Part One

Around the turn of the 1900's, Simon Woolfson, a White-Russian immigrant from Bialystock arrived in Glasgow. He opened a shop on Stobcross Street, where he began selling furniture. Woolfson’s son built a multi-million pound empire and was eventually knighted. Sir Isaac Woolfson was a great benefactor towards deserving causes. He gifted the Estate of Woolfson Hall to the University of Glasgow  and, in May 1971, in recognition of his generosity to the City of Glasgow, he was granted the Freedom of the City.

During the 'Trades Holiday' a procession of carts and lorries representing the various local businesses toured the district, led by local BB bands. Trade merchants took horses to be re-shod, or their carts for repair, to the blacksmith shop that stood in Shaftesbury Street. A number of 'trace-horse' were stationed at the blacksmith's stables and upon sighting a tramcar, the 'trace-boys' would gallop the horses down Main Street, hitch their steed to the tram, and help draw the vehicle up the long slow gradient of Cranstonhill.

Cattle unloaded from the 'Irish boat' were driven up Hydepark Street and then along Main Street on their way to the slaughterhouse. It was not uncommon for those ill-fated animals to make a desperate bid for freedom. Some ran up tenement closes, others into backcourts and some even managed to get into shops, causing all sorts of chaos!

THE GIRLS' GUILDRY
The new century saw the birth of the once well-known sister movement to The Boys' Brigade - The Girls' Guildry. Dr. William Somerville, son of the minister of Anderston Free Church, was something of a pioneer in X-Ray technology being the first Radiologist appointed to the Western Infirmary. Dr. Somerville, who, in his spare time was Captain of the 28th Glasgow BB Company, was approached to organise a girl’s organisation along similar lines to that of the BB. One February evening in 1900, two-dozen girls attended the inaugural meeting of the 'Guildry'. The concept of the organisation was readily welcomed and before long, new 'Guildry' companies were formed throughout Scotland. The founders chose for their emblem a 'Lamp' taken from the Biblical story of the 'Wise Virgins'. Based on the emblem, it was only natural that the motto of the organisation should be "Wise unto that which is good".

Towards the end of the 1960's the 'Guildry' united with The Girl's Brigade and The Girls' Life Brigade, organisations that held similar aims. The reorganised movement became The Girls' Brigade, whose worldwide object is "To help Girls become follower's of Christ". Unfortunately, due to lack of leaders The Girl's Brigade presence in Anderston came to an end in 2002.

ANDERSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY
The first Public Library in Anderston, which stood on the west side of McIntyre Street, was opened on 21st December 1904. Included within the facilities of the fine ornate building was a lending library and reading room on the ground floor, with a children's department on the upper level. As part of the Comprehensive Redevelopment Plan the Library was closed in 1969 and demolished the following year. The Anderston Lending Library is now housed within the Mitchell Library.

CHARACTERS 1900-30
Each Monday evening a black doctor would stand at the gushet of Cranston Street and Main Street selling medicine for a cough, a cold, or as a blood purifier. For sixpence (2.5p) he would painlessly remove a troublesome tooth, or a corn, with his thumb and index finger. A man with a dancing bear regularly toured the streets. There was also the inevitable man with a barrel organ and monkey. As part of the entertainment the primate would climb the drainpipes to the top storeys, rap on a window and hopefully return with coins in its mouth.

Two men who dressed in heavy coats, sailor caps and played a 'Hurdy-gurdy' (a small box-organ on a long pole) were known as the 'Dry Land Sailors'. The point of interest is, each man had an arm missing, so they took turns at holding the instrument while the other cranked the handle to generate sound. Street-singers were in abundance, each operating within his ‘own area’. One man in particular, who toured 'Wee Hill Street’ (Guest Street), specialised in Scots songs. He toured his patch at the same time every morning and was so punctual that when children heard him, they knew that it was time to leave for school.

