Glasgow Gallivanting: June 2018

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Miners’ Cottages, Wanlockhead

Wanlockhead is the highest village in Scotland. We took a detour to visit its Lead Mining Museum on our way back from our Lake District holiday at the beginning of June. It’s a lovely place! We started in the café (of course), then toured the mine and the row of cottages above. Each one was furnished in a different period – 1750, 1850 and 1910 (shown below).

Miners’ cottage
Mine entrance
John in hard hat

Best of all – it has a library! Wanlockhead Miners’ Library was established in 1756 and is the second-oldest subscription library in Europe. And where is the oldest? Leadhills Miners’ Library, just a few miles up the road, which dates from 1741. We had hoped to visit it too, but spent so long at Wanlockhead that we didn’t have time.

Miners’ Library
Miners’ Library
Miners’ Library

Joining the Library was a privilege, and potential new members were subjected to a rigorous interrogation by the Librarian before being admitted – you can see this happening in one of the pictures above. Unusually for the time, women were allowed to subscribe: in 1784 it is recorded that there were 32 male members and one female, Isabella Rutherford. However, according to our guide, only one membership per household was allowed so Isabella lost hers when her nephew came of age. Boo!

The other model represents the book checker (there might have been a more technical term, I can’t remember). Each returned book was checked page by page for damage – and the checker also had the power to visit a member’s home to search for missing books. Hmm – I could have done with that power in my working days 😉

Jessie Stephen

If you’ve been following for a while, you might remember that I’m part of a group promoting a Scottish Suffragette, Jessie Stephen, in this centenary year for women’s suffrage. June was a good month – three events!

Royal Scottish Academy
Anne and Sheana
More banners
Catherine, me, Isabel, Ann and Sheana
Welcomed by pipers

On Sunday 10th of June, thousands of women in the four capitals of the UK (Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh and London) took part in Processions 2018. Although we walked about two miles, this was not a march or demonstration – it was an artwork. Women were issued with scarves in one of the suffragette colours (green for hope, white for purity and purple for loyalty and dignity) so from above we looked like one long suffragette ribbon. In theory, anyway! We took our Jessie Stephen banner, made by her great-niece Sheana (in the large black hat), who was interviewed live by the BBC.  Ours was the only double-sided banner I saw: it said Votes for Women on the back. Sheana is a stickler for detail!

I thought I had broken my jinx on walks – last year, I seemed to get soaked every time I acted as a tour guide. This year, I’ve done two walks for the Women’s Library, both in bright sunshine, and Processions was also a lovely day. My luck ran out the following weekend when my Maryhill Women’s History walk attracted the rain back. Despite that, all 15 participants turned up and stayed to the end. Jessie features in it too – here, I’m passing her picture around. (Though since I drafted this, I’ve done another Women’s Library Walk – yesterday, 1st July, which was scorching.)

The final event was part of another strand in the suffrage celebrations, EqualiTeas. A tea party was held in the Bowling Club near Sheana’s home and, once again, Jessie was celebrated – this time, with suitably decorated cake. Yum!

Welcome
Jessie exhibition
Suffragette cakes

Museum of the Moon and other gallivants

It’s been a sad month for Charles Rennie Mackintosh fans, so here’s some more cheerful stuff. During the recent West End Festival, the Mackintosh Church at Queen’s Cross (the only one he designed which was actually built, and now home of the CRM Society) hosted an installation called Museum of the Moon. Created by artist Luke Jerram, this 1:500,000 scale model features detailed NASA imagery of the moon’s surface. You could walk under it through the body of the church, and view it from different angles from two balconies. It was also a good chance to get close to some of the Mackintosh details in the church and see an exhibition of his chairs.

Mackintosh chair
Museum of the Moon
Mackintosh chairs
Roof
Mackintosh chairs
Museum of the Moon
Details

As I walked into town afterwards, I noted that the local housing reflected the Mackintosh Style with its squares and angles.

