North Kelvinside originated as a small mid-Victorian suburb developed on land previously occupied by manor-houses and working mills situated on the north bank of the River Kelvin in Glasgow’s west end.
The map below dates from 1795, long before development had commenced on this part of the river. It shows the principal manor-houses on the north bank, Kelvinside House, occupied by Dr Thomas Lithan and North Woodside House, occupied by Mr Benjamin Barton.
The two houses and their grounds covered the section of the river which currently lies between Botanic Crescent and Belmont Street.
1795 map showing Kelvinside House and North Woodside House
The suburb was originally called "Kelvinside", a name which is now used for a completely different neighbourhood in the west end.
On 11th October 1869 the Glasgow Herald commented on the erection by Mr Walker of a "formidable stone dyke" on the northern side of his new Queen Margaret Bridge which was also under construction at the time.
Reference to retaining wall from Glasgow Herald, 11th October 1869
The "formidable stone dyke" at Queen Margaret Road, built at the same time as Walker's Bridge
Commercial advantage, rather than any aesthetic considerations was the main factor in Walker's erection of this barricade, designed to spoil access to any parts of the new suburb not situated on his land.
The Glasgow Herald of 20th October 1870 reported on the animosity, describing the situation as an “unhappy misunderstanding”.
Reference to the wall from Glasgow Herald, 20th October 1870
Commenting on the two roads at different levels, the same paper remarked that “Both roadways are of the best description, and it is therefore the more unfortunate that they are divorced from each other”
Both landowners built bridges accross the Kelvin to provide access from Great Western Road to their parts of the neighbourhood. These bridges were completed in 1870.
The City of Glasgow Bank erected Belmont Bridge, which linked their disconnected lands consisting of 16 acres on the north bank of the River Kelvin and 12 acres on the south bank.
The Queen Margaret Bridge was erected by Mr Walker, who owned 100 acres to the west of the site including the grounds of Kelvinside House. He also had a long narrow strip of land along the riverbank, much of which is now part of the Kelvin Walkway. View from top of Mr Walker's "dead wall" of the first Queen Margaret Bridge, which was dismantled in 1971
Mr Walker commissioned the construction of the bridge and the massive retaining wall at its northern end. He appointed local civil engineer, Mr Ritchie Rodger, to design and co-ordinate the construction of the bridge and the wall, which were both erected in 1869/70. The cast iron bridge, supported by substantial stone piers, was constructed by John McElroy & Sons, builders and founders. Extract from Glasgow Herald, 20th October 1870 and plaque with Glasgow's coat of arms attached to bridge.
The plaque reads "Erected by John E. Walker Esq - Ritchie Rodger Esq C.E. - J. McElroy & Sons, Builders
Ritchie Rodger lived locally at 194 Dumbarton Road, Partick. His civil engineering practice operated from 37 West George Street in the city centre.
The stunted remains of the central pier, shown in the foreground (below) demonstrates the thickness of the stonework specified by Ritchie Rodger for Walker's civil engineering works. The bridge's south pier in the background was left intact and is still standing.
South pier and stub of central pier of the original Queen Margaret Bridge
Walker's bridge was situated to the east of the present day Queen Margaret Bridge and terminated at his ugly fortification which had been put up in order to provide an impenetrable barrier between his land and that of the City of Glasgow Bank. Redundant north pier of Walker's bridge with the retaining wall behind
The original Queen Margaret Bridge, was in an awkward position, crossing low over the river and ending abruptly at the wall. It was replaced by the present bridge in 1929.
A modern plaque has been attached to the retaining wall attributing it to Alexander "Greek" Thomson, 1872, labelling the adjacent staircase as the "Sixty Steps".
Early twentieth century view of Walker's Bridge
This early twentieth century rainy view from the south side of the bridge shows Walker's development to the left, on the same level as the crossing. His rival's development can be seen to the right, sitting high above the dead wall with no easy access from the bridge.
The present day photograph shown below demonstrates the scale of the access problem.
Modern view of Walker's bridge from the south, approaching his huge obstruction
Walker was a coach proprietor and wanted to maximise the benefits of the new carriageways to suit the development of his part of the site. He deliberately made it as difficult as possible for horse drawn traffic crossing his bridge to access his rival’s land, which could only be reached on foot by climbing a very steep staircase at the western edge of the wall. View from the bridge of retaining wall and staircase.
Mr Walker strategically placed his cab office at the entrance to the bridge facing the steps. Residents wishing to leave the top level, on the City of Glasgow Bank's development, were enticed to use the staircase down to the bridge where they could hire one of Walker's hansom cabs. Map showing cab office at Queen Margaret Bridge and nearby stairway.
View of Mr Walker's cab office at the northern side of his bridge.
The split of the two roads on the City of Glasgow Bank's land, with the carriageway to the right leading up to the top of the retaining wall.
The map below dates from 1894. It uses contemporary Post Office Directories to show the stages of development of the City of Glasgow Bank's land from the Belmont Bridge to the Queen Margaret Bridge.
1894 map showing the various stages of development from 1872 to 1889.
On north side of Belmont Bridge, Kelvin Stevenson Memorial Church, designed by J.J. Stevenson and opened in 1902
North Woodside House stood on the north bank of the River Kelvin on the site of the bridge at Belmont Street, near Kelvin Stevenson Memorial church, above.
