Alexander 'Greek' Thomson 2: the Egyptian Halls Part 1: the Interior

Welcome to my wee photoblog on Glasgow, where we feature the joys and unjoys of walking and cycling through a fascinating, beautiful and often badly run city. For the blog's origin and an alphabetical list of posts see the 'Introduction' post -

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/introduction.html

Today is 16 February 2011 and we are heading inside the Egyptian Halls at 84-100 Union St. The building was raised in 1873 and was one of Thomson's favourite buildings. It has deteriorated badly over the last 30 years and is in danger of being demolished. The developer Derek Souter is the building's last hope: see

http://www.egyptianhalls.co.uk/

Private Eye's architecture correspondent - 'Piloti' has commented on the story several times - 'an urban architectural wonder' - and is one of many backing Souter's plan. (See Private Eye issues 947, 950, 1011 and 1271.)

The Egyptian Halls is one of the most threatened of Europe's great buildings. Glasgow council and the Scottish government need to play their part and ensure that this unique part of our heritage is preserved. See

http://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk/egyptian_halls.htm

See also

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/alexander-greek-thomson.html

The Union St entrance

Inside, looking back down the stairs

The building was owned by a Chinese restaurateur for a while

The banisters are part of the original fittings

The emergency exit stairs. . .

. . .with original banisters and their own lovely metalwork (different from main stairs)

This wee lane below runs parallel with Union St. Car park on right. For the view up see next post showing exterior shots

The back of one of the extraordinary front columns. The Timeless Earth site says:

'His most extraordinary and elaborate commercial work is Egyptian Halls in Glasgow. Built for the iron founder James Robertson, the grand stone facade is a sort of layer cake with a series of horizontal storeys, each different in treatment, building up to a majestic cornice. On the top storey, the squat Corinthian columns are freestanding, leaving the fenestration behind as a continuous glazed strip – a feature which some commentators have seen as anticipating the Modern movement but which in fact resulted from Thomson’s dislike of ugly collisions between windows and shaped columns.

Up on top floor now

The stairs up to the roof

Roof stairs from the back

Car park opposite

The Festival of Erotica - long gone we imagine

Heading down

Moving on down again

Camera shake - sorry!

Regency flock wallpaper

No idea what the restaurant used these hooks for

Back at first flight of stairs

Even in such a distressed state the Egyptian Halls - like all of Thomson's buildings - somehow raises the spirit. It must be saved.

A public consultation will be held on 23rd February 1.30pm-4pm at The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Lane, Glasgow

Photos of the exterior will follow in next post. For previous Glasgow Album posts click on the URLs below

Introduction

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/introduction.html

Anderston

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/anderston.html

Anniesland

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/anniesland.html

Bad Posters

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/bad-posters.html

Balloch

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/balloch.html

Bellahouston Park

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/bellahouston-park.html

Bellahouston Park 2 : After the Pope is Over

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/09/bellahouston-park-2-after-pope-is-over.html

Botanic Gardens

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/botanic-gardens.html

Bridgeton Cross

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/bridgeton-cross.html

Buchanan St

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/buchanan-st.html

Burrell Collection

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/burrell.html

Calton

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/calton.html

Cessnock / Kinning Park

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/cessnock-kinning-park.html

Chatelherault

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/chatelherault.html

Churches (Working/ Non-Working), Temples Mosques etc

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/churches-working-and-converted-other.html

Citizens Theatre

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/citizens-theatre.html

City Centre

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/city-centre.html

Climate Change Demo

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/climate-change.html

Clydebank 1

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/01/clydebank-1-golden-jubilee-and-environs.html

Clyde River Festival

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/clyde-river-festival.html

Clydeside

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/clydeside.html

Cowcaddens

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/cowcaddens.html

Cricket

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/cricket.html

December 2010: Dusk, Dark and Dawn

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/12/december-2010-dusk-dark-and-dawn.html

Dennistoun

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/dennistoun.html

Edwin Morgan

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/09/edwin-morgan-1920-2010.html

Evolving Odeon

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/evolving-odean.html

Festivals and Fetes

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/festivals-fetes.html

Finnieston

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/finnieston.html

Forth and Clyde Canal 1

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/forth-and-clyde-canal-part-1.html

Forth and Clyde Canal 2

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/forth-and-clyde-canal-part-2-swans.html

Garnethill

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/garnethill.html

George Square

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/george-square.html

Glasgow Cross / Trongate /Argyle St

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/glasgow-cross-trongate-and-argyle-st.html

Glasgow Green: the 2010 Scottish Junior Run

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/09/glasgow-green-2010-scottish-junior-run.html

