Thursday 30 May 2013

Kinning Park and Govan and Tradeston: the Loyalist Borderlands

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 Sunday, 5 May 2013 and we are havibg a daunder round bits of Kinning Park and Govan, and the bounds of Tradeston, linking up with previous walks along the way.



Portman Street over there. . .

. . . this way for Stanley St. For previous trips round here see
Cessnock & Kinning Park 
http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.co.uk/2010/05/cessnock-kinning-park.html
Tradeston 2: the Co-op Funeral Parlour Fire


Stanley St coming up. Not much has happened since we were last here, except  of course more decay, most notably in the Gray Dunn building on the right










Let's have a look in Stanley St













The old Stanley St school gets more and more like a Gothic film set












The two broken windows make for a sad face

Brickwork underneath - made to last by men who cared







Heading out to Milnpark St now



















We are heading down Admiral St












Looking back











Now at Paisley Rd Toll. Was at an American Civil War themed wedding at the Grand Ole Opry many years ago. Great night.  See
http://www.glasgowsgrandoleopry.co.uk/history.htm





Looking down Paisley Rd, towards  town

Interesting door and lintel - 'Greek' Thomson in appearance






Like their Celtic-orientated counterparts down the Gallowgate, these Rangers-orientated pubs are welcoming to outsiders, but are essentially local pubs for local people
Looking down Seaward St. For a linked walk see
A Kingston Walk
http://glasgowalbum.blogspot.co.uk/2011/11/welcome-to-my-wee-photoblog-on-glasgow.html







The magnificent old Co-op building down at Tradeston. See
Tradeston 2: the Co-op Funeral Parlour Fire


Looking down at Springfield Quay


For a walk down Paisley Rd, see A Kingston Walk linked a few pics back





Crossing Seaward St again














Looking back down Admiral St




All Day and Every Day





For the much-loved Govan Angel, see the excellent summary here (quoted below) -

'The identity of the angel and its sculptor have long been forgotten and, consequently, have been the topics of much debate by locals and historians alike. In 2000, the nearby Angel Bar held a competition to find the most humorous name for the statue, whilst sculpture historians Gary Nisbet and Ray McKenzie at Glasgow School of Art agreed that James Alexander Ewing was the likely sculptor.
However, in 2004, Gary Nisbet, the author of the glasgowsculpture.com website, discovered the true identity of the statue, Commerce and Industry, buried in a lengthy account of the building's opening in an article published in the Govan Press newspaper, on 21st September 1889. Unfortunately, the article does not confirm the identity of the sculptor.'


Paisley Rd West




Govan Rd


Let's have a quick look back at the row of Loyalist pubs










We'll walk a wee way down Govan Rd







A cheery wave









Looking through to Paisley Rd West


Let's go through















We're going to walk down Paisley Rd West a bit




















The Squinty Bridge

Empty bottle of Buckfast. Oh dear









Union Jack over there

The Red Lion. An old pub. See
http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/redlionpaisley.html




Middlesex St












Let's pop over and look at the church







Kinning Park parish church













A memorial






Finnieston crane in distance
















We are now in Cessnock. see

Cessnock & Kinning Park 

Cessnock 2: a walk down (and round about) Clifford Lane
















Harvie St; we'll pop over there in a minute



Nice entrance







Union Jack in the water









Another stylish doorway


Un-stylish beer glass


To Let


Now in Harvie St









Welcome to Govan Initiative Area. See


From the above link:

'In 1986, Govan Initiative was established and, under the chairmanship of local councillor Ian Davidson, along with Chief Executive John Scally and his deputy Ron Culley, was charged with the responsibility for the economic regeneration of the Govan area. . .

. . .The Executive having been established, the Southside Business Club was formally launched by Alex Ferguson CBE, a true friend of Govan. . . 

n 1997, the then Executive committee, in a move calculated to expand membership numerically and geographically, decided, with the approval of Govan Initiative and the membership, to change the name of the Club from Southside Business Club  to Glasgow South Business Club.
Like any other organisation, the Club has had to deal with the effects of the peaks and troughs of the Scottish economy, which from time to time impacts on the Club membership and finances. Today, with the continued support of Jobs & Business Glasgow (formerly Govan Initiative then Glasgow South West Regeneration Agency, then GRA), the Club will continue to build on what’s gone before, producing a varied programme of  informal and structured networking and a quality of speaker and topic which each year seems to surpass the year before. . . '


Brand St






Louden Tavern: big Rangers pub




Govan Rd. For more on life along Govan Rd, see 
Govan 2: from Ibrox Underground via McTear's to Govan Underground


Festival Park opposite




Clyde House






We're heading over there to Lorne St













Looking back

Lorne St Orange Hall









Jack of Diamonds









Back in Paisley Rd West.  For a walk from Cessnock to Craigton Cemetery see

Craigton Cemetery








RFC


Heading back up to Portman St now











Mariners Wynd




Heading down Middlesex St now









Crossing Milnpark St again








Wonder World. See
http://wonderworldsoftplay.co.uk/find-us-2/
This is all part of the Glasgow Activity Zone. See







Going to head down Portman St now past the old News International building
















Oh let's look in the foyer again


Withered plant of some kind inside


Our Lady and St Margaret. See
http://www.scottishchurches.org.uk/sites/site/id/7015/name/Our+Lady+and+St+Margaret+Glasgow+Strathclyde






The excellent Climbing Academy. See


Stanley St over there

Looking back down Portman St



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



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