GLASGOW
UNIVERSITY LIBRARY
SPECIAL COLLECTIONS DEPARTMENT
Book of the Month
September 2009
Collection of
original
watercolour drawings
Glasgow: 19th century
MS Murray 590-594
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This month's book of the month features a collection of illustrations
that depict the ordinary people of 19th century Glasgow. Bound in five
volumes, these images offer a unique insight into Glasgow's social
history. A diverse range of different people have been
depicted, including schoolchildren, university students, policemen and
railway workers. Many of the illustrations are the only known record of
various costumes and uniforms being worn at the time, and they are
particularly important for having been executed in colour. |
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Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Guard (MS Murray 590) |
Each of our five volumes has a manuscript title page, detailing that
it is a collection of original watercolour drawings compiled from an old
collection. Also noted is the name Richard Cameron, Bookseller, his
address and the date 1889. Presumably, this date relates to the date of
compilation of these volumes and not necessarily the date of the images
themselves. A further note simply says unique. While the identity of the original
illustrator is a mystery, it is fair to say that his (or her) work offers a
rare look at the people of Glasgow from over a century ago.
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The first volume of illustrations details the various
uniforms of the staff of the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway company,
which was founded in 1838. The line, which initially ran from Glasgow
Queen Street to Edinburgh Haymarket, opened on 18 February 1842, having
cost over £1.25 million. It was later extended to
Waverley. In 1865 it amalgamated with the North British Railway Company.
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Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway
Superintendent
of Goods and Porters (MS Murray 590)
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The superintendent would have the responsibility for managing the
transportation and delivery of goods that were carried by the railway
company. Porters would have worked under him, delivering correspondence and
transporting goods in the Gorbals district of Glasgow
Although it is not possible to date the guard's uniform illustrated to the left, it is likely to be from before 1865, when the Edinburgh and
Glasgow Railway Company became part of the North British system. |
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| The second volume of illustrations
is the most diverse, offering a glimpse not only of the life of the ordinary
Glaswegian, but also political and business leaders.
It includes a range of illustrations showing the schoolchildren of the
period, from a range of different schools, including two of the oldest
schools in Glasgow - the High School and Hutchesons' Hospital School
(now known as Hutchesons' Grammar School). |
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Teacher from the High School,
Glasgow (MS Murray 593)
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| The High School of Glasgow evolved from the
Grammar School, which can be dated back to the 15th century. The school's name was changed to the High
School of Glasgow in 1834, and in 1872 it was transferred to the Glasgow
School Board. There are no images of the pupils, although an image of a
teacher is included in one of the later volumes (above). Hutchesons' Hospital School
was founded as a charity school in the 17th century by Thomas Hutcheson
whose brother George established a charitable foundation for the care of the
old. The first pupil was enrolled in 1643. A separate girls' school was
opened in 1876. A history of the school details the different uniforms which
included moleskin trousers, probably like those shown in the illustration
here.
They were replaced in 1846 by 'breeks' of blue army cloth. |
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Pupil from Hutchesons' Hospital School (MS Murray 591) |
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Pupil from Wilson's School, Glasgow
(MS Murray 593) |
Pupil from the Highland Society's School, Glasgow
(MS Murray 593) |
Pupil from Miller's School, Glasgow
(MS Murray 593) |
| Many schools were founded in the 18th century, by philanthropic businessmen
and organisations. In Glasgow, these included Wilson's School, Miller's
School and the Highland Society School.
Wilson's School was founded by George Wilson, a Glasgow merchant who
moved to London and died in 1778. He left £3000 managed by trustees for the
purpose of educating and clothing boys. At one time the school was located
north of the Trongate and Wilson Street got its name from the institution. The Highland Society's School was founded in Glasgow in the 18th century.
Its purpose was to educate and clothe the children of parents who had moved
to Glasgow from the Highlands, and could not afford to do so themselves.