TROUBLED TIMES
The outbreak of war in 1914 saw thousands of Glasgow men volunteer for military service. Among the most popular regiments raised in Glasgow was the city's own Highland Light Infantry (HLI). Perhaps the best known Battalions of the HLI were the 15th 'The Tramways Battalion' recruited from the city's Transport Department, and the 16th, 'The Boys' Brigade Battalion' formed from ex-members of the BB. The HLI were considered to be among the toughest of the allied forces. Of course, the HLI was not the only regiment to recruit in Glasgow other branches of the service included the Royal Navy, the Cameronians, Black Watch, Argyll's and many others. World War One exacted a heavy toll on the men and women of Glasgow. The city lost a greater proportion of men killed in the trenches of France than did any other part of Britain. When the Great War finally drew to an end in November 1918, many of the troops returned home nly to be faced with the grim prospect of unemployment and hardship.

On the 31st January 1919, a few months after the cessation of hostilities, a public meeting was held in George Square. The Square was crowded with workers and unemployed men hoping to learn of the government’s response to rising unemployment, high rents and poor housing. Due to the huge numbers attending the meeting traffic soon became clogged. Police, trying to clear a pathway, clashed with a section of the crowd. Police officers drew their batons, blows were exchanged and before long a large-scale riot threatened. Around sixty people were injured during the fracas and several arrests made. Among those arrested were Willie Gallagher and Mannie Shinwell, both of whom, in later years, became prominent public figures. In an attempt to quell the situation the ‘Riot Act' was read. Perhaps unnerved by the revolution that had changed the face of Russia a few years earlier and, fearful that revolt and civil riot was imminent, armed soldiers and tanks were summoned to occupy and safeguard the city centre.

Quarantine Measures
During the early 1920’s Richard Street was closed-off when an epidemic of Lascar Fever, a condition similar to typhus, was reported. The residents of Richard Street were confined to their homes and, to ensure complete isolation, a cordon was placed around the area. Troops were stationed at the Elderslie and North Street entrances to Richard Street to enforce the quarantine. It is thought sailors from the West Indies who had been lodging in the area introduced the epidemic. Not long after the outbreak had abated the tightly packed tenement properties in Richard Street were demolished.

Unemployment
The 1920-30's were years of uncertainty and soaring unemployment. A practical response to local unemployment was instigated in 1932 when a ‘Work Club’ for unemployed men was opened at 168 Stobcross Street. A nominal weekly subscription of one penny provided members with access to materials that enabled them to carryout jobs for themselves and their friends. Not only did the scheme give the unemployed something to focus on, it also helped ensure that skills were kept sharp until such times as employment prospects improved.

It is a true saying "The devil makes work for idle hands" and that is exactly what happened in a number of instances. Groups of young men, formed into gangs, roamed the streets looking for mischief. Like most areas, Anderston was not exempt from trouble. Perhaps it was through boredom and frustration that the gangs found it necessary to confront each other. In common with many other areas, Anderston always enjoyed a strong sense of identity. Perhaps this was partly due to families living in close proximity. It was not uncommon to have family members living up the same close. Of course, this meant that when bother broke out, local residents usually knew which gang members were responsible. Accordingly, any ‘gang trouble’ was usually confined and kept to a minimum. Ordinary people could wander the streets unmolested, any violence to be had was only meted-out to rival gang members. Whilst there were the well-known troublemakers, there were also those who organised healthy social activities such as, cycling and camping. During this worrying period the voluntary youth organisations, often under very difficult circumstances, did a sterling job in offering activities designed to keep young people out of trouble.

ROYAL VISIT
It had been raining on 5th March 1936, when King Edward VIII decided to pay a surprise visit to Anderston. The King had been on a scheduled visit to Clydebank to inspect progress on the passenger liner the 'Queen Mary'. The Royal party moved on to Knightswood to view a new housing development after which, they made an unscheduled visit to Anderston. The King and the Lord Provost, John Stewart, were escorted to the close at number 4 Crieff Court, where they visited eight homes. It is recorded that the King was so  mpressed by the cleanliness of each house, that he congratulated the housewives on maintaining such high standards in what were obviously difficult circumstances. As the Royal party ascended the tenement stairs, the King enquired what the small rooms situated on the half-landings were. He was informed that they were communal toilets, shared by the residents of each landing. The king was taken aback, responding, "Must everyone use that?" Many of the houses visited by the King that day were 'ticketed' in an attempt to stop overcrowding. Small round, or oval, metal plates were affixed to the outside door of each dwelling, detailing the maximum number of people officially allowed to be resident therein.