And this was my next destination, the new Mackintosh mural on a gable end above the Clutha Bar. Created by street artist Rogue One, it was given to the city by a local Radisson Hotel to mark CRM’s 150th birthday – and unveiled hours before the fire at his masterpiece, Glasgow School of Art.

Reluctant to end my gallivanting just yet, I hopped on the Subway to Govan because I still hadn’t viewed the Mary Barbour statue without the hundreds of people surrounding it at its opening (as described in March’s Gallivanting post). On my way to the café across the road, I stopped to admire the cast iron Aitken Memorial Fountain and spotted a sign for the Govan Ferry so, on the spur of the moment, I crossed the river and had my coffee in the Riverside Museum instead.

Mary Barbour statue
Aitken Memorial Fountain
Aitken Memorial Fountain
Aitken Memorial Fountain
Govan Ferry
Riverside Museum

After that, I caught the Subway from Partick Station, home of the GI Bride. Not very bonny, is she?

And because the information board mentions Lobey Dosser, and my dedication to your education about Glasgow knows no bounds, a few days later I trekked down to Woodlands to capture him for you. He is even less bonny. Spot the inadvertent selfie in the plaque here!

The last bit

Just because it made me smile!

My Scottish word of the month is not one I have ever used, but it illustrates a strange coincidence. My mum asked me one day if I knew the word skail. I didn’t, but the very next day it turned up on Anu Garg’s Word A Day site! It means to scatter or disperse, is of Scottish or Scandinavian origin, and dates from 1300. So that’s a new one for me to learn too.

Finally, I’m still working my way through Kim’s questions for the Sunshine Blogger Award. The next two are “What’s your favorite book?” and “What skill have you always wanted to master, but haven’t yet started on?”

Favourite book? Oh dear, where to start? I suppose the books I have read and reread more than any others are those by Jane Austen. I love her feisty heroines and acerbic style. Forced to choose just one, I would go for Emma with Pride and Prejudice a close second. Emma is just so spectacularly wrong about everything, and Mr Knightly waits so patiently for her to come to her senses. To me, he seems far better husband material than P&P’s Mr Darcy who, despite being softened by Lizzie, will, I suspect, always be rather haughty. I also suspect there is more than a hint of truth in Lizzie’s joke that she fell in love with him when she saw his large estate at Pemberley! Despite all that, I have never been swept away by any of the men playing Mr Knightly, but I certainly succumbed, with half the women in the country, to Darcymania during the BBC’s 1995 adaptation of P&P. The words “Colin Firth” and “wet shirt” can still induce a swoon.

As for skills, well the only way I can see myself mastering any new ones now is by the magic wand method – and that won’t happen any time soon!

Happy July everyone.

Scotland, UK , , , , , , , ,

81 Comments »

  1. My goodness, what a fascinating life you lead! I am especially interested in the suffragette celebrations, and your work profiling Jessie Stephen, along with the women’s history and women’s library walks that you lead. Its wonderful that you do this. The purple, white, and green ribbons look quite festive.

    Here in Canada, people seem quite oblivious of the history of the women’s movement and its accomplishments. Although, I am proud to report that one of my daughters is an activist, recently involved in publicizing #MeToo, and also Pride events.

    Jude

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    • There has been a lot going on in the uk this year to celebrate the centenary of some women getting the vote. We are lucky in Glasgow to have the women’s library, and fortunately its reputation and influence is now spreading nationwide as it garners more and more awards.

      Good for your daughter!

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  2. Pingback: Book Review | The Survival Game by Nicky Singer ~ Jemima Pett

  4. You saw some great things this month – thanks for sharing them with us. The CRM stuff is particularly interesting, probably because of what’s happened to the Art School. The Clutha Bar? That’s the one that was hit by the helicopter I think?

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  5. I love sharing in your monthly round-up, and this month’s particularly good. You remind me again and again what a great place Scotland is. The Rennie Mackintosh mural is beautiful and I loved seeing the chairs. It’s 125 years since women got the vote here, but apart from a few exhibitions, you’d hardly know it!

