Springburn Virtual Museum

Springburn in transition

Clearance of old houses prior to the building of Balgray recreation ground, 1909

A group of two-storey houses in Springvale Place was demolished in 1909 to make way for the Balgray recreation ground, known locally as 'the swings', whose centrepiece was a white-tiled fountain gifted by Hugh Reid of the North British Locomotive Works.

For roughly a decade on either side of 1900, many new amenities such as the park, public halls and public library were provided for the people of Springburn, by the Corporation of Glasgow and by the Reid family in public acts of benevolence.

Such benevolence, however, did not extend to the workers in their locomotive factories, who were paid less than their counterparts in the railway-owned Cowlairs and St Rollox Works. They also worked extremely long hours in poor conditions and were, in less prosperous times, liable to be dismissed with no notice and no benefits to fall back on.

Source: Glasgow City Archives