Central Scotland Group: Meeting & Tour of 3 October 2000

The Central Scotland Group continued its season of events with an open top bus tour of Glasgow on Tuesday 3 October 2000, giving members the opportunity of seeing the various sights. The Tour started in George Square opposite the City Chambers built in 1888 and our guide detailed the various statues to be seen in the Square. The Glasgow Chamber of Commerce is adjacent to the Square and members were surprised to learn that this is the second oldest Chamber of Commerce in the World.

The tour passed Strathclyde University, founded in 1964 before reaching the Royal Infirmary where Joseph Lister first used chloroform routinely. Glasgow Cathedral, dating from 1136 was seen along with the oldest house in Glasgow (Provands Lordship) dating from 1195. The party passed the site of Duke Street prison, now a housing area, but the old prison wall is still extant. Duke Street itself is the longest street in Britain.

Proceeding down High Street, the tour passed the original site of Glasgow University and the Tollbooth Steeple at Glasgow Cross before passing Glasgow Green, the oldest park in Glasgow and one established by a Royal Grant. Next came the High Court before proceeding along the banks of the River Clyde, which has much of interest, including Glasgow's mosque, St. Andrew's Cathedral, the St. Enoch Centre and Central Station. Our guide also pointed out where Stanley Jefferson once lived.

Passing Washington Flour Mills, it was explained that during the Second World War, there were some 62 shipyards on the Clyde but now there are only 3. The tour passed the Finnieston Crane and the SECC before passing the Mitchell Library, surmounted by a statue of Minerva, where the largest collection of works by Robert Burns is kept, before heading for Glasgow University where the Huntarian Museum, with its world renowned fossil collection, is located and the Western Infirmary and the Anderson College of Medicine.

Returning to the city centre via Charing Cross, the members were able to see the renowned Glasgow Film Theatre, the new RSAMD building, the Theatre Royal, and the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall and the recently refurbished Buchanan Bus Station all ably described by our guide.

The Central Scotland Group would like to express its grateful thanks to Mr. A. Pringle of Scotguide Services who provided the bus; to Mrs. R. Pringle who was our guide and who provided a very interesting commentary and to our driver, Pauline Weir, for a smooth journey through Glasgow’s heavy traffic.

Report by John Fender.