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| Cycling down London Rd in the Calton, I turn left at Abercromby St to visit Saint Mary's parish church - see The church is closely associated with the Celtic player and manager Tommy Burns -see |
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| Looking back down Abercromby St towards the London Rd |
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Calton is an area that has attracted much attention since a World Health Organisation report described Calton men as having the shortest life spans in Europe, The WHO got it badly wrong. See  |
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| Abercromby St's Bridgeton Health centre; we shall encounter Bridgeton shortly. Calton is traditionally a Roman Catholic area, Bridgeton largely Protestant, but as so often in Glasgow the boundaries can be fluid |
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| Stevenson St |
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| The old Calton cemetery |
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| The memorial to the Calton Weavers. Calton became a centre for weaving in the mid-18th century. In 1787, some weavers went on strike because of cheap foreign imports - others continued working. Violence flared and the military shot dead six demonstrating weavers in September, 1787. Some are buried here. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calton_weavers |
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| On London Rd, looking back at Abercormby St - funeral party outside funeral parlour |
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| Looking up to Bridgeton Cross now and its Rangers pubs. I was last here in February this year shortly before the Cross was due to be renovated; see http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/bridgeton-cross.html |
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| The view back; more people arriving for the funeral |
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| I couldn't photograph this fine building last time I was here as there were guys milling around. Areas such as Bridgeton and Calton require not quite as much to care to photograph as they did before the IRA ceasefire - when some pubs had collection jars for one side or the other - but it's as well to be cautious. The drugs scene also exists in some areas, which - as in many cities - can make photographing street scenes difficult |
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| It's now a bookies, but this was the Trustees Savings Bank when it was built in 1897, with flats above (the roof is a flat drying area for tenant use - architects thought of such things in those days). See the fine Bridgeton Heritage Trail - http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/9B83C172-B7D5-4318-8ACF-62EDEFDEEE8E/0/Heritagetrail_Bridgeton.pdf |
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| Ah - the Bandstand has been freshened up since February. Note the guy in a Celtic top crossing the road. You'll hear people talk as if it's a death sentence to wear a Celtic strip in Bridgeton or a Rangers top in Calton - it's not quite that bad. |
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| Much prettier. Not sure what's happened to the rest of the restoration project. That's Dalmarnock Rd behind and off the left, where we are heading in a minute |
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| No change here since February |
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| Have to get on - will stop at Bridegton way back |
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| We've now been cycling down Dalmarnock Rd for a few minutes and have taken a slight detour to look at this church on Old Dalmarnock Rd. This is the Sacred Heart RC Church at 50 Dalmarnock Rd. In this year of 2010, incredible as it may seem to outsiders, both the church and the priests who serve here been on the receiving end of sectarian attacks. See http://www.heraldscotland.com:80/news/crime-courts/fury-over-sectarian-vandalism-at-church-1.1035906 Much of the media in Scotland, such as BBC Scotland has traditionally never paid much attention to such attacks, and the Herald coverage of this horrible affair is to be welcomed. For the (very interesting and attractive) church itself see www.sacredheartbridgeton.co.uk |
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| Gang graffitti |
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| Now back on Dalmarnock Rd, heading for the bridge |
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| Dalmarnock Bridge, a Glasgow boundary - southern Rutherglen is on the other side |
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| The superstitious believe Dalmarnock Bridge has a ghost - a 'normal-looking' young man who jumps off and disappears before he hits the water. Such is Glasgow life it seems - even if you end it all you probably won't make a big splash |
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| Looking back into Glasgow |
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| Path going east |
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| View east |
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| View west. Over on the right is the Cuningar Loop which will be redeveloped into an 'Athletes Village' for the Commonwealth Games. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2014_Commonwealth_Games |
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| looking over into Rutherglen |
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| The path into the loop - will have to come back at some future date to do this trip |
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| Welcome to Glasgow |
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| Heading back - the route back is one of rusty gates and waste land |
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| A Garden Tidy set - this is surely not how the council plans to tackle the loop |
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| We are looking up Strathclyde St here |
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| A helpful sign pointing to 63 Strathclyde St |
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| This whole area reminds me of the Aldershot outskirts in Hilary Mantel's grim and wonderful novel Beyond Black; stuff goes on here you probably don't want to know about |
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| So this is what Sponge Bob does on his days off |
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| Note sign on left, 'NO SCRAP MEN ALLOWED'. Seems a bit tradeist |
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| 26 Strathclyde St |
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| An old Glasgow dookit ('dovecot'). Most of these old pigeon huts are abandoned, and most of the men who built them are long gone |
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| Land required |
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| The Bungalow Cafe |
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| An old Co-op in blue |
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| Chap doing survey of traffic |
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| Swanston St |
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| Poplin St |
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| Back on Dalmarnock Rd |
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| The Falcons Nest. A poetic name and no need surely for an apostrophe - the Captains and the Kings depart |
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| Clyde Gateway - everywhere in 2010 |
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| Dreadful potholes; the regeneration will probably not mean less of these cyclist-endangering potholes |
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| Celtic park in the distance; see ttp://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/07/tommy-burns-tribute-16-may-2009.html |