Founded in 1727, it built the famous Black Bull Inn on Argyle Street which
provided rent and revenue. Miller's School was founded in Glasgow by Andrew Miller, a merchant in
the city. He died in 1790 and bequeathed his entire estate, then worth
upwards of £7000, for the clothing and education of girls. Pupils attended
the school for five years, and were taught reading, writing, arithmetic,
needlework, knitting, and the principles of religion.
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Clyde regatta participants. Note the
picture on the right is dated 1844. (MS Murray 591)
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In the 19th century, rowing was a popular pastime in Glasgow and the illustrations
above show the outfits of the participants. There were a number of clubs in the city
and, under the aegis of the Amateur Rowing Association, they participated in
the annual three days' regatta, which was held every Saturday in the summer
on the River Clyde (between Nelson's monument on Glasgow Green, and Rutherglen Bridge).
It was
a popular spectator sport, attracting thousands of onlookers. |
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Glasgow Sledman
(MS Murray 591) |
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Glasgow woman
(MS Murray 591)
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| The third volume of illustrations offers an insight into the
world of political and mercantile Glasgow. The Provost of Glasgow is shown in 18th-century costume
to the right.
Early provosts were nominated by the Archbishops of Glasgow under the
Charters of Barony and Regality. The lists of provosts go back several
centuries and include John Stuart of Minto in 1472, and Sir George
Elphinston in 1605.
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John Aird and Robert
Saunders
(MS Murray 592) |
| While the bulk of the images relate to ordinary people, two of the subjects
are better known, being copies of paintings which hang in the Merchants'
House of Glasgow, on the corner of West George Street and George Square.
John Aird (1655-1730) was an eminent Glaswegian merchant and
politician; highly influential, he was elected provost on ten occasions between
1705 and 1722. Robert Saunders (d.1730) of Auldhouse was one of Glasgow's
leading businessmen. His father had been the only printer in the west of
Scotland for some time, and following his death, at around the end of the
17th century, he succeeded him in the business. In both cases, the
original background has been omitted from the copy. |
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Provost of Glasgow (MS Murray 592) |
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Provost Officer, Glasgow
(MS Murray 592) |
Glasgow Bellman
(MS Murray 592) |
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Glasgow Town Officer
(MS Murray 592) |
| The Provost Officer (shown above left) was responsible for attending to the Lord Provost. He
would accompany the Lord Provost when he was wearing the chain of office,
attend functions and occasionally act as toastmaster. Now also known as a
Council Officer, the red jacket is still a part of the uniform.
The Glasgow Town Officers (to the left) had a wide range of duties, including the
removal of magistrates' bibles and attendance at the circuit court and
executions. Records from the 1820s detail the cost of clothing the town
officers. Their outfits included a scarlet coat, blue vest, blue
breeches, and milled flannel drawers.
The Glasgow Bellman or Public Crier (above right) was an important source of public
information. Some of the bellmen became very famous. Dougal
Graham, for example, was the bellman when Prince Charles Edward Stewart arrived in
Glasgow. He wrote doggerel including the 'History of the Rebellion' of 1745.
George Gibson, better known as 'Bell Geordie', was another character who
walked through the streets in the 1790s in his red livery coat, with its
gilt buttons decorated with the city arms.
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Detail from Royal
Exchange Porter.
(MS Murray 593)
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| The porter was employed by the Royal Exchange. In the
1820s the Exchange Room in the Tontine on the Trongate was found to be
too small for the growing amount of business, and the former Cunningham
mansion on Queen Street, then occupied by the Royal Bank of Scotland,
was chosen as its new location.
David Hamilton designed the new building which opened in 1827, the date
on what is presumably the porter's button in the right hand corner of
the drawing. The Royal Exchange building is now the Gallery of Modern
Art. |
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| The next set of illustrations are of particular
interest to those interested in the history of the University of
Glasgow, as they depict staff and students of the time. |
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The Lord Rector (shown to the left) was one of the most important positions in the running
of the University; the executive head of the University from its
foundation in the 15th century, he was elected annually. After 1858,
the Rector was elected by matriculated students. The current incumbent
is former leader of the Liberal Democrats, Charles Kennedy.
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The post of Bedellus was originally that of church
warden, and it is recorded in the first constitution of the University
of Glasgow.
