Becky’s January Squares challenge is words ending in light, so you might think lighthouse doesn’t qualify. I was going to include a lighthouse anyway – I like them! – under the category of a special kind of lamplight, then Kaz came up with the concept of guiding-light. Perfect! This guiding–light is on the Firth of Clyde at Port Glasgow. Tomorrow’s post is a variation on the theme.
Like my Advent Calendar last week, this window display is illuminated by backlight – and it’s also disco-light. It was part of Window Wanderland in Strathbungo last February – I’m looking forward to this year’s event for more inventive decorations. Linked to Becky’s January Squares challenge – words ending in light.
After yesterday’s twilight view of Ailsa Craig, here it is in daylight, this time viewed from Girvan.
Part of Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light.
Ailsa Craig in the Firth of Clyde is the volcanic plug of an extinct volcano. In the 16th century the island was a haven for Catholics during the Scottish Reformation, but today it is an uninhabited bird sanctuary. In addition, it is the source of granite for almost all curling stones.
Here, it is seen from Troon under the last rays of December sunlight. After today’s twilight view, I’ll return to it tomorrow in daylight.
Part of Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light.
The Watt Institution in James Watt’s hometown of Greenock houses the McLean Museum and Art Gallery, Watt Library and Watt Hall. Recently closed for several years, it re-opened in November after a £2.1 million refurbishment programme funded by Inverclyde Council and Historic Environment Scotland. Watt (1736-1819) being an engineering hero of John’s, we went along to have a look in early December. It was a very miserable day outside, as you can tell from the photo above, but plenty to do inside.
The museum is called after its founder, James McLean, and first opened in 1876. I don’t know what it was like pre-refurbishment, but now it is light and airy (above) with various local history displays. I found the quilt embroidered with the names of the children of Greenock, Gourock and Port Glasgow who died in the Blitz of 6/7 May 1941 particularly poignant – especially when I found four members of the same family.
The Watt Lecture Hall opened at the same time as the museum. Today it holds a new exhibition celebrating Watt’s life and works.
Upstairs is the Art Gallery with its small, but interesting, collection of local views as well as more famous works by the likes of the Scottish Colourists, Boudin, Courbet, and Corot. Again, my eye was drawn to a poignant memorial, this time at the bottom of the gallery stairs. Too many names (Pat Leiper, 2014) lists the 1500 local men who died in the Great War.
Of course, I have left the best (from my point of view) till last. The Watt Library houses local history reference books and archives, and is dominated by a large sculpture of James Watt himself.
I just loved looking at all the old books, many of which were on open shelves. Greenock Infirmary’s Fever Journal from the 1860s must be unique, so it was a surprise to be able to pick it up and handle it.
I took many more photos of old labels which would only be of interest to library geeks, so I have spared you most of those!
From one of John’s heroes, to one of mine. “My” suffragette, Jessie Stephen, was a woman of many talents. By the time she was twenty, in addition to her suffrage activities, she had been the Vice-Chair of her local Independent Labour Party (at 16, the youngest you could be a full member) and organised her fellow domestic servants into the Scottish Federation of Domestic Workers. When writing the first version of my talk on Jessie last year, I read a couple of articles by Dr Laura Schwartz of Warwick University, so I was delighted when she got in touch to tell me that she had written a book in which Jessie had a large role. Even better, I was asked to give a shorter version of my talk at an event in the Mitchell Library to launch the book in Scotland. Below, you can see Laura and me with the third speaker, Paula Larkin (in grey) and a member of library staff.
The publisher very kindly donated a copy of the book to Glasgow Women’s Library, which I’ve read and will be reviewing for their website. And if you’re having an allergic reaction to the Mitchell’s carpet, see my story from an A to Z Challenge a few years ago:
Gallus Glasgow M: The Mitchell
In that same A to Z Challenge, I also wrote about Glasgow’s motto and Coat of Arms:
Gallus Glasgow L: Let Glasgow Flourish
More recently, my friend Becky wrote about them after I gave her a whistle stop tour of Glasgow:
I’ve recently been following a Twitter account, @GlasgowCoA, run by Caroline Scott who aims to collect as many examples of the Coat of Arms as possible. Glasgow City Heritage Trust (the organisation which put on the Ghost Signs talk we went to in November) was running an exhibition of some of the photographs she has amassed and we went along to the opening.