Entry to Crieff Court was through a Pend on Argyle Street. The sky was overcast, it had been raining and there were puddles filling the uneven cobbled street. Hemmed-in by dark gloomy tenements Crieff Court must have made a depressing picture that day. Word quickly spread that Royalty had arrived and by the time the King was ready to depart, a large crowd had gathered to cheer him off.

STORM CLOUDS AGAIN
Following the declaration of war on Germany in 1939, mobilisation and preparations for the coming conflict led to full employment. Local engineering firms such as Harland & Wolff’s Lancefield Works began manufacturing materials for the war effort. Carlaw’s print works produced ration books, while another branch of the firm, the motor garage, in Finnieston Street, manufactured weapons.

Several buildings around Cranstonhill were damaged in March 1941 during an Air Raid. Bombs and incendiaries dropped by German bombers, intent on damaging Clyde shipping and industry, fell among tenement dwellings in Guest Street, Hydepark Street, Lancefield Street and Finnieston Street destroying or damaging a number of buildings.

NOTABLE PERSONALITIES
Perhaps through adversity, Anderston has always managed to produce people who excelled. Two of Scotland’s most famous boxers, Jackie Patterson and Peter Keenan, began their fight training at the Anderston Boxing Club that met in Crieff Court. The story is told of Jackie Paterson who, in order to keep his weight down, would occasionally workout in the sweltering heat of the boiler room of the Kelvin Cinema, in Argyle Street. When Peter Keenan retired from boxing in the 1960’s he maintained a number of commercial interests in Anderston. He had a Public House at the foot of Elliot Street and a motorcar showroom on the corner of Houldsworth Street and Argyle Street, adjacent to Ladola’s Café.

During the early 1950’s Christopher Grieve, better known as the writer and poet Hugh MacDiarmid, was a wellknown figure in Anderston. He was a frequent visitor to a Printers shop that stood adjacent to Ladola’s Café.

Roddy McMillan, born at 71 Cranston Street, was a well-known and respected actor, playwright and songwriter. Roddy grew up in Anderston and got his first taste of the stage whist appearing in a local BB Annual Concert in Stobcross House (Allan’s Halls). Among his many professional acting roles, he is perhaps best remembered as ‘Para Handy’ the mischievous and scheming captain of the Clyde Puffer, in BBC Television’s version of Neil Munroe’s ‘The Vital Spark’. Interestingly, whilst a pupil at Finnieston School one of Roddy's teachers was Duncan Macrae. The craggy featured Macrae was another well-known Scottish actor who appeared in many films and TV shows. He is perhaps best remembered for his role in the film 'Whisky Galore' and for his rendition of 'The Wee Cock Sparra' in the televised 1960's ‘New Year Show’. Interestingly, it was Macrae who first played the role of 'Para Handy' while McMillan served as 'Dougie' the deckhand, before the latter succeeded to the principal role.

THE STONE of DESTINY
During the early hours of Christmas Morning 1950, the Stone of Destiny, the ancient symbol of Scotland that had been plundered by Edward I and taken to London in 1296, was illegally removed from its resting place beneath the Coronation Chair in Westminster Abbey. Later that morning, as soon as the theft was discovered, a nationwide hunt  was launched for the recovery of the relic. The four young Scots students, who had removed the Stone from the Abbey, found that the relic had been broken in two. The students spirited the Stone north to Glasgow, where they left it in the care of Bertie Gray, a Glasgow Councillor.

It was perhaps no coincidence that the ancient symbol of nationhood was deposited with Mr. Gray, not only was he a proponent of Scottish independence, he also owned a Monumental Stonemasons Yard, which lay between North Street and Bishop Street and was entered by way of St. Vincent Street. Where better to hide the Stone of Destiny than among similar blocks of sandstone? Mr. Gray repaired the relic and made a number of duplicates. After many months of fruitless searching by the authorities, the Stone of Destiny mysteriously turned up in Arbroath Abbey, draped in the Saltire of Scotland. The question that has been posed ever since is, ‘Was the genuine Stone returned to London, or was it one of Bertie Gray’s copies?’ The Stone of Destiny was finally returned to Scotland in 1996, seven hundred years after it had first been removed from Scone.