Wednesday 6 March 2013

Govan 2: from Ibrox Underground via McTear's to Govan Underground


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 a  list of all posts see the  'Introduction' post  -


 Feel free to drop me an email with suggestions, offers of £20 notes etc. The address is damnyouebay@gmail.com. I have had to start watermarking the pics as I have come across one big website using a pic without permission - I suppose there must be others.

If you are a private individual and want to use any of the pics for non-commercial purposes please get in  touch and I will usually be happy to say 'Aye' for free - just give the Album a credit. If you want to use a pic for commercial purposes a small mutually agreed fee and a credit will suffice.

Today is Tuesday, 12 February 2013 and we are heading to McTear's auction house in Meiklewood Rd to pick up a George Wyllie paining we have bought. Meiklewood Rd is not easy to get to for those of us without cars (a not uncommon transport issue in Glasgow) so we are going to take the underground  to Ibrox and walk there. For more on Govan see

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



Glasgow Rangers 1: the Ibrox Park Triangle, from Cessnock to Ibrox to Govan http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/glasgow-rangers-1-ibrox-park-triangle.html
 Glasgow Rangers 2: the 50,000 sellout match
http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.co.uk/2012_02_01_archive.html




Emerging onto Copland Rd from Ibrox Underground

Louden Tavern. Looks neater than it was last vistit. See 
http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.co.uk/2012_02_01_archive.html

We're going to head this way along Copland Rd

Looking back



Moving on. We like that block on the corner


Now in Summertown Rd - Govan Burgh hall down there



We turn left up here (Clynder Street I think)

Some open ground


We are heading for Woodville St in front of the multistories






Govan is a site of old - very old - pre-Columban Christian traditions, maybe going back to the Roman era

For Govan's listed buildings see 


And see  





Now in Woodville St














Heading through the delightfully named Woodville Park












We come again to the Woodville Arms on Broomloan Rd




As mentioned before, this is possibly the least inviting bench in Glasgow










Part Worn Tyres


Heading down Broomloan Rd


Would be nice if there were a sign the other side saying 'INSIDE'


















Ibrox Stadium coming into view on right


Ibrox Business Park








Where Winners Eat.  Tell that to the dieticians
Not Michael Winners either. Wonder how he would have reviewed it










We are now in Edmiston Drive


We stop to take a few pics of Ibrox










Events








We are heading straight on, following Edmiston Drive






Emergency Cash Service. A growth market these days




The Wee Rangers Club over there




Pressing on


Looking back






Clyde cranes in the distance


























Let's cross over






Let's look through the bars


Busy - good


Cranes again


We shall pass on the steps - too much to do




You need a hyphen between 'High' and 'Quality' guys


Europe and Scotland Making it work together. But the EU pork barrel looks pretty empty these days






Ma feet are fair killin' me










Scotland Yard Truck wash










Pit Stop Tyres


Let's cross the road here




Craigton Rd; interesting wee block of a building




Crossing Craigton Rd










Bottom wash costs more. We are in a Benny Hill sketch










Drumoyne Rd; Edmiston Drive has become Shieldhall Rd somewhere about here








BetFred




We like this Greggs building




We're going to cross over to look at the derelict school


















The school is (was) Drumoyne Primary. 




































Future Skills in the distance




Balbeg St; we're heading down here












Swinging right into Meiklewood Road






Up the steps




Inside McTear's - officially the best auction house in Britain and you can see why. Great staff. And you are certain of a warm welcome, unlike the Bargain Hunt regular venue Great Western Auctions, where you are not always certain of a warm welcome (we didn't get one - they have someone checking out seller's stuff who is not front-of-house material). McTear's site is 










Lovely stuff






Their splendid cafe is down there on the right






That bulbous object in the painting second from left looks like it may be a Holbein perspective trick (as in 'The Ambassadors') but I think it is a Jack Vettriano arse. Big on arses is Vettriano. Some say he is the greatest living Scottish artist. I say what a cheek.


We have our painting in a McTear's bag and we're heading back the way we came into Meiklewood Rd - let's  do a diversion and head round there




Come out here, into what I think is Drumoyne Rd






Looking back






Back onto Shieldhall Rd




Ah - we're going where that sign says we should go


Looking back along Shieldhall Rd


Looking west


We are heading up Mallaig Rd there, where that car is coming down


In Mallaig Rd


A hill to climb








Church of the Nazarene










Govan High School coming into view on right






















Coming up to Pirie Park; guy walking dog ahead


'She's a nippy sweetie' says owner


A fallen cross








We go out through here








Out onto Langlands Rd






The lane we came out of




We are walking right - up there in distance. . .


