Sundays in Mount Florida, certainly into the 1960’s, were noticeably quiet. Except for the early morning newsagents, the shops were all shut, there were no football matches, fewer children would be playing in the streets, and there was no Italian cafe to go to for ice cream or coffee. The Rev. Waddell would preach the sermon at Mount Florida Church in the morning and there would be Sunday School in the afternoon. That’s about it. Family car ownership was still in its infancy in those days and there was no point going into town as the shops would all be closed. The most popular place for an outing was the nearby Queen’s Park with its rolling landscape, manicured gardens and magnificent views across the city. Sunday was probably its busiest day.
So what’s going on in this photo, taken on Sunday 11 August, 1957 from a vantage point in Clinart Road, looking out to Cathcart Road? Why is a group of men in suits taking photographs? Well, this particular photograph was taken by R. B. (Bob) Parr, a transport enthusiast who would organize a tour of the Glasgow transport system every August, sometimes under the auspices of the Light Railway Transport League (LRTL). The Standard tram seen here with the Reserved screen was probably hired for the outing and the photographers were all transport fans. ( I am grateful to Hugh McAulay, Ian Stewart, and their colleagues at the Scottish Tramway and Transport Society (STTS) for information related to the photographers in this scene. )
The entrance to Clincart Road also served as the Mount Florida terminus for the number 12 tram which ran across the Southside to Paisley Road Toll. It’s interesting to note that although Mount Florida was noticeably quiet on Sundays, we have chanced upon a busy transport scene with three trams, a trolleybus, and a motorbus in view. This serves as a reminder that there was a time in Glasgow from Sunday, April 3, 1949 when the first trolleybuses entered service until Tuesday 4 September 1962 when the last trams ran, that the Corporation operated three different forms of above ground transportation concurrently, namely trams, trolleybuses and diesel motorbuses. And if we add in the below ground Subway and the suburban rail services, Glasgow people were very well served by their public transport system.
Here is another Sunday scene in Mount Florida, this time at the railway station, photographed on Sunday 27 October, 1945, not long after the Second World War had ended. Reduced train services were in operation on Sundays and there are four people waiting on the platform. Services on the Cathcart Circle and to Kirkhill and Neilston at that time were provided by the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, the LMS. The nationalized British Railways would not begin operating until 1 January, 1948.
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Chris,
You have some really wonderful photographs on here. I am trying to locate an image of the 1901 International Exhibition that shows a panoramic shot of the exhibition buildings, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery. You haven’t happened across anything like this during your research have you?
Thank you.
Philippa
Hi Philippa,
Thank you for you kind comment and question. I’m sorry but I don’t have a photograph of the scene you are requesting. I did an online search for “images for Glasgow 1901 Exhibition panorama” which produced several pictures and if you click on these you will be taken to the respective websites displaying them. Perhaps you could try contacting the people responsible and ask their permission to use one of their panoramic images.
Here is the link to an example.
https://universityofglasgowlibrary.wordpress.com/2014/03/24/strike-up-the-band/
Best wishes,
Chris
Philippa,
Look up theglasgowstory.com website and in the quick search box top right-hand side enter 1901 and some photos and paintings of the exhibition will come up.
James
Hello Chris,
Thanks for a lovely image of Mount Florida where I was born in 1940 and lived there in Bolton Drive then Hampden Terrace till 1970. There is an interesting detail in your picture which almost certainly no one else can be aware of. You will notice the beautiful cast iron fountain on the right with the corner finials, except one is missing allowing sight of the trolley bus side number to be seen. Well, as a wee laddie of maybe about 8 yrs old, I had looped a rope round the finial and was swinging on it, till it parted from the fountain and smashed on the ground. Honest boy, I ran for the nearest policeman and reported my crime. The kind bobbie smilingly asked if I was ok (I was, except for guilt) and told me not to worry. Sadly, in common with many beautiful things in Glasgow, the fountain is gone. Fond recollections!
Regards, Ian.
Hello Ian,
Thank you for sharing your early experience in Mount Florida. I was thinking it would be unusual for an eight-year old to walk around Mount Florida with a rope so I wonder if you had been influenced by the adventures of Tarzan. Fortunately you were not injured when the finial broke off, and the policemen was kind. Glasgow used to be full of examples of locally-produced ironwork and especially water fountains but so many have since been removed, perhaps for health and safety reasons.
I managed to acquire some even earlier images of Mount Florida and plan to post them on the website in a separate report.
Best wishes,
Chris
Hi Chris,
I lived directly above the fountain at the junction of Clincart Road and Cathcart Road. It was fascinating to watch the football crowds passing beneath us…the fountain was a regular meeting place. Those were the days of crowds in excess of 100,000 at Hampden. Mount Florida was a great place to live as a child. I was in the Sunday School and the BB at Mount Florida Parish Church. I have a vivid memory of the tram rails being lifted when the trolley buses took over. They did the work during the night to minimize traffic disruption.
Ken
Hi Ken,
Thank you for sharing your early experiences in Mount Florida and I too spent my early years there. I attended Mount Florida School and was in the Sunday School and the Life Boys at Mount Florida Church. Mr. Cromer was the Life Boys’ Leader at the time.
I can just about remember the trams and you would have had a good view of them at the Clincart Road terminus of Service 12. I certainly remember the football crowds and hearing the famous Hampden Roar. Yes, happy days in Mount Florida!
All the best,
Chris