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  7. The Rogue One Mackintosh Mural is tops. Heartbroken to hear of the Glasgow School of Art fire. But seeing John’s smiling face here (this time sporting a hard hat) put a smile on mine. Always does. There is something infectious about his smile.

    You’ve have an event filled month. Glad to know only one of your walks attracted rain. Happily, the rain did not put off your tour group.

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  8. This is such a cool and mesmerizing place, Anabel! Exceptional pictures and an excellent read. That library seems awesome. Is a day trip to explore Wanlockhead?

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  10. I hope you have more sunshine walks than wet ones, Anabel. But look on the bright side – if Colin Firth happens to join one of your walks you would really want it to rain, so you could repeat the wet shirt event!

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  11. Two great looking museums! I love the wax figures in the Lead Mining Museum and the Museum of the Moon looks really neat! Poor Isabella Rutherford though! I think I would have encouraged my nephew to move out so I could keep the subscription.
    I love Emma too, mainly because I see a lot of myself in Emma, which probably isn’t a good thing!

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  12. Sometimes I think I’m living vicariously through your blog…..I may not travel nearly as much as you do, but I sure enjoy reading and your travels, and the photos are wonderful!

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  13. You did some great gallivanting in June! I love the pictures of the Mackintosh furniture and the Mackintosh-inspired architecture. Yay for the suffragettes! I don’t think many people alive now fully understand that at one time women had to fight for the right to vote. Maybe if more people realized that the right to vote was hard-fought for many groups, they might take the time to cast their ballots today.

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    • Maybe – though they’d have to be living under a rock to miss it here at the moment! As well as the centenary of some women getting the vote, yesterday was the 90th of the Act which gave women the vote on the same terms as men, ie everyone over 21. I hope it does lead more people to vote – and to research what they are voting for too.

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  14. An interesting post and to be truthful, I have never heard of Wanlockhead, so that was something very new. The Govan Ferry I remember although not the one you showed. I remember a big two level ferry. Annabell and I and the children left Cardonald Glasgow in 1980 so I have to accept that many things have changed and the Glasgow we left is not the Glasgow of today. I don’t remember the museum of the Moon. This is one of the reasons why I enjoy your Glasgow Posts – it shows me things I know as well as many things I don’t know.

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    • The current Govan ferry is run by a charity in the summer. I had a colleague who commuted via the “real” Govan ferry, but it’s long gone, probably when they built the “squinty bridge”. The Moon is a travelling exhibition and has moved on now – I think to Bristol.

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  15. Another interesting and varied post. The Leadhills area is unique, especially in sunny weather. Didn’t know about the clutha mural. More a fan of Rouge One than C.R Mackintosh :o) but I did like the interiors of the Derngate house in Northampton, although CRM might not have been the only contributor to the artwork inside as it does look different to his other stuff..

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    • I’ve never been to Derngate – not a part of England I know at all – but I’d love to go. I thought he designed it all – mind you, a lot of Mackintosh style was actually his wife Margaret MacDonald who worked on a lot of interiors with him. As he said “Margaret has genius, I have only talent”.

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  16. Ah yes, I remember it well ! – Rank Badjin -The Sheriff of Calton Creek, the Pawnee Tribe from Govan. But then, we were only the latter stages of the Bud Neill cartoons. He was more of my Dad’s era, along with Jack House. We were Oor Wullie and the Broons, the Beano and the Dandy as well as being idiots who believed that Pat Roller of the Record was a real person.

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    • Yes, I don’t remember it either, only by repute, and Lobey Dosser is a familiar figure in Woodlands. I don’t often use Partick Station so I’m less familiar with the GI Bride. Definitely Oor Willie and the Broon’s though – not heard of Pat Roller. The Sunday Post was readily available in England where I grew up, but not the Record.