. . .is Clyde Tunnel. We'll have a look in there in a minute










Learn to drive
















The cranes again


Now into Elder Park






For the history of Elder Park see




















Play Area












Linthouse Convenience Store














The sad state of the Linthouse Portico. See

http://www.derelictglasgow.co.uk/derelict.elderpark.html

and

http://www.theglasgowstory.com/image.php?inum=TGSB00295








See also 


From the above link -

Elder Park, remnant of Linthouse Mansion, c.1825, style of David Hamilton
Ionic portico, pair curved flights of steps, segmental-arched doorway, fanlight, parts of flank walls. Re-sited 1921, when Mansion demolished. Cottage, vernacular survivor, converted as park amenity.


Taken from "Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Sam Small, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk
























The farmhouse building here dates from c. 1850  and is supposedly to be restored as part of a regeneration plan. See
































The Pond






















Just noticed while posting that the trees are hung with decoarations of some kind
















Ah, our old friend BAE. For an encounter with some over-enthusiastic BAE security guards on the other side of the Clyde in South St (and how the head of BAE resolved it) see 
South Street to Thornwood: an 'X'-Listed' walk in which we encounter the Secret State http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.com/2011/07/south-street-to-thornwood-x-listed-walk.html
Update to South Street Walk


We are now in Govan Rd






















We'll be heading into Govan shortly, but first we'll take  a keek at the Clyde Tunnel round the corner






We won't be doing that western stretch of Govan Rd  today 


Interesting looking shop front






Down here for the Clyde Tunnel


You get in by pressing button on left






For what the northern entrance to the tunnel  looks like, see South St link above
















Quite spooky with no one else about










Let's get out














Reform Club




We do like that shop front








Pressing on




Look back in Park at pond










Pressing on


















Rusted Euro blurb




Ach we have to go down and visit Sir John Elder




Memorial








For this 1888 statue of Sir John Elder see





Elder Park Library, there opened by Andrew Carnegie in 1903. See


From the above link -

'Elder Park Library, set within the grounds of Elder Park, was donated to the people of Govan by Mrs Isabella Elder, nĆ©e Ure (1828–1905), philanthropist and champion of women’s education, in memory of her shipbuilder husband John Elder, who died in 1869. There are statues of the couple in the park by the sculptors Sir J. E. Boehm (1888) and Archibald Shannan (1906). The Library was designed and built by the renowned architect John James Burnett at the cost of £27,000 and was opened in September 1903 by Andrew Carnegie.'


Taken from "Greater Glasgow: An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Sam Small, 2008. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk'


Incidentally, that BBC 'your paintings' site is enthralling.


Heading back










Pressing on






'Attractive. Vibrant. Prosperous.'
















Fairfield Shipyard Offices






A keek inside








Not sure of the symbolism here. Are the birds cranes? Fair enough,  I like puns, but why are they sitting on what looks like a scorpion?










Pressing on






















































African shop


Polish shop


Poster for Romanian bank bottom right








We are passing the Lyceum here -






Looking back


The magnificent Lyceum cinema, once one of Britain's great cinemas -


The building is B listed and is of course at risk. See


From the above  link -


'Streamlined International Modern suburban super-cinema, converted to bingo hall and cinema 1974, and closed 2006. Strikingly positioned to fully exploit corner site with coloured brick faience and glass faƧade fronting circular foyer with void behind. Wide curved corner entrance with 5 broad doors and decorative tile banding under full-width cantilevered canopy giving way to 5 tall, back-lit, Cristol glass-block windows divided by sky-blue terracotta-tiled, reinforced concrete mullions (now, 2008, covered with banner) and surmounted by further canopy.'


And always at risk from one of Glasgow's many fires that have taken down so many 'inconvenient' buildings. See

Tradeston 3: a Walk among Inconvenient Buildings















Looking back


The Govan old parish church, with amazing ancient works inside


We are now linking up with previous Govan walks (see top of post for links)


























Riverside Museum just visible over the Clyde






Looking back










Govan Underground and Bus Station






Previous Govan / Ibrox walks began and ended here (again, see top for links)


McTear's bag. . .