At the western edges, on the land attached to Kelvinside House which was in the sole ownership of John E. Walker, there was no need for any civil engineering works before development could proceed.
In 1872, the area to the west of the newly constructed Queen Margaret Bridge, surrounding Kelvinside House, was made available for development.
Notice for sale of land at Kelvinside House from Glasgow Herald, 20th May 1872
View of Botanic Crescent showing original 1870's terrace and later tenements, built after the demolition of Kelvinside House
Botanic Crescent was originally titled Derby Crescent.
The map below shows the situation in 1894, after the initial development in the 1870's and the later demolition of Kelvinside House. The red sandstone tenements shown in the above photograph were built on the cleared site around the turn of the century.
Map from 1894 showing vacant site of Kelvinside House before red sandstone tenements were built
Lismore House, shown in the above map, is a Victorian Villa in the original North Kelvinside suburb
The part of the old estate known today as “North Kelvin Meadow” was never developed at any time as the suburb grew. The aerial picture (above) and map from 1894 (below) show an almost identical layout to the area. Map of undeveloped area now known as North Kelvin Meadow
The "North Kelvin Meadow" has been nurtured by locals as a wild natural space. It was under threat of development in the summer of 2011 when these pictures were taken.
Path through North Kelvin Meadow
Protest notice on fence at North Kelvin Meadow
The North West Fire Station at the corner of Kelbourne Street and Sanda Street was constructed in 1936 to the designs of the City Engineer, Thomas Somers. Former fire station at Kelbourne Street and Sanda Street, North Kelvinside
Moving back to the section of North Kelvinside to the east of Queen Margaret Drive, the Lanarkshire Regiment Drill Hall can be found in Jardine Street. The hall was built in 1894 in an unusual mock Tudor style. It was designed by Robert .A. Bryden, who is best known as the architect of the Quarrier's Homes at Bridge of Weir.
Red brick Drill Hall in Jardine Street with timber Tudor style upper floor
Plaque at entrance to Drill Hall, showing date of construction, 1894
The enlarged St Charles' Primary School was designed in-house by Glasgow Corporation in 1932, when Art Deco was the popular style. The school’s frontage was created with a combination of smooth and rock-faced red sandstone, which is a very unusual medium for the use of Art Deco design.
Entrance to St Charles School, North Kelvinside
Gillespie Kidd and Coia’s St Charles Church was built in 1959-1960. It is credited to Jack Coia, assisted by Andrew MacMillan, Isi Metzstein and Joe Taylor. Exterior of St Charles Church, North Kelvinside
Interior view of St Charles Church, with Benno Schotz's terracotta figures along the walls
More images of the stunning interior of
St Charles' Church,North Kelvinside can be viewed in the Jack Coia section of this website.
Outside the church there is a 75-foot high freestanding concrete bell tower, which is an unusual local landmark.
Concrete bell tower at St Charles Church, North Kelvinside
The district was bounded to the north by the Forth and Clyde Canal and to the south by the River Kelvin.
Development commenced in 1869 after the old estate of North Woodside, at the eastern side of the proposed suburb had been acquired by the City of Glasgow Bank and the grounds attached to Kelvinside House on the western side had come into the ownership of local businessman, John Ewing Walker.
This is contradicted by the published contemporary evidence, which shows that the wall to be part of John E. Walker's civil engineering works of 1869/ 1870 to the designs of Ritchie Rodger C.E.
Thomson was an architect rather than an engineer and was vice-president of the Glasgow Institute of Architects in 1869/ 1870, the period when the structural work was being undertaken. If he had any involvement it would almost certainly have been authenticated by the newspaper articles of the time, but it is not.
There are no nineteenth century sources linking any of complex civil engineering works or architecture at this location to Alexander Thomson.
Walker ensured that the roads were not continuous or on the same levels between the two parcels of land.
The alternative way to cross the river was by following the roadway at the top of the wall slowly down to the Belmont Bridge, which was further away from the heart of Glasgow's West End.
The first stage of development was Doune Terrace, which is now part of Belmont Street. Doune Terrace first appears in the Post Office Directory for 1872/73, just 2 years after the new bridges were constructed.
The mansion was demolished in 1869 after the estate had been acquired by the City of Glasgow Bank for the development of a new suburb.
The notice, below, offers land for feuing for villas, terraces and tenements in what was then described as "Kelvinside New Suburb".
The corner occupied by the schools at the top of the photograph is shown as Kelburn Park (Athletic Ground) in the old map. The remainder of the site, which still lies vacant, has been used for various recreational purposes over the years, before plans for its development were made in recent times.
The residents’ struggle to preserve this ecologically important ground is being co-ordinated by the
North Kelvin Meadow Campaign .
The station and the associated firemen’s housing were converted into apartment blocks in the early 1990’s. The centre of the development has an open landscaped courtyard, where the fire engines were previously garaged. This provides residents' car parking as well as a pleasant urban space.
The hall is currently occupied by the Lowland Reserve Forces & Cadets Association.
The design of the school is credited to William McCaig, the Education Department's architect, who used some modernistic touches in the public areas of the interior.
The church was built around a concrete frame and has a vaulted concrete roof.
The Stations of the Cross were sculpted by Benno Schotz, shortly before his death in 1961.
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All original artwork, photography and text © Gerald Blaikie 2002-2011 Contact: admin@scotcities.com
Unauthorised reproduction of any image on this website is not permitted.
