Bearsden Misc

  I found this fascinating map on the Scotland's People website.  It is dated 1945 and was part of a series covering farmland in Scotland.  In the area I have selected above you can see Schaw House bottom right, Edgehill Road immediately to the right of that and parallel to the right of that, Gartconnell Road.  The black buildings marked on the extreme right, just above the marking "30" on the vertical side of the map, is Gartconnell Farm.  Heading north (and just below the letter C in KILPATRICK is Mosshead Farm.  Going north again to the top of the photo is South Mains Farm (still a working farm in 2024) on Craighdu Road.  Following this road left to the then crossroads (now a busy roundabout) and going straight across into what we now call Baljaffray Road you can see another two farms, North Baljaffray and South Baljaffray. All the photos are taken from air the Britain from Above website GARTCONNELL The first photo of Gartconnell is from 1928: We a...

The contrast between the remains of a Roman bath house and the 1970s flats at Roman Court on Roman Road in Bearsden make an interesting contrast.  But what was there before the flats? Having searched high and low on the internet over several years I could not find anything.  Fortunately, the Britain from Above website includes several aerial photos that give a general idea.  I've presented them in the date order in which they were taken. This is a 1928 view from roughly above Asda on Milngavie Road looking back towards Bearsden Cross.  Roman Road runs across the bottom left corner and a car is approaching the corner of Grange Road.  To the right of the road as we look, the north side, are the villas replaced by Roman Court.  I believe Manse Burn is just visible through the trees at the rear of the villas. If you are a little disorientated, this is the same view but with a little less magnification and a wider context: In the top left corner you can see the ...

  Prince's Square, instantly recognisable to most Glaswegians, but what was there before the shops and dining we know today?  Well, there's a website for Princes Square , which tells us it was first built in 1841 and it was named in honour of the future Edward VII (who succeeded Queen Victoria).  And then it opened in its current form in 1988, 147 years of history with, er, nothing.  The Virtual Mitchell has nothing listed under Princes Square in its street search, but a search of Buchanan Street identifies this photo: Kodak camera shop occupies number 46, and number 48 is an entrance to Princes Square, with gates ("Private Cars Only")!  On the first floor, seemingly entered through the door numbered 44, is "Wolfson and Shenkin, Wholesale Importers and Shippers of Oriental Carpets and Rugs, To The Trade Only"  The final window clarifies "Persian, Turkey, Chinese and Indian Carpets & Rugs" for those in any doubt. On the sign above the gateway, ...