AN ACT DEFINING ANDERSTON
There is evidence that some of the residents of Taylor’s Land (Bishop Street) felt isolated from the Anderston community. So, at a meeting of the Anderston Weavers’ Society, held during May 1760, the boundaries of Anderston were clarified. The following is an extract from the minutes as they were recorded.

1st August 1760
The oversman Master and other members of the Societe having made an act at their
Quarterly meeting in May last anent what is reckoned to be Anderstoun, They, to
prevent reflexions, Did refer the same to the General meeting this day to give their
voice thereanent, which act being this day read and the question stated Insert or not
Insert, it carried unanimously nemine Contradicente Insert, And Accordingly Appointed
a clerk to Insert it in this Book (Minute Book) as a Standing Act the tenor whereof is as
follows. At Anderstoun the second day of May One thousand seven hundred and sixty
years, The Oversman Masters and other Members of this Community being met and
Considering that there is an act Confining the Box belonging to this Community to the
Town of Anderstoun, By which act those who dwell in the houses built upon the Taylors
land think themselves in a manner prejudged from being reckoned inhabitants of
Anderstoun, therefore, to cut off all dispute for the time to come concerning what is to be
reckoned the Town of Anderstoun, They have Enacted and hereby Do Enact, That all built
and that shall be built contiguous to said Town, either Eastward or Westward in form of
one continued Village shall be reckoned and acknowledged by this Community the Town
of Anderstoun; Ay and while it Extend or join to any other Village heretofore built. And that
all persons dwelling within the Bound thereof and Entered with this Community shall be
Entituled to all Claims and privileges belonging to this Community as dwellers in Anderstoun
(sigd) Jo. Maltman Clk.

ANDERSTON WALK
During the early eighteenth century Anderston Walk (Argyle Street) was little more than a rough country track lined on either side by trees and hedgerows. Writing in 1769 the Glasgow historian, Aird, records that “Anderston Walk was a badly maintained path about five feet wide”. This particular thoroughfare featured in Sir Walter Scott's novel 'Heart of Midlothian' where he refers to Madge Wildfire, or Feckless Fannie, as having met her death here. The novel reads in part:

"She proceeded to Glasgow, and while passing through that city a crowd of
idle boys, attracted by her singular appearance, together with so many sheep
obeying her command, began to torment her with pranks, till she became so
irritated that she pelted them with bricks and stones, which they returned in
such a manner, that she was actually stoned to death between Glasgow and Anderston"

The Late 1700’s
As the community grew so did the need for spiritual welfare, accordingly, in 1770 the first church in Anderston was established. A number of years later, in 1776, Patrick Colquhoun established a Glass Works at Finnieston, which he called the 'Verreville'. Originally intended for the production of fine glass products, the company in later years successfully branched-out into manufacturing high quality china. The Glassworks provided a welcome diversification to the weaving, rope-making, pottery and brewing industries that were already well established within the locality. In the years following the opening of the first church, the city and village began stretching steadily towards each other. The fact that Anderston still managed to maintain a rural ambience is confirmed when, in 1785, a Day of Harvest Thanksgiving was appointed. The Session of Anderston Relief Church are on record as  noting that a great proportion of the congregation could not possibly be expected to observe such a day in the midst of gathering harvest. Even as late as 1790, what eventually became Argyle Street, was still a narrow country road lined by trees, hedges, sheep-runs and market gardens.

Beware of the Cow!
The pastoral environment of the area is further confirmed by an item in The Glasgow Courier of 8th October 1795 which reports, ‘A mischievous cow is now pasturing on the banks of the Clyde, nearly opposite the Anderston Brewery. On Sunday evening last, it attacked and nearly gored a lady who was walking along the riverside; and a servant maid, with a child in her arms, has been since  also very much hurt’.

THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
France declared war on Britain in 1793 and so real was the threat of French invasion, that throughout the country regiments of local militia were raised for defence. The men of Anderston rallied to the Colours and, in 1803, the Anderston Volunteers, under the command of Colonel John Geddes, proprietor of the Verreville Glass Works, were born.

At the dawning of the nineteenth century the majority of families in Anderston were wholly dependent on the fluctuating fortunes of the textile industry. An important diversification from the traditional light industries was introduced in 1818 when John Barclay established a shipyard on the Clyde at Finnieston, close to the site currently occupied by the Moat House Hotel. Within a few years iron foundries and heavy engineering works were offering employment opportunities and security away from the unpredictable textile business. The pleasant rural weaving community of the early 1800’s was gradually, but surely, being transformed into an industrial town.