And our George Wyllie painting, 'The Drunken Boat - a quatrain from Rimbaud and George's Paper Boat. See  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20184845



Thank you for browsing, dear visitor. My other wee blogs are

http://parkeddogs.blogspot.com/

http://buddhasblackdog.blogspot.com/

Reviews of Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know


RADIO AND TELEVISON

'I love it - I'm giving this copy to a friend and buying another for myself' - Darren Adam, Presenter, Radio Forth, 17 November 2008

‘It’s a great wee book’ – Stephen Jardine, introducing Edwin Moore on Scottish Television’s Five-Thirty Show

'A fantastic book' - Scott Wilson , talk 107 Breakfast Show host

'A great read' - Dougie Jackson, Drivetime host, Smooth Radio 105.2

THE PRESS

'Despite its apparently humorous format, this is a serious and extensive dictionary on all things Scottish; from Jean Redpath to Lorne sausage, from Flodden to the Corries. Is particularly good on history and minutiae. There's a useful chapter on famous Scottish legal cases and another on literature. Excellent' - Royal Scottish Legion, Feb 2009

'This is the ultimate Scottish reference book' - Waterstones Christmas catalogue, 2008

'This is a fascinating look at the history of Scotland: its languages, politics and great achievements, from its origins in the ancient landmass of Laurentia 400 million years ago, to devolution and Billy Connolly. Edwin Moore has collected a thousand important facts about this beautiful country, covering Scottish history and culture, correcting misconceptions, and examining the mysteries of haggis and bagpipes with insight, warmth and impressive attention to detail' - The Good Book Guide, November 2008


'This is a recipe for revealing how horribly ill informed you are about your country. Although, if you are skillful, you can nod sagely as you read some new fact and mutter 'Ah, yes!' as if recalling the information from your excellent schooling. Where else will you find a real recipe for making haggis from scratch side by side with a potted biography of David Hume; a section of the Declaration of Arbroath and the curiously touching fact that Lulu was only 15 when she had a hit with 'Shout'? The whole thing is of course, silly - but oh so addictive.' - Matthew Perren, i-on Glasgow, December 2008


'. . . well crafted and witty' - Bill Howatson, Aberdeen Press and Journal, 18 October 2008


‘While most of Edwin’s entries are entertaining and scholarly – he writes like a Scottish Bill Bryson – it is when he takes an interest in the backwaters of history, the details lost down the back of the sofa, that he is at his best’ – Jack McKeown, The Courier, 27 October 2008


'History, it is said, is written by the victors. Trivia, meanwhile, is written by the guys with the smeared spectacles and the breathable rainwear. The first discipline is linear and causal; to quote from Alan Bennett’s play The History Boys, history is “just one f****** thing after another”. Things look different, though, when viewed through the prism of trivia. The past is reduced to one big coleslaw of fascinating facts that in their randomness tell a more mixed-up tale entirely.
The first approach leads to big, frowning books by the likes of Tom Devine and Michael Fry. The latter results in small, cheerful books such as Scotland: 1,000 Things You Need to Know, Edwin Moore’s valiant attempt to navigate the more trivial contours of enlightenment and clearances, crown and parliament, dirt and deity.
Moore proceeds from a sincere and controversial first principle: Scotland is really a rather pleasant and interesting place. . .As a work of popular scholarship, though, it’s in a different league to the Scottish novelty titles that get stocked next to the bookstore tills as potential impulse purchases, those little handbooks of parliamo Caledonia and regional braggadocio, such as Weegies vs Edinbuggers.' - Allan Brown The Sunday Times, 21 September 2008

'In his book, Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know, Edwin celebrates all that sets us Scots as a race apart - our language, law, flora, food, and of course, our people. From our poets, architects and inventors, to our artists, entertainers and fighters. But he doesn't shy away from the more unpleasant aspects of our history. . .' - Robert Wight, Sunday Post, 14 September 2008

‘We think we know all about William Wallace, Robert the Bruce and the Union of the Crowms. However, according to Edwin Moore, author of , Scotland: 1000 Things You Need to Know, we’re still in the dark about many aspects of our history and culture. . . The Big Issue looks at 20 of the most astonishing examples of secret Scotland.’ – The Big Issue, 18-24 September 2008

'What's the connection between Homer Simpson and Larbert, and why are generations of lawyers grateful to a Paisley snail? Need to know more? Author Edwin Moore has gathered 1000 facts like these about Scotland in a quirky new book. Brian Swanson selects a few favourites. . .' - Scottish Daily Express, 13 September 2008