If you are wandering round Glasgow, be sure to tweet @GlasgowCoA any examples you find. It doesn’t matter if they’re already on the map – as Caroline points out, everyone’s take is different. These doorplates from the Mitchell featured twice, for example, and I was tickled to notice my friend Lynn was one of the contributors.
Just in case you thought there weren’t enough libraries in this post, here’s another one which has just reopened after refurbishment. Partick is not my local library, but it’s not far away. I love that they have decorated the walls with quotations from local hero, comedian Billy Connolly. Books are your ticket to the whole world is possibly too small to read in the picture below. Another wall has: There’s no right way to read. You are not studying for an exam. The important thing is that books do you good. They improve your life, and the lives of the people around you. They improve you. Wise man!
So far, all the activities I have mentioned have been indoor – par for the course in December. However, we did get out for a few walks. We did the Drumchapel Way, which might sound a bit odd to those who know Glasgow, Drumchapel being a housing estate in the north-west of the city. However, it’s possible to walk a 4.5 mile circuit around it almost entirely in parks and woodland. We found pigeons, a deer (a bit blurry, but it ran past very quickly), a very kitsch memorial garden and, yes, another library. This one looks as though it needs refurbishment.
Another wintry walk was in Palacerigg Country Park – some nice reflections.
Between Christmas and New Year we had a few days in Galloway – there will be posts about that later. In the meantime, here are some shots of Arran taken from Girvan on our journey home. It looked so stunning, we just had to stop.
A few odds and ends to finish with. We found a new ghost sign on Whittinghame Drive! Thanks to Jayne for the tip.
The hothouses at the Botanic Gardens are always good for a stroll when it’s cold outside. Shades of pinks and red cheer me up.
And finally, with the holiday season well and truly over, we are back tae auld claes and parritch (old clothes and porridge, i.e. back to normal). But of course, some of us have Becky’s #JanuaryLight Square Challenge to distract us (click on the logo for info if you don’t know about it). I’ve taken today off to Gallivant but will be back to the Squares tomorrow.
The Street of Light was a Christmas installation in Edinburgh a few years ago. I found several shots which lent themselves to the square format, but when I spotted the *Belisha beacon bottom right of this one it was the obvious choice – two different kinds of streetlight, and the beacon counts as lamplight too.
Part of Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light.
*Belisha beacon: an amber-coloured globe lamp on a black and white pole, marking pedestrian crossings. Named after Leslie Hore-Belisha (1893–1957), the Minister of Transport who introduced them in 1934.
For Day 5 of January Light, it’s over to Edinburgh where the spotlight is on this statue to Walter Scott, part of the eponymous monument on Princes Street. Pop over to Becky’s blog for all the info on her square photo challenge: words ending in light.
This terrace on Great Western Road, Glasgow, is part of the Hilton Grosvenor Hotel. In recent months, the hotel has chosen to floodlight it in pretty pastel colours. Perfect for Day 4 of Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light. Follow the link to find out more!
The Cup and Saucer Vintage Tearoom in De Courcy’s Arcade is one of my favourite cafés in Glasgow’s West End. It’s like walking into your Granny’s living room (well, it is if you’re my age). On this occasion, a foul, wet day last November, I was first in when it opened and grabbed this snap while it was empty. I’ve managed to capture both lamplight and firelight – perfect for Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light.
When the tearoom remained empty after a few minutes I was puzzled. My friend Esther is never late. Then I checked my diary. I was three hours early …
On Christmas Eve we took a stroll to the nearby area of Scotstoun and its “Living Advent Calendar”. Each evening, one more window appeared thanks to backlight – the ingenuity and variety was amazing! Here’s window number 2 for day 2 of Becky’s January Squares Challenge: words ending in light. Follow the link to find out more!