It was one of his duties to attend to examining professors, and he was
to be present at all public examinations and deputations, including the
famous Black Stone examination.
Detail from Bedellus of Glasgow University.
Note the key in his hand.
(MS Murray 593)
On ceremonial occasions he bore before him the official mace or rod. The University mace is one of the oldest objects in the institution's history. An unsuccessful attempt to procure a mace was
made in 1460, but it was only five years later that sufficient funds were
raised. Its shaft is made of silver, and other metals were used in the
engraved and ornamental portions. One of the illustrations provides
details of its engravings, which include the City of Glasgow Arms
(second from the left below), as well
as the arms of the Earl of Morton, and Lord Hamilton, the University's first
benefactor.
The duties of the modern Bedellus are also formal, and encompass more
areas including planning janitorial duties and liaising with other
departments in the University.
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Detail from Glasgow University
Mace
(MS Murray 593) |
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| Used in examinations, the Black Stone Chair (shown below) was believed to date from the
early 18th century; it was made of oak with a slab of black marble
which formed the seat. A sand-glass was suspended on the back within a
laurel wreath.
There was a special ritual surrounding the Black Stone examination. The
sand-glass was turned while the student was examined on his knowledge of
his subject. The sand took 20-30 minutes to run through. |
|
Black Stone Chair, Glasgow University.
(MS Murray 593) |
| The drawing shows the elaborate and deep carving of the
Royal Arms of Scotland in the upper section, and those of England, as
adopted by King James VI. Another drawing of the chair in the album shows the brasses attached to
the back which include the arms of the University and of the College
respectively. The other brasses commemorate the foundation of the
University. |
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Dean of Faculties, Glasgow
University.
(MS Murray 593) |
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Student, Glasgow University
(MS Murray 593) |
Students at Glasgow University used to be distinguished from
the general population by
their red cloaks, described by the expression 'Town and Gown', a popular
expression in ancient university towns. In the 19th
century, younger students wore cloth caps possibly like the one in this
drawing (right), while older students wore tall silk hats (left). This
drawing appears to record the artist's initials, which appear to be J G H.
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Student, Glasgow University
(MS Murray 593) |
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Detail of Student, Glasgow
University (MS Murray 593) |
| The final volume documents the uniforms of the
various police forces in and around Glasgow. The Glasgow Police Force was established by an Act of Parliament in
1800, after several previous failed attempts, which predates the London
Metropolitan Police by 29 years. On 30 June 1800 John Stenhouse, a city
merchant was appointed Master of Police, with 2 sergeants, 6
officers, and 68 watchmen. |
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Supernumery (MS Murray 594) |
| A Supernumery policeman was probably a reserve or special constable. The
drawing shows the policeman wearing what appears to be civilian clothes,
rather than the uniform of a regular officer. When the police force was
short of manpower, or required extra numbers, the supernumery would have
been called upon. |
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Lieutenant of the Calton Police (MS Murray 594) |
River Clyde Police (MS Murray 594) |
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Lieutenant of the Gorbals Police (MS Murray 594) |
The villages of Calton and the Gorbals founded their police forces by
Acts of Parliament in 1808 (Gorbals) and 1819 (Calton). When the
villages were absorbed into Glasgow in 1846, these forces were merged,
along with the Anderston and Glasgow forces, to form the City of Glasgow
Police.
Calton was located to the east of Glasgow and remained independent of
the city until 1846. The area was considered to be very dangerous and
officers were provided with cutlasses.
The Gorbals Police Force was constituted by an Act of Parliament in
1808, and the burgh took over the old Elphinstone mansion house as a
police office. From 1826 they worked from a new building at the corner
of South Portland and Norfolk Streets.
The Lieutenant (left) is shown with a walking stick in this illustration, and
one of the jacket buttons is detailed at the bottom of the drawing.
The River Clyde Police (above right) were established in 1858.
Responsible for policing the river as far as the tail of the bank, in
1866 they were absorbed into the Glasgow Police.
