Timesquare – Glasgow Cross
I haven’t got my blogging act together at the moment, so I’m just dropping in with another quick post for Becky’s timesquare challenge. I love the way the clock face matches the sky in this picture of the steeple at Glasgow Cross. This does not, unfortunately, reflect the weather today …
The Cross was the heart of the medieval city, the meeting place of five roads: High Street, Gallowgate, London Road, the Saltmarket and Trongate. Those roads are all still there, but Glasgow’s centre has moved west over the centuries and the only true remnant of the Cross’s former glory is the Tolbooth Steeple. Today, this sits alone on a traffic island, but when it was built in the 1620s it was part of a more extensive building. The Tolbooth had several uses, including as the seat of the Council until 1814 and, less pleasantly, as a place of public execution (hence Gallowgate). The rest of the Tolbooth was demolished in 1921.
There is a connection to the way Glaswegians like to think of themselves: gallus.
gallus (ga·luss). Dialect, chiefly Scot ~adj.
1. self-confident, daring, cheeky.
2. stylish, impressive (esp. Glasgow “He’s pure gallus, by the way”).
3. Orig. derogatory, meaning wild; a rascal; deserving to be hanged (from the gallows).
I’m sure most of us would prefer the middle definition!
I seem to remember that my childhood in N. Ireland was spent wearing “galluses”, i.e. waterboots. I don’t know how they used to spell it but it sounded like your gallus, so is there a connection?
Loved the clock so like the sky.
Happy Christmas from another one whose blogging has fallen by the wayside of late, but who hopes to pick it up again soon. May the New Year bring you health and happiness.
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I don’t know – I’ve now looked up galluses and found them in the braces / suspenders since, but not that. I would think of rubber boots as galoshes which sounds similar.
All the best to you too for Christmas and the New Year. I might pop back with another short post before then, but I’ve abandoned the Hebrides for now. Maybe I’ll get back down to it in January!
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I think you are trying to fool us with a ring in. If this is the real Tollbooth, why is it not raining ?? We do not have squares or crosses here. We are a country town not old enough nor big enough to have these. I’ll take some photographs of Victoria Square in Adelaide when I am down there this week.
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He he – it was a very rare day!
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I’m sure you would all prefer to be thought of as stylish and not roguish like the last definition. 🙂
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Most definitely!
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Great photo! As for gallus, I have never used nor been aware of it being used for the second definition but that might be because I am a Fifer who was raised by a Fifer and an Aberdonian, and that regional variation within Scots.
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I had no idea it had different meanings elsewhere. I can see the hanging meaning being connected to braces. Or suspenders on your side of the Atlantic.
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Braces here in the US are called suspenders so I have to translate in my brain from galluses to braces to suspenders before I can speak accurately. Thankfully it’s not a word I often need.
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You mean Mr Pict doesn’t have a fine collection? 😉
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Oh, I’m always happy to see photos of home. 🙂 There’s nowhere better than Scotland on a sunny day. Gallus isn’t a word I, and my family/friends ever used, but I always knew the meanings. It’s a very useful word for so many situations. 😀
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Glad you like the reminder of home! I was very lucky with that sky.
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Nice! I’ve also heard ‘gallus’ or a set of galluses used to refer to a pair of braces, but that might just be in Dundee.
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Oh, I’ve not heard that one!
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Yes, we grew up using galluses to mean braces in Fife too.
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I live and learn!
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the wonderful about the Scots who I’ve known is that they can be all three of those definitions in one evening… though that may say more about the Scots I like to associate with… Sparkling weather – it’s always like that when I go to Glasgow so no idea why anyone suggests otherwise!!
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You must be very, very lucky!
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Wow what a sky, perfect match. If only Scotland would do this every other day (daily I know is a lot to ask), I’d move tomorrow!!!
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PS I’m with you on the second description but am sure the first is ok occasionally too!!!
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But definitely not the third!
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Hee hee, no!!!!
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We can dream! It was actually very cold, despite the sky.
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Ah should have guessed that, especially as my Mum has just looked out at the Algarvian blue and said “if I was back home now with this blue it would be freezing!”.
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It was Feb 2015 to be precise. We have had quite a few blue skies since then!
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Slightly worried you are able to recall them all, hope they number more than a dozen 😉🤣
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More than I can count on my fingers and toes anyway!
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Good thing you mentioned the current weather….I was totally jealous when I saw the photo.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season and a safe and peaceful year ahead!
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Thank you Donna – and the same to you!
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It looks as if you could see through the clock face onto the sky: great capture!
Have a wonderful pre-Christmas time,
Pit
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It does! It was actually taken in winter, despite the sky. Just not this one.
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🙂
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