Anderston then & now - part2 pages 26-28

Part Two
Pages 26 - 28
GRAHAMSTON Nowadays the Central Station marks the eastern extremity of the area considered to be Anderston. Before the invention of the railways the village of Grahamston, named after John Graham of Dougaldston, occupied the site of the station. First mention of Grahamston is to be found on late 17th Century maps of Glasgow. The pleasant little village was situated mid-way between Glasgow and Anderston and, it was here, in 1764, that one of the first regular theatres in Scotland was established. In the years following the Reformation, theatrical performances were frowned upon, particular by the clergy, so it was little surprise that when a London theatrical company tried to establish a permanent theatre in Glasgow, they found no one willing to offer, or sell, land for such 'Works o' the Devil'. Being situated close to Glasgow, the thespians travelled to Grahamston, hoping to find ground on which to establish a theatre. Their journey proved worthwhile, and the theatrical company managed to secure a piece of land for the sum of five shillings per square yard. Before long, construction of a theatre was underway and, as completion drew near, someone set the building alight. Whilst the actual structure did not suffer greatly from the effects of the fire, a considerable amount of damage was inflicted on costumes, scenery and general theatrical equipment. The attempt to destroy the theatre was harried on by a local preacher, who stood in the street denouncing the erection of such an evil building. He told the gathered audience that he had dreamed the previous night "that he was in the infernal regions, and there he saw a grand entertainment at which 'Auld Nick', the Devil himself, gave a toast in honour of Mr. Miller who, had sold the ground to the theatre company, so that they could build a house for Satan". Despite the preacher's exhortations the theatre eventually opened for business. The property changed ownership several times until the 5th May 1782, when the building was burned to the ground, leaving nothing but the outer walls standing. Being in sound order the walls of the former theatre were roofed over, and the property was fitted out as offices and stables. The remains of the first theatre in, or around, Glasgow survived until the village of Grahamston was swept away. A statue of Shakespeare that once adorned the entrance to the theatre was removed to Craig's Estate, Carmunnock. It is unclear if this is the same statue that now adorns the entranceway of the Citizen's Theatre. Observant and curious visitors to the city might wonder why Drury Lane, off Union Street, is so named? It is a mute reminder of the theatre that once stood nearby. A great calamity befell a six-storey Sugarhouse in Grahamston when, on 2nd November 1848, without any warning, the building collapsed killing twelve of the eighteen employees. It took rescuers four days to fully recover the bodies of the victims. Despite its stable-looking outward appearance, it was thought the Sugarhouse which, had been erected around 1808, had been in a state of insecurity for some time. Investigation into the tragedy revealed that the structure had become weakened due to the constant vibration of machinery coupled to the copious quantities of steam produced during the sugar-refining process. Such was the sympathy expressed towards dependants of the victims that within eight days of the incident, over £400, a large sum in those days had been raised by public subscription for their benefit. The village of Grahamston was blotted-out in 1879 with the construction of the Central Station. Every so often the story that the remains of Grahamston lie buried beneath the Central Station is revived. Following personal investigation over thirty years ago, I can say with confidence that not even a trace of Alston Street, the main thoroughfare, remains.
The huge Central Station Bridge that spans Argyle Street is a well-known and popular meeting point. The structure was a favourite meeting place of exiles and new arrivals from the Highlands and Islands and, as it would almost certainly be raining, what more convenient place to meet than under the shelter of the bridge? Given those circumstances, what more appropriate title to confer on the Central Station Bridge than 'The Highlandmans’ umbrella'?
The ‘Heilanman’s Umbrella’ Central Station, Argyle Street, January 2004

