The Chapel on Gilmorehill
The (current) Chapel at the University of Glasgow has only been around since 1929. From the University’s ecclesiastical foundation in 1451 in a chapter house at the Glasgow Cathedral, the University’s religious services have had several places of residence. The first one of these was Blackfriars or College Kirk on the grounds of the Old College. which was granted to the University, first partially by Queen Mary in 1563 (the rest were granted to the City), and then fully by the City of Glasgow in 1572. Services continued at Blackfriars Church until 1764.
In 1764, a dedicated Chapel was resolved to be established in the Common Hall of the University, and it opened that year on October 14th. Services in the Common Hall continued until 1848. Funds were set aside to open a College Chapel, but nothing came of it for 23 years.
On this day in 1871 the University Chapel was reopened at Gilmorehill. For the life of me I can’t figure out where it was situated between 1871 and 1929, when the current University Chapel was built into the western façade of the Gilbert Scott Building (but I figure it would have been within the confines of the newly-built Gilbert Scott Building).
By the way, if you’re wondering where you can find Blackfriars Church nowadays, you can’t. It was swept away with the rest of the Old College buildings when the University moved to Gilmorehill and the land was sold to the Railway Company.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site and various other sources.
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Inscription on the John McIntyre Building
In the 1880s Dr John McIntyre donated £5,000 to the University of Glasgow for the construction of a student union building on campus in memory of his wife. An inscription on the building reads:
This building erected for the use and benefit of the students of Glasgow by John McIntyre M.D., Odinham, Hampshire, a former student of this University, is dedicated to the memory of his beloved wife Anne, daughter of the late Francis Tweddell Esquire of Threepwood, Northumberland. 1887
The Glasgow University Union was formally opened in the John McIntyre Building on this day in 1890, almost to the day 40 years before it moved down the street to it’s current housing. After the GUU the John McIntyre Building housed the Queen Margaret Union, followed by the Students’ Representative Council. In other words, the John McIntyre Building has served its purpose ever since it was built.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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The Lion and Unicorn Staircase
On this day in 1690, the Lion and Unicorn Staircase was completed at the Old College of the University of Glasgow. The staircase itself already existed, but a mason was hired in the summer of 1690 to erect the stone balusters and the figurines of the lion and the unicorn on the stairs. The stairs led from the Outer Court to the Fore Common Hall and the Principal’s Residence. When the University moved its campus from High Street to its current location on Gilmorehill in the 1870s, several aspects of the Old College were moved brick by brick across the city and are now incorporated into the Pearce Lodge and the Gilbert Scott Building. As such, these are the two oldest parts of the University. More on the Lion and Unicorn Staircase tomorrow.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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The Hunter Memorial
In a prime location on campus, between the Memorial Gates and the Hunterian Museum, sits the Hunter Memorial. It was unveiled on this day in 1925 by Mrs George R Mather, the widow of the brothers’ biographer. I featured the Hunter Memorial back in December for ABC Sundae, you can see the whole memorial in that photo.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Remnants of the Old College
Although the Gilmorehill campus of the University of Glasgow only dates back to 1870, there are remnants of the olden days scattered around campus. Parts of Pearce Lodge, the memorial plaque to Thomas Reid featured yesterday, among other little artifacts in the Hunterian Museum and the Main Building. One of the more famous remnants of the Old College, the Lion and Unicorn Staircase, was commissioned on this day in 1690. Work was finished later that summer in mid-August, and 320 years after that date, I will post some more photos of the finished product as it stands today.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Tennent’s Bar
One of the reasons I’ve heard for why the University moved from its Old College campus on High Street in Glasgow’s East End to its current location on Gilmorehill in the West End was the emergence of a significant number of licensed premises that were popping up around the Old College, which the University saw as a “distraction” to the students.
Now, if you know anything about the West End, you know that it’s a hub for bars, restaurants and cafes, nothing to speak of the student unions on campus, of which the Glasgow University Union is one of the largest licensed premises in Scotland and the UK.
