The origin and history of Glasgow streets

N-P Napiershall Street - Princes Street

NAPIERSHALL STREET

was formed on land belonging to Thomas Napier, who was a watchmaker in Glasgow in 1763.

NELSON STREET (City)

opened 1797, was named in honour of Lord Nelson.

NEWHALL STREET

was formed on the lands of Newhall, which were originally possessed by Mr. Allan.

NICHOLAS STREET

was formed on the site of St. Nicholas Hospital, which was founded in 1450.

NORFOLK STREET

See Laurieston.

NORTH STREET (Anderston)

was formerly known as the Lang Road.

NUNEATON STREET

was formed on the property of the late George Wilson, coalmaster, and his widow, who had gone to reside in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, thought so much of it that she named the new street for it. The name comes from a nunnery founded by Robert, Earl of Leicester.

ORR STREET

is named for the superior who succeeded John Walkinshaw in the Barrowfield estate.

OSWALD STREET (City)

opened 1817, is named for James Oswald of Shieldhall. He and James Ewing of Strathleven represented the City in Parliament after the Reform Bill of 1832. It was the western boundary of this gentleman's property, which extended eastward to Stockwell Street, and the rope walk, which was in operation till well on in last century, reached the entire length, crossing Jamaica Street in an overhead gallery.

OSWALD STREET (Bridgeton)

was formed on ground pertaining to Barrowfield Spinning Factory, which was owned by the same gentleman, who is deservedly commemorated by a statue at the north-east corner of George Square.

OSWALD STREET (Whiteinch)

and the lands of Scotstoun belong to another branch of the same family.

OXFORD STREET

See Laurieston.

OVERNEWTON STREET

is formed on the lands of that name, which was the patrimonial estate of Walter Gibson, who was Provost of the town in 1688.

Partick

of old Perdyec, from the Gaelic aper dhu ec, meaning the place at the confluence or mouth of the dark river.

PEEL STREET

named in honour of Sir Robert Peel, who passed the Reform Bill of 1832. From his name originated the title of "peeler," as applied to the police; and from the interest he took in the cause of Orangeism, the irrepressible Dan frequently prefaced his attacks upon him in Parliament by addressing him as his friend "orange peel."

PHOENIX PARK

is formed on the site of the Phoenix Foundry, which was carried on for many years by Thomas Edington & Sons.

PICCADILLY STREET

after the thoroughfare of that name in London, which got its title from a tailor named Higgins, who had introduced piccadille, a French term for a kind of trimming set round the edge of a garment, by which he made a fortune.

PITT STREET

named in honour of William Pitt, the celebrated statesman.

Plantation

These lands are composed of several smaller properties conjoined, the largest of which was Craigiehall, and this was the name it was known by till 1783, when John Robertson, who had sugar and cotton plantations in the West Indies, became proprietor and changed the name to Plantation. In 1793 John Mair, a native of Paisley, became proprietor. He had been a builder, and while repairing a steeple there slipped and fell a considerable distance, only saving his life by catching hold of a projecting stone. He then gave up the building trade and commenced the manufacture of muslin, in which he was so successful that he ultimately made sufficient money to purchase this estate; and in the garden attached to the house he built a stone seat, mounted with pinnacles overhead, to represent the Paisley steeple, and he used to sit there and ponder on his fall, which he said had been the cause of his rise. He died in 1824. Plantation was next held by William Maclean, who got possession in 1828. He died in 1867, and his son Joseph, who succeeded him, laid off the lands for feuing, he removing to the adjoining cottage of Haughead, where he had Mr. Mair's seat and appendages re-erected. This property having been acquired by the Clyde Trustees, Mr. Maclean was once more on the move, and having built a spacious villa on the neighbouring estate of Dumbreck he bestowed on it the title of Craigiehall, and here he resided till his death, which occurred some years since.

PLAYFAIR STREET

is formed on part of the lands of Dalmarnock, and here for many years a family of that name resided in a mansion near the bridge.

Pollokshields, Wester Shields, Shieldhall, and Shieldmuir

are all from a word signifying a bield or place of shelter.

POLLOK STREET

is named for the estate on which it stands. It is the widest street in the City, and was originally designed to be continued over the railway to Saint Andrew's Road, Pollokshields.

Polmadie

although close to the City, was, from its peculiar position, comparatively little known until within the last few years, hence arose the saying, "Oot o' the worl', and into Pomadee." The name is derived from two Gaelic words signifying the stream or pool haunted by wolves; and doubtless in the olden time quadrupeds of this description were plentiful in the locale. Previous to 1249 an hospital was erected here for the maintenance of the old people of both sexes.

PORTLAND STREET

opened 1802, was named in honour of the Duke of Portland, then a leading Cabinet Minister.

PRESTON STREET (off London Road)

was named for John Preston, who had a rope walk here during the greater part of last century.

PRINCES STREET (from Saltmarket Street to King Street)

opened 1724, has disappeared through the operations of the City Improvement Trust. It had previously existed as a thoroughfare known as Gibson's Wynd, after Walter Gibson, who was Provost in 1688. He was the eldest son of John Gibson of Overnewton, and was widely known as a bitter persecutor of the Covenanters.