History of the Relief Church," was for forty-one years its minister. He died in July, 1858. Afterwards the Rev. Dr. J. Logan Aikman was pastor for thirty years. At present the Rev. A. L. Henderson occupies the pulpit.

As this busy district grew in population other churches sprung up. A Secession Church was opened on 1st August, 1793, in Cheapside Street. Its first minister was the Rev. Dr. Mitchell, who afterwards became one of the professors of the Secession Church. It may be interesting to mention that the first marriage he celebrated was that of Henry Bell, the pioneer of our river steamboat traffic. His ministrations, always of the highest culture and spirituality, speedily attracted a large congregation, which so multiplied that a commodious church built in Wellington Street was opened in August, 1827. In July, 1840, the Rev. Dr. Robson was chosen colleague and successor. The Rev. Dr. Mitchell died in January, 1844. The Rev. Dr. Black is third minister, and officiates in the third church, named Wellington Church, situated in University Avenue. It cost nearly £27,000. Its fourth minister is the Rev. Mr. Forrest, who was inducted as colleague to Dr. Black on 15th March, 1894.

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The late Mr. Alexander Allan a few years ago spent from £6,000 to £7,000 in erecting in Stobcross Street handsome mission premises, which he bequeathed to Wellington Church. His eldest son, Mr. R. S. Allan, has raised in Clyde Street a fine building for educational and recreative purposes, and also well adapted for carrying on religious and philanthropic work in that locality.

Of another church erected in 1800 in Clyde Street the first minister was the famous Rev. Dr. Love, one of the six men who, in an upper room in London, in 1795, founded the London Missionary Society. Lovedale, one of the principal stations in South Africa, is called after him. Some years ago this building was sold to make way for an industrial establishment, and a new church was erected at the corner of Dumbarton Road and St. Vincent Street, and named Anderston Parish Church. In this district there are now many churches of various denominations.

Some years since the old police station in Warroch Street was taken down, and on its site there were erected the large premises used by Claremont United Presbyterian Church for the efficient working of their various Christian mission agencies.

Great has been the progress of Anderston. One hundred years ago the population was only 1,500, and the walk from Jamaica Street to the Gushet House was an ill-conditioned footpath, five feet wide, skirted on the south side by high elm trees, with only a few houses, chiefly at the corner of the cross streets leading north and south. This road is rendered famous by Sir Walter Scott, who refers to "Madge Wildfire," or "Feckless Fannie," being stoned to death upon it by a crowd of boys in the year 1769 or 1770.

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The grounds on both sides of "Anderston Walk" were chiefly used as sheep walks or market gardens. After nightfall, sixty years ago, the pedestrian had to carry a lighted lantern, called "bowat," to guide him past the numerous ditches. In these days a street lamp could be seen only in the Trongate, and for its cleaning was dependent upon the falling shower. The watchmen, who were also the scavengers of the city, regularly broke the silence of the night by proclaiming the hour and state of the weather. When a fire occurred, they rattled their "clappers," and shouted out not only the number of the street where the fire had broken out, but (if such were known) the names of the persons whose properly was in danger. Each man had a sentry box into which he could retire when the weather was stormy. Occasionally it would have been better for the "guardian of the peace" to have faced the storm, for some roystering blades thought it great fun to overturn the box with the man in it, and leave him to get out as best he could.

From Anderston westward towards Finnieston and Stobcross by Dumbarton Road, the highway was studded with fine old trees and contained the residences of several Glasgow merchants, whose descendants are well known to this day. Instead of all this, we have warehouses, shops, and dwelling-houses almost in touch with the burgh of Partick. It will be in the recollection of many how there used to be representations of Vesuvius and occasional displays of fireworks on the ground at Cranstonhill where St. John's Episcopal Church stands.

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On these lands of Cranstonhill there are now several engineering works, with trades and businesses allied thereto; on the lands of Stobcross are the Queen's Docks, with its extensive quayage, also stores and mineral depots; on the lands of Kelvinhaugh are located workshops and various manufacturing businesses; and Yorkhill estate has its busy wharves for landing foreign cattle, with slaughter-house attached; also storage, grounds, etc. Overnewton is principally residential, with superior houses of two, three, and four apartments.

As we pass on by the Bunhouse Road we come to the Partick mills (consisting of the Archbishop's mill and the Town's mill), on the east bank of the Kelvin. They came into the possession of the Incorporation of Bakers of Glasgow, as a gift from Regent Murray for emergency services rendered by them in supplying his troops with bread at the battle of Langside in 1568. The Bakers also acquired by purchase, in 1771, the old snuff and malt mill at Clayslaps, a few hundred yards above the Partick mills, which they fitted into a flour mill. The Clayslaps mill no longer exists. The Partick mills were burned down in February, 1885. The ground was then bought by ex-Provost John Ure and his sons, and the present extensive "Regent" mills erected thereon at a cost of £60,000. They are supplied with steam and water power. For the water which drives the turbines the firm pay £120 per annum to the Incorporation of Bakers. To give an idea of the extensive business done by Messrs. John Ure & Sons at the Regent and Crown mills in Washington Street, it may be mentioned that last year 440,492 bolls of wheat were ground, yielding 270,123 sacks of flour and 223,173 sacks of bran and thirds, while the total money value of the flour and offals reached well on for half a million sterling.