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| An intriguing church; built in 1901 as Dalmarnock Cogregational Church 1901, see |
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| . . .it seems to have become an Assembly of God church - I have no idea why it has a poster for Slimming World outside the entrance |
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| Coming back up to Bridgeton Cross |
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| That's Main St directly opposite; just down there on the right is MacKeith Street, where the serial killer Bible John left the body of his second known victim - Jemima McDonald - on 15 August, 1969 http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2008/12/03/exclusive-cops-believe-peter-tobin-was-bible-john-86908-20942023/ Six weeks after this photo was taken a man was shot in Main St, 7 September 2010 |
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| Onto London Rd again now, and among Bridgeton's Loyalist flags |
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| The beautifully named Crimson Star (it's a masonic thing), one of Glasgow's last true 'free' independent pubs. See http://www.thecrimsonstar.co.uk/ As the website points out, Glasgow's three big stadiums are all within striking distance, but funnily enough Parkhead (Celtic Park) is closest. 'Out of town supporters buses are more than welcome for pre match drinks, pies and sandwiches etc. Get yourself into the mood for the match. We are situated only 15 minutes drive from both Ibrox and Hampden and about a 10 minute walk westwards of Parkhead going towards the city centre along London Road.' |
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| Armed Forces Day flag |
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| Heading back from Bridgeton Cross; Londoner pub opposite - funeral party now gone |
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| Cloud Nine |
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| I have no idea why Lorraine Kelly is the nation's Fairy Godmother and refuse to speculate - I never got to vote on it anyway |
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| The wonderfully named Arcadia St |
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| The beautiful fountain at the end of Arcadia St - Glasgow Green across the road |
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| A man and his dog |
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| Back of Templeton's carpet factory |
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| A lifetsyle option |
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| Templeton St |
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Note Scottish Unionist Party poster. Not to be confused wth the Scottish Tories - see |
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| The banner says 'Glasgow Welcomes Breastfeeding' which is not actually true. Low rates of breastfeeding go with low rates of income - many parts of of Glasgow are poor, and therefore there are periodic attempt to raise the level of breastfeeding. See |
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| The Calton bar up there on the corner |
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| The old Glasgow Green Station. Some day it will become a bistro perhaps. |
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| Templeton's is the only carpet factory designed to be a copy of the Doge's Palace in Venice. See http://www.rampantscotland.com/visit/blvisittemple.htm |
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| Barras Bargain Centre: approaching Barrowland |
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| Glasgow punters seem to have an insatiable appetite for sports socks. Sellers crop all over the town |
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| Desirable Designers |
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| The public consumption of alcohol is illegal in Glasgow - but public drunks are not uncommon round Barrowland |
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| London Rd's popular Polish shop |
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| At Glasgow Cross now |
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| Looking back |
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| The Schipka Pass from the back (see main Calton entry). A sign reminds us that a Scot invented the telly. Armando Ianucci's vision of a Scottish hell ('Except for Viewers in Scotland') includes a man in a chair who informs you relentlessly that Scots - unlike other peoples - invented many, many things, and where Scots will be condemned to watch things like a 1000-part documentary on John Logie Baird. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7scMC7YSDQ&p=F533E34D16F3268B&playnext=1&index=43 |
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| William Wallace = Scottish. Great. |
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| The view from the beginning of Argyle St across Glasgow Cross; Gallowgate to left, London Rd to right |
Pffff, when was the recent blitz. Not enough burnt out cars I say ... At least you haven't spotted a dead cat thrown on to a skip (saw this on a Liverpool street).
ReplyDeleteLove the Templeton Building (Paul Hogarth did a perfect painting of this). Where's the Glaswegian humour - that clothes shop should have been changed to 'Undesirable Designers Gear'.
Have many more comments but that's quite enough for now and now for something completely different :-)
Great photos Ed, I recognise many of the places. I often go through Calton when I go to Glasgow Green.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures
ReplyDeleteMany thanks Al, Charles, Anon - it's one of my longer photostories of Glasgow - exhausted at end!
ReplyDeleteEnjoyed the trip inc.the commentary - I googled Dilmarnock Rd doing family research in the 1920's
ReplyDeleteVery artistic with their bandstand/fountain rotundas and that carpet palace! Thankyou
Thanks Julie I try to please! The latest one goes from Charing Cross to Dalmarnock and I will be posting another one soon - a walk from Rutherglen to Gallowgate taking in the last bit of the proposed Dalmarnock Athletes Village. I was there the day after over 60 cops helped evict a grannie from Ardenlea St - you probably know this but in case not that's the street Jeremy Paxman's great-gran lived in - see the Who Do You Think You are Paxman episode.
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I was brought up in 25 Dalmarnock Road. I left there in 1969 for Switzerland then in 1979 to Italy, was the best thing I ever did. Your photos have made it more clear to me why I would never return. Although I always tell anybody asking me "I am Scottish". Thanks for sharing your photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks Anon - they do say that people leaving Glasgow increase the IQ of the place they are moving to while reducing the IQ of Glasgow!
ReplyDeleteI must say that I LOVE your "Glasgow Album". I was brought up in Dennistoun and Bridgeton and the memories are so vivid. Your foti's are just wonderful. I miss the people, the hot rolls that we would buy at night under the Umbrella, the tablet from wee Ernie's cafe on Main Street; going to the Olympia to see the latest picture. All gone now. I moved away to America but will never forget my young years.....so what ...we were poor....but my, we were happy. Not a care in the world in auld Brigton.
ReplyDeleteThanks Grace! x
ReplyDeletegreat photos i am sure the east end will look totally different in about 10 to 15 years with more new housing hopefully built on a urban grid to redifine major juctions and bring better shops and re populatate the area the residents of calton gallowgate bridgeton dalmarnock and parkhead deserve better
ReplyDeleteWonderful photographs.
ReplyDeleteWHAT ABOUT TWO OF BRIDGETON'S FINEST EDIFICES - THE LOYAL ORANGE INSTITUTION HEADQUARTERS AND GRAND ORANGE LODDE - DISTRIC 37 - TULLIS STREET. RELIGIOUS BIGOTRY? YOU SHOWED A LOT OF ST. MARY'S CATHOLIC CESSPIT THOUGH!!
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