Glasgow North-West By-election 2009

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/springburn-by-election-2009.html

Glasgow Piping Festival

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/glasgow-piping-festival.html

Glasgow's Sikhs

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/glasgows-sikhs.html

GoMa

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/goma.html

Gorbals

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/gorbals.html

Gorbals 2

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/09/gorbals-2.html

Gorbals 3: Saltmarket to Tradeston

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/11/gorbals-3-saltmarket-to-tradeston.html

Govan

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/govan.html

Govanhill

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/govanhill.html

Govan Underground to Ibrox Underground: 40th anniversary of the Ibrox Stadium Disaster

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/01/govan-underground-to-ibrox-underground.html

Grow Glasgow

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/06/grow-glasgow.html

Hampden Park: Dundee United v Ross County Cup Final 15 May 2010

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/hampden-park-dundee-united-v-ross.html

Hidden Gardens: Glasgow Harvest at Tramway

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/tramway-glasgow-harvest-at-hidden.html

Hillhead / West End

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/west-end.html

Hospitals

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/hospitals.html

Hunterian Museum

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/hunterian-museum.html

Hyndland

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/as-wiki-says-hyndland-i-s-prime.html

Ibrox

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/04/ibrox.html

Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/kelvingrove-art-gallery-and-museum.html

Kelvingrove Park

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/kelvingrove-park.html

Kelvingrove Park: Sledging

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/01/kelvingrove-park-sledging-8-january.html

Kelvingrove Park: the Fountain Vandalised

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/01/stewart-memorial-fountain-vandalised.html

King's Theatre to Glasgow Cathedral: a November Walk

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/12/kings-theatre-to-glasgow-cathedral.html

Lobey Dosser day

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/06/lobey-dosser-day.html

Charles Rennie Mackintosh

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/charles-rennie-mackintosh.html

Maryhill

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/06/maryhill-is-large-area-pop-over-50000.html

Mela 2008

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/mela.html

Mela 2010

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/06/mela-2010.html

Necropolis

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/necropolis.html

Paddy's Market: the Last Day

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/paddys-market-last-day.html

Queen's Cross and Firhill

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/queens-cross-and-firhill.html

Red Road Flats

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/red-road-flats.html

Red Road Flats 2

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/red-road-flats-part-2.html

Red Road Flats 3

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/red-road-flats-part-3.html

Ruchill Park

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/ruchill-park.html

Saltmarket

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/saltmarket.html

Save Otago Lane 16 October 2010

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/save-otago-lane-16-october-2010.html

St Enoch Centre

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/st-enoch-centre.html

Sighthill Stone Circle

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/sighthill-stone-circle.html

Sighthill Summer Solstice 2010

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/06/sighthill-summer-solstice-2010.html

Sighthill Towers Before the Fall

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/sighthill-towers-before-fall.html

Sighthill Towers After the Fall

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/sighthill-towers-after-fall.html

Single Parent: Trials of an Extra part 2

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/single-parent.html

Springburn

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/springburn.html

Swingergate Day 2: Tommy and Gail Sheridan on Trial

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/swingergate-day-2-tommy-and-gail.html

Swingergate Day 11: 'How's He No' Gettin' Drapped Aff?'

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/swingergate-part-2-hows-he-no-gettin.html

Swingergate Day 28: A Large Pinch of Salt

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/11/swingergate-day-28-large-pinch-of-salt.html

Swingergate Day 37: Andy Coulson doesn't slip up

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/12/swingergate-day-37-andy-coulson-doesnt.html

Swingergate Day 45: Waiting for the Verdict

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/12/swingergate-day-45-waiting-for-verdict.html

Swingergate Day 46: the Last Day

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/12/swingergate-day-46-last-day.html

Swingergate: Sentenced

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/02/swingergate-sentenced.html

Taggart: Trials of an Extra part 1

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/02/taggart.html

Tommy Burns Tribute

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/07/tommy-burns-tribute-16-may-2009.html

Alexander Greek Thomson

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/05/alexander-greek-thomson.html

Townhead to Duke St St to George S

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/10/townhead-to-duke-st-to-george-square.html

Welcome to Glasgow: the Dalmarnock Rd

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/09/welcome-to-glasgow-dalmarnock-road.html

Welcome to Glasgow 2: the Yoker Rd

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/11/welcome-to-glasgow-2-yoker-rd.html

We're Not being paid Enough For This: Trials of an Extra Part 2

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/08/were-not-being-paid-enough-for-this.html

West End Festival 2010

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/07/west-end-festival-june-2010.html

Woodlands

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/woodlands.html

Woodside

http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2010/03/woodside-st-georges-cross.html