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    • Those were all great things to see. Unfortunately, when I got to Mary Barbour the light was such that I could only get a decent photo from the side. The sun was directly behind her. I’ll need to go back at a different time of day, or when it’s cloudy, to get her from the front.

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  18. Another great post, Anabel, and I would love, love, love to see those sculptures. You seem to have so many in your neighbourhood of Glasgow. I also loved the mural. My favourite two books are both by Russian authors, Anna Karenina and Dr. Zhivago. I take them in alternate years on my ‘long’ holiday – which I didn’t have this year due to my eye problems which also prevented me from reading – but I get so much satisfaction from the canvas the writers’ paint that I feel the loss even now. When I went to St. Petersburg for the first time, my initial trip was to the Finland station where poor Anna died. My (compulsory, then) guide was not sure what to make of this.

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  19. A thoroughly enjoyable read, Anabel, and you made me smile with your wish for a wand. 🙂 🙂 Such an active life you lead, I don’t think there’s space for any new skills. I love the Rennie Mackintosh mural, and you’re the only person I know who frequents more tea shops than me.

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  21. Nice post! Wanlockhead is a place I’ve wanted to go to for years. It’s just gone higher up the list. The library would be good to see. I also have Leighton Library in Dunblane on my list too. The Bud Neill stuff I have seen – my Papa is a fan.

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  22. Hi Anabel – great resume here … and good to know about the Museum; lovely to see the mural – I’d never realised ‘he’ looked like that .. but see he does!! Clever mural. All in all a wonderful post – loved it miners, museums, and the moon – delightful … as well as suffragettes. Great information – cheers Hilary

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  23. Anabel – cheers for such a gallivanting month. I know you have been posting squares and angles, but my favorites are those rounded chairs and the matching scalloped table. Thanks for the tour 😉 – Susan

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  24. I love it Anabel when on one Hunt another starts and you wander all over. I must look up the GI bride reference not being able to read the info board easily. As for that fav book question it is impossible isn’t it. And a sign of the times that you can post about handsome men and wet shirts but if John or I did we’d be labelled dirty old men!! The wheel turns and it’s your turn now!! And how downtrodden are we middle aged men huh?!

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  26. You were certainly busy in June, Anabel. It’s great that you participate in those suffragette marches, and I love seeing the Charles Rennie Mackintosh museum and buildings. I love the “not bonny” statues, and the sign about the shoelaces. So cute!

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  27. Looks like a memorable month. I wish I had seen the purple suffragette procession. You all looked great! Its funny that both the oldest lending libraries are near each other. Xx

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    • It was a lovely day at the Procession. The two libraries started close together because one copied the other – the people who lived in Leadhills were slightly further up the social scale, so Wanlockhead wanted a library for its more ordinary families. I think that’s what the guide said!

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  28. Oh dear – I have to admit I’ve never read any Jane Austen. Nor have I ever watched any TV series or movies of her books … but you mentioned Colin Firth and I have to believe he would be the best at any character 🙂

    I enjoyed this tour with you and smiled at your line “my dedication to your education about Glasgow knows no bounds”. Keep educating!! … for one day I WILL go to Scotland and Glasgow will be at the top of my list 🙂

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  29. Certainly a busy month of gallivanting! Always a pleasure to read about your adventures. Funnily enough I am just re reading Pride and Prejudice now for some reason I decided to dust it off my bookshelves and Colin Firth will always be Mr Darcy in my mind! 🙂

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  32. Agree with you about Emma. She is such a fallible human character. I liked Jeremy Northam as Mr Knightley, but you would have to be bad to fail as Mr Knightley.
    One of my four desert island books would be “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance”.

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  33. You live such an art-filled and artful life, Anabel. I really admire that. I wonder what new adventures July will bring – along with the inevitable rain of course.

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    • Well, it has to come sometime I suppose, but the 14-day forecast is looking fine (if you can believe that far ahead). Mind you, I’m half wilted already so who knows what I’ll be like if the current heatwave keeps going. July holds a birthday – beyond that I cannot predict!

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