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PEDEN the PROPHET Born in a farmhouse at Auchinloch, Ayrshire, in 1626, Alexander Peden grew up to be a fervent Covenanter who was often referred to as 'Peden the Prophet'. It is possible he might have stayed somewhere near Cranstonhill around 1648, whilst he was attending the University, situated at that time in High Street. Perhaps he found lodgings in one of a number of farmhouses that dotted the area. Whatever his connection with the area might have been, he is recorded as foretelling, "that the Cross of Glasgow would one day stand at the hill-head of Stobcross". The term 'hill-head' is a reference to the highest point in the area, the crest of Cranstonhill. Given that Peden died in 1686, long before the community of Anderston even existed, his prophecy can be considered as having some measure of credence. There are two interpretations of Peden’s prophecy. The obvious one, the ‘Cross of Glasgow’ could be a reference to the city centre; today Anderston is considered to be part of central Glasgow. The second explanation is, perhaps Peden was making reference to the church when he speaks of the 'Cross of Glasgow'. Could this be reference to Anderston Kelvingrove Church, which currently occupies a site at the hillhead of Cranstonhill? Of course, the theories offered are but mere conjecture. What of Peden himself? Well, he was exactly what imagination conjures up of a Scots Covenanter. He led a full and exciting life, punctuated with many of the dangers associated with the Covenanting times. Peden was described as being a strange man, tall with a mysterious look in his eyes, as though he were gifted with 'second sight'. Robert Louis Stevenson featured Peden in his novel, 'The Tale of Tod Lapraik'. The following is an extract from the book:
"In thir days, dwalled upon the Bass (Rock) a man of God, Peden the Prophet was his name. Ye'll have heard the wale o' him sin syne, and it's a question wi' mony if there war his like afore. He was wild as a peag hog, fearsome to look at, fearsome to hear, his face like the Day of Judgement. The voice o' him was like a sloan's an' dinnled in folks lugs, and the very words o' him like coals o' fire".
During the early 1970's the Scottish National Museum of Antiquities in Edinburgh acquired a leather mask believed to have belonged to Peden. It is thought that Peden, who claimed to be able to vanish into thin air, used the mask, complete with moustache and teeth, in his disappearing act.
Although Peden's actual association with the district is somewhat tenuous, a former Bailie of Anderston erected large tenement property on the corner of Elderslie and Argyle Streets in 1856. On the cornerstone of the building inscribed in bold lettering was 'PEDEN CROSS'. Placed in a position near the rooftop, perched the carved bust of Alexander Peden himself, looking out over Anderston. In the ensuing years Peden's bust became weathered and worn, and by the 1960's the bust, although clearly that of a man, was faceless. Perhaps this was an appropriate and fitting end to the effigy of a man who, throughout his life, liked to maintain an air of mystery.

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EARLY INDUSTRIES In little less than a century, Anderston had developed from a small farming and weaving community into an integral and important part of Glasgow's economy. The foundations for the future development and wealth of the district was very much dependent on the business acumen and the quality of produce available from Anderston's early industries. The following is a brief outline of some of the people who developed the industries that flourished in Anderston. WEAVERS Apart from some modest farming and market gardening activity, the main employment of early eighteenth century Anderston was weaving. The original village comprised of a long row of single, and two storey, cottages lining either side of Main Street. Most weavers’ cottages had living accommodation upstairs with space set aside downstairs for a handloom. One of the weaver’s cottages was roofed with turf and, according to tradition, it was within that house in 1754 that a weaver fabricated the first ever checked handkerchief produced in Scotland. The hankies were known as ‘Half Ell Half Quarter Divotes’. The term 'Divote' signifying a measure of turf, being the material that roofed the cottage. On 4th November 1738, the weavers of the village formed themselves into an incorporation under the title of "The Weavers’ Society of Anderston". The Society had a two-fold purpose, firstly, to control the quality of Anderston produce and, secondly, to provide welfare support for any of their members who suffered illness or who had become infirm or destitute. Income to help fund welfare payments was raised via membership fees, fines and from the hire of the 'mort cloths' that were rented out for funerals. In effect the Weavers’ Society provided care from the cradle to the grave. An extract from the constitution of the Anderston Weavers’ Society is replicated below: "The society shall continue to be called The Weavers’ Society of Anderston and its objects are declared to be charitable aid of such of its members and their widows as may be reduced to destitute circumstances'. The names of those who signed the Anderston Weavers’ Charter in 1738 were, James Sym, Archibald Anderson, Michael Murdoch, John Horn, Andrew Campbell, John Jamieson, Robert Hamilton, John Murray, John Paton, Thomas Scott, James Gemmill, John Flemming, John Kerr, James Holdin, Matthew Baird, William Anderson, William Scott, Jno. Taylor, William Steven, Jno. Campbell and, Robert Marshall, a dyer. In the days before schooling was widely available, it is interesting to note that all but two of the original twenty-one signatories of the document were able to sign their names. The Weavers’ Society convened in a local Inn, possibly John Sharpe’s Hostelry, prior to erecting a substantial property in 1865, at 584 Argyle Street. Incorporated into the new building, which stood between North Street and Heddle Place, the weavers included an engraving of the Weavers’ Coat of Arms, which was based on the heraldry of the Anderson’s of Stobcross. When the building, known locally as the ‘Weavers’ Pend’ was being demolished in 1967, a lead-box containing coins, newspapers and a lamp were retrieved from the foundation stone. The box and its contents were assigned to the custody of the People's Palace. The section of masonry bearing the Weavers’ Coat of Arms was carefully removed in the hope that it would be incorporated into one of the new buildings proposed for the area. The Anderston Weavers’ Society still exists and maintains the same charitable object, although, of course, it is extremely doubtful if any of the current membership is actually an Anderston Weaver.
Membership of the Anderston Weavers’ Society was extended to the weavers of Finnieston in 1774. During the early 1800’s the weavers of Finnieston dubbed a portion of their village ‘World’s End’, so named, because of the dim views they held regarding politics and declining social and moral standards.
Arms of the Weavers’ Society of Anderston

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