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Glasgow and Paisley Railway Police (MS
Murray 590) |
There were also private police forces: for example, the individual
railway companies which were privately owned employed their own police.
They would have had the same powers as a police officers, but only within
railway property. Illustrations of these can be found in the first
volume (MS Murray 590). The Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway policeman
illustrated here was employed to serve on the railway between Glasgow and
Paisley. |
Glasgow and Paisley Railway Police (MS
Murray 590) |
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Detail from
Glasgow and Edinburgh Railway Police
(MS Murray 590) |
Like many of the other uniforms which are included in this album, this
drawing includes a detail of the button from the policeman's jacket.
Unfortunately, such items of clothing have rarely survived.
When the railways were nationalised by the
government in 1947, the officers from every company were combined into the
British Transport Commission Police. |
| As well as documenting the costumes of the time, the albums also include
illustrations of items such as medals, plaques, batons and seals.
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Old Glasgow token (MS Murray 591) |
Convenor of Glasgow Trades Medal
(MS Murray 592) |
Day Police baton (MS Murray 594) |
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These volumes of illustrations were received
by Glasgow University as part of the
Murray Collection. David Murray (1842-1928)
was a Glasgow lawyer, antiquary and bibliographer. In 1927 he presented the
University with his collection of over
15,000 printed books and 200 manuscripts. The collection is particularly
strong in material relating to the city of Glasgow and surrounding area. |
Other items of interest:
This article has been abridged from
original captions and research by George Fairfull Smith for the SCRAN
project Images of Glasgow 1826-1896, available
online. This project also included a selection of images from other
items in Special Collections.
The full set of images from MS Murray
590-594 are also available on the University of Glasgow Library's Flickr
stream
here.
The following have
been useful in creating this article:
Bewsher, C (1927) The Glasgow Royal Exchange centenary: 1827-1927
Glasgow : McCorquodale and Co. Limited Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu Add
229
Cleland, J (1816) Annals of Glasgow: comprising an account if the
public buildings, charities, and the rise and progress of the city
Glasgow : J. Hedderwick
Sp Coll
Mu23-d.9-10
Cleland, J (1878) The History of the High School of Glasgow
Glasgow : David Bryce & Son Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu25-b.6
Coutts, J (1909) A history of the University of Glasgow from its
foundation in 1451 to 1909 Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons Level
12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu21-a.2
Cowan, J (1951) From Glasgow's treasure chest: a miscellany
of history, personalities and places Glasgow : Craig and Wilson
Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu Add
174
Devine, T. M. (1975) The tobacco lords : a study of the tobacco
merchants of Glasgow and their trading activities, c.1740-90
Edinburgh : Donald Level 6 Main Lib
Economics K605.G5.
Hutchesons' Educational Trust An account of Hutchesons School in
Glasgow, since the date of its foundation in 1641 to the present time,
submitted for the general information of the patrons, and specially with
reference to a proposal to establish a school for girls in connection
with the institution
Glasgow : [Bell & Bain] Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu23-c.21
Maver, I (2000) Glasgow Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press
Level 8 Main Lib History DX200 MAV
M'Dowall, J K (1970) The people's history of Glasgow : an
encyclopedic record of the city from the prehistoric period to the
present Wakefield : S.R. Publishers Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Bh11-b.27
Moss, M et al (2000) University, city and state : the University
of Glasgow since 1870 Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press for the
University of Glasgow Level 4 Main Lib
Education S271 MOSS
Smart, A (1988-1996) Villages of Glasgow Edinburgh : John
Donald Level 8 Main Lib History DX200 SMA vol. 1
Stewart, G Curiosities of Glasgow Citizenship, as exhibited
chiefly in the business career of its old commercial aristocracy
Glasgow : James MacLehose and Sons Level 12 Special Collections
Sp Coll Mu23-a.28
Whitaker, D et al (1988) Auld Hawkie and other Glasgow characters
Glasgow : Glasgow District Libraries Level 8 Main Lib
History DX207 WHI
Return to main Special Collections
Exhibition Page
Go to previous
Books of the Month
Sharon Lawler, adapted from
original work by George Fairfull Smith September 2009
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