'The palm for Christmas-stocking books seems to have passed recently to popular science, with best selling titles every year such as Why Don’t Penguins’ Feet Freeze? This year there has been a gallant attempt at a historical fight back. Scotland: 1,000 Things You Need to Know(Atlantic Books, £12.99) asks (and answers) such post-turkey questions as ‘How many kings of Scotland died in their beds?’, ‘Who on earth decided that the Declaration of Arbroath was the cornerstone of modern democracy?’ or ‘Why is iron brew spelled Irn-Bru?’ Mark Mazower,History Today; The Best of History in 2008, December 2008

'A real treat for the serendipitous Scotophile' - Reginald Hill

FROM THE INTERWEB


www.Booksfromscotland.com (on the new paperback edition)
Book of the Month, May 2010
'Whether it's Scottish lochs or Enlightenment philosophers, the facts of the devolution referendums or the mysteries of Irn-Bru, myths will be debunked and truths revealed in this light-hearted but rigorous overview of Scottish history and culture.'


Also available for download on Amazon's e-book store is my 100 Brief Encounters (only £3.06!)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/100-Brief-Encounters-ebook/dp/B006CQ8G84/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1322393003&sr=1-1

Here are some reviews of the print edition (published by  Chambers in 2007) -


Edwin Moore's quirky collection of a hundred encounters between (mostly) important historical figures is a gem of a book. Where else could you get concise enlightening accounts of Henry VIII wrestling with Francis I, Geronimo surrendering to General Miles, Ernest Hemingway presenting Fidle Castro with a fishing trophy or (as seen on the books cover) a baby faced Bill Clinton shaking hands with John F Kennedy. A marvelous 'little window on human history. ' - Dominic Kennerk, Waterstone's Product Planning and Promotions Co-ordinator (From the Waterstone's 'We Recommend' list for 2008)


Witty, light and packed with information -- The Sunday Herald


In 1936, in the wake of winning a clutch of gold medals at the Berlin Olympics, the great athlete Jesse Owens was snubbed by an imperious leader, on racial grounds. Popular belief would have it that the leader was Hitler, who is said to have stormed off, furious to see a black man beating European athletes. In fact the man in question was President Roosevelt, who worried that paying attention to Owens' triumphs might be a vote loser. Although Owens and the German Chancellor never talked, Owens claimed that Hitler greeted him with an enthusiastic wave. Such near-misses, shakings of hands and ships-in-the-night meetings are the subject of Brief Encounters – Meetings between mostly remarkable people, a likeable new book by Edwin Moore (Chambers £7.99). Flicking through the index, you will find some expected encounters (Dante stares at Beatrice, Corday stabs Marat, The Beatles strum along to a Charlie Rich record round at Elvis's house), and the book's intriguing and memorable cover shows a baby-faced Bill Clinton manfully gripping the hand of JFK. But Moore has navigated past some of the more obvious collisions, collusions and confrontations of history (there is no Dr Livingstone, I presume) and much of the book's pleasure derives from lesser known incidents.

Inevitably, some of the accounts of earlier meetings are somewhat sketchy but Moore offers some piquant speculation, laced with humour (the book is tagged Reference / Humour, rather than History and this feels right, but the book, though wry and opinionated, never stoops to wackiness). I was intrigued to discover that, though Attila the Hun did die on his wedding night, it was not in drunken and lecherous debauchery, as his enemies maintained, but supposedly because he was generally a simple and clean-living man who had a few too many which brought on a particularly bad nosebleed.

Moore's book is full of such tales – it would be wrong of me to steal the tastiest morsels of his research and pepper this article with them, but look out for a subsidiary reason for the Gunpowder Plot (too many dour and powerful Scots in Parliament); a great meeting of great beards, as Castro wins the Hemingway prize for sea-fishing; Dali bringing a skeptical Freud round to the art of the surrealists; Buffalo Bill's wife claiming an aged Queen Victoria had propositioned him; Oscar Wilde getting a kiss from Walt Whitman, while Walter Scott was more taken with Burns's charismatic eyes. This is an enjoyable and vigorous rattle through some fascinating and believable yarns. My only quibble is that it's a little on the short side – let's have Volume 2 please Chambers! - Roddy Lumsden, www.Books from Scotland.com

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