Glasgow Gallivanting: March 2026
March is Women’s History Month which has kept me busy! I have:
- been back to Kairos Women+ in Paisley with my friends from the Women’s Library to give our constructive feedback on the audio trail we trialled for them in February.
- given my second talk and led my first walk of the year.
- been on a HERstory walk organised by Glasgow City Heritage Trust.
- attended an event organised by Protests and Suffragettes during which we learned about musical Suffragettes and started to make plans to celebrate the centenary of women in the UK getting the vote on the same terms as men in 1928.
My talk this month was What about the women? Glasgow has 120+ statues of named men and only four of women so I explore other methods of memorialisation. I need to update my images every time, which is a positive development, so I went to Govan in search of two electric boxes decorated by Protests and Suffragettes. Isabella Elder, a 19th century philanthropist, is opposite the library and park she funded while Helen Crawfurd, Suffragette and campaigner for many other issues, is at the base of the new Govan-Partick Bridge.
While we’re on the subject of street art, we found this weird little box on University Avenue.
I have no idea about this sculpture on a patch of ground off Bridgegate, but I suspect it is related to the artists’ studios in the Briggait building opposite. Searching Google Street View reveals that there have been different pieces there over the years.
On a visit to the Citizens Theatre in the Gorbals I was taken with the exterior of this restored bank building – I had admired it in daylight a couple of months earlier but not realised it was lit up at night.
A closer look at the metal work reveals that it commemorates James Salmon, the original architect. I love the rusty gate too.
I was very impressed with one of John’s cycles when, instead of the usual pictures of mud and streams, he came back with a very cultural set of images!
On another ride he discovered an outdoor art gallery before passing through the unlikely sounding village of California. A former pit village near Falkirk, this California doesn’t seem to have a lot in common with its more famous American counterpart.
On a sadder note, we travelled up to Lochgoilhead for a funeral (though the person in question lived to the ripe old age of 107 and had an amazing life, so there was a lot to celebrate too). It’s a lovely place, so I hoped for good views of the surrounding mountains, but nope. It was one of THOSE days.
It was our wedding anniversary on the 21st, 45 years! We hadn’t made any plans, but on the spur of the moment decided to go out for lunch at The Atlantic Brasserie in town.
Next month is John’s birthday, and it’s a big one. What will that bring? Happy April!
The Glasgow Gallivanter 
Ah! A super healthy pear dessert to celebrate with! Congratulations all round and thank you for these interesting pictures 🙂
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Thank you! The poached pears were delicious, and definitely healthy if you ignore all the other stuff – which OF COURSE I didn’t eat 😉.
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I am having a hard time to leave. Comment again. I hope this works. Happy Anniversary! 45 years is great since so many never make it there. The dessert looks so good and glad you found room to eat this dessert.
Your friend had a great life, living until 107. I hope they were good in their last few years. The buildings are so nice…love the brick and design.
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Thanks Birgit – you made it through! The lady who died was the mother of a friend – I remember going to her 104th birthday when she was still sharp as a tack, though I think she had declined since than and had been in hospital then a care home for the last couple of years.
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Congratulations on 45 years! And a Big Birthday coming up too. Exciting times. You’ve been very busy as well. Those electricity cabinets are great, and definitely a worthwhile part of your walk (if you’re able to include them?)
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Thanks Margaret! I don’t do a walk in that area (Govan) but I included the images in my talk. Isabella Elder in particular has a big role in that.
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Definitely worthy of more than 15 minutes of fame!
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A belated Happy Anniverary Anabel, and it sounds like a very busy month. The name of the former pit village sounds intriguing – since 1982 I’ve often stayed at the small hamlet of California on the east coast a few miles north of Great Yarmouth. Originally a tiny fishing community it was named when villagers found some gold coins in the sand at the time of the California Gold Rush in America. It’s a lovely little area but I haven’t been since the year before Covid started. Those desserts look rather more-ish – I think I would have ignored a main course in favour of having those 😊
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Thanks Eunice! There is a similar theory about this California being named after the Gold Rush – and of course, with the pits, there was lots of ‘black gold’. I’m not normally bothered about desserts but these seemed too good to miss.
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Happy anniversary, you two. 45 years. Wow!! That was more than good reason for scrumptious (and huge) desserts. Like you, I’m usually full by the end of the meal, but sometimes there are exceptions. 🙂
We are usually too tired or lazy to venture out at night, but on the rare occasion it happens, it’s so interesting to see buildings and parks in a “different light”.
Wishing you both – John in particular – an amazing April!!
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Thank you, Liesbet! My dessert was mainly pear so of course it was super-healthy 😉.
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