During the early part of the nineteenth century the Clyde at Anderston was still easily fordable at low tide. The only dock was at the Broomielaw until 1814, when a quay was built at Anderston, followed by quays at Hydepark in 1840, and Lancefield four years later. Quays were also established at Finnieston in 1848 and at Stobcross during the 1860’s.

CRANSTONHILL
The Estate of Stobcross included the Lands of Cranstonhill, an area bounded by Main Street and Stobcross Street. Cranstonhill was feued to William Baird, who later passed the property onto Walter Logan and Richard Gillespie. At the beginning of the 1800’s part of Cranstonhill was sold to Henry Houldsworth, a prominent merchant, who would one day hold office as Provost of Anderston.

Situated near the highest geographical point of Anderston, the small Estate of Cranstonhill comprised of a mansion-house complete with gardens and orchards. The serenity of the location, overlooking the whole of Stobcross, was about to change with the inauguration of 'The Cranstonhill Waterworks' in May 1808. Two large reservoirs were constructed on the crest of the hill, above the mansion, into which water was pumped directly from the Clyde. The water was then distributed via a network of underground pipes to wells strategically located throughout the community.

The mansion-house of Cranstonhill was demolished when the Estate was sold to developers in 1857. The two reservoirs were filled-in and work began on erecting tenement properties and factories on the former estate. According to some historians Cranstonhill was at one time called 'Drumover Hill'. The theory offered is that undesirables who were banished from Glasgow would be escorted from the city by the Town Drummer, beating out the 'Rogue's March' along the way. Upon reaching Cranstonhill, the officials would see the miscreant safely beyond the city limits. This explanation seems highly improbable. It is more likely that any reprobate would be removed via the Gallowgate, what better impression to leave on an undesirable than a view of the gallows? As Anderston was well beyond the city limits, a more likely explanation of 'Drumover Hill' might derive from the Gaelic, 'Druim Odhar' meaning 'grey hill' or 'ridge'.

No mention of Cranstonhill would be complete without reference to 'Peden the Prophet'. Alexander Peden was a Covenanter, who foretold that Cranstonhill would one day be the centre of Glasgow. It is interesting to consider that at the time Peden lived, the surrounding area was still rural countryside and Anderston did not yet exist. In 1856 a tenement building was erected on the corner  of Argyle Street and Elderslie Street bearing the inscription PEDEN CROSS. A bust of Peden, adorning the corner-face of the building, was placed above the top storey window.

THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS 1720-1820
At the beginning of the eighteenth century the Lands of Stobcross comprised mainly of wide-open pleasant countryside. Other than a number of small farms dotted around the locality, the most prominent building was the mansion of Stobcross, dating from the mid- 1600’s. As more and more land was feued and houses were built, the environment gradually, but inevitably changed. At first weaving was the staple industry, followed by pottery, then glass and rope manufacturer. By the latter half of the eighteenth century Anderston had become one of Glasgow's most important suburbs, but the cost of progress exacted a heavy toll. The village of the early 1700's, situated in the open country to the west of Parson's Haugh, had by the turn of the nineteenth century been transformed into an industrial town.

The average person worked a seventy-hour week. Wages were low, as was the cost of living. Dwellings had no running water, where toilets did exist families from the surrounding dwellings often shared the facility. There were few amusements, mainly because people had neither the time nor the money to spend. Even though books were expensive and schooling was limited, the average weaver was educated and well informed. Between the years 1789-1800 crop failures brought famine to the area and local churches responded to the emergency by setting up groups to help the poor.

Between 1790 and 1800 the population of Anderston was around 4,000 souls. The inhabitants were predominantly Scots, who spoke broad Scots. The villagers were mainly honest hard working people who observed and held the Sabbath in reverence. However, change was on the horizon. The minister of the Barony Parish, Rev. John Burns, writing in 1794, records, "The general character of the people, as yet, is that of sobriety and industry, though, from the great increase of wealth, and the number of public-houses for retailing spirituous liquors, the intemperance, with its long term of evils, is becoming more prevalent than formerly among the labouring people".

A number of schools were established in Anderston during the early 1800’s, but some of the ventures failed due to lack of finance.In the years that followed local churches established schools throughout the district. Prior to the 1840's less than fifty percent of children in the area attended school. Children enrolled at five years of age and continued until the age of ten or eleven. On leaving school many juveniles went to work in factories, with only a few fortunate enough to secure a trade apprenticeship.

At the beginning of the 1800's an unknown composer wrote the hauntingly beautiful song 'The Bleacher Lassie o' Kelvinhaugh'. The woman featured in the song was employed at the mill of R.S. Cochrane, in Bishop Street. Anyone with an interest might still be able to find a version of the song by Robin Hall & Jimmy MacGregor on a recording of ‘Glasgow Street Songs’.