On this day, May 3rd, 1887, the University of Glasgow presented the Lanarkshire Licensing Court with a petition opposing the granting of a public house license to the Hugh Tennent, in regards to a premise on Byres Road. The reason given was that the University’s gym “faced Ashton Terrace, and Ashton Terrace was in direct line with the public house. The College authorities were apprehensive that it might be a temptation to the students when going home fatigued in the evening after their exercise in the gymnasium.” [University Story]
Yep, just like billiards was considered a distraction to students in the late 1600s, a pub near the University was considered a distraction in the late 1800s. Far cry from today I guess.
As you can tell by the fact that the Tennent’s Bar is still at the corner of Byres Road and Highburgh Road, where it has stood for over 120 years, the license was granted.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Inside the Wolfson Medical School Building
The Wolfson Medical School Building is one of the newest buildings on campus, having been formally opened on this day in 2003, by the Princess Royal, Princess Anne. The building had been in use since October 2002.
I’ve posted quite a few pictures of the Wolfson Medical School Building on this blog, mainly because of its central location and how it stands out from its surroundings, due to its architectural style. So, for a change, here’s a quick look inside the building. The brightness and the openness of the building continues inside. I really ought to pop back in the building one of these days and take some more photos of the inside. I had to dig through my photos from 2008 to find this one.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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The Queen Margaret Union Building
On this day in 1968, the current Queen Margaret Union (QMU) building was inaugurated by the Principal at the time, Sir Charles Wilson, at the bend in the University Gardens.
Here’s the building presented in all its glory. The odd shape is not a part of the architectural design, but rather the result of creating the above panorama. I rather enjoy creating photos like this one of the buildings on campus, especially of the not-so-pretty ones. Wonder what building I should try next?
On a side note, concerning one of my running themes on this blog, I’m wondering if the Union buildings should be named after someone, like most buildings on campus. Most people refer to the buildings as either the QMU or the GUU, but the building itself doesn’t have an official name, like the Gregory Building (bottom left corner), or the Sir Alexander Stone Building (right side of the photo).
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations
On this day in 1776 the first edition of Adam Smith‘s most famous work, The Wealth of Nations, was published. I couldn’t find a first edition copy of The Wealth of Nations to photograph and use as the image for this entry, but I did find a statue of Adam Smith. The statue sits in the Main Building of the University, just below Randolph Hall in the southern part of the building. More on Adam Smith, arguably Glasgow University’s most famous son, here.
One of the book’s main themes is the concept of an invisible hand that “naturally guides a society through self-interest”. Tell me then, why does the index finger on the statue appear to be translucent?
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Billiards Ban
A little snippet of history:
After hearing a compliant from the Principal and masters of the College, “that some personnes keep bulyard tables, to the prejudice of the young men their scholars frequenting the same, neir their colledge, when they should be at their book”, the Town Council instructs the Dean of Guild to ensure that “no bulyard board be keeped betwixt the Wyndheid and the croce [Cross]…” [University Story]
That was on this day back in 1679.
A far cry from the days when billiards was perceived as a distraction to students, today the Glasgow University Union boasts the largest student billiards hall in Britain, as well as a few more pool tables sprinkled around the building. The Champions Bar in the Queen Margaret Union also has a a few pool tables and a foosball table. I won’t start listing all the other distractions that today keep students away from their books.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk, maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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The Stevie
On this day in 1961, the Stevenson Building, commonly referred to as ‘The Stevie’, was opened by the Principal of the University at the time, Sir Hector Hetherington. Surprisingly one of the (slightly) prettier 1960’s buildings, the building contains the gym and other sports facilities, including a swimming pool. I’ve yet to step into the building, besides the brief visit during last year’s Freshers’ Week. Maybe one day.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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GUU at Night
Back on this day in 1930 the Glasgow University Union moved down the street from the John McIntyre Building to the newly purpose-built University Union building at the foot of University Avenue, opened on this day by the Rector at the time, and future Prime Minister, Stanley Baldwin.
I took the photo from the little outside part of the Beer Bar, just next to the main entrance.
More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Bower Building Fire, 8 Years Ago
On October 24th 2001, 8 years ago today, the Bower Building was gutted by a fire just 4 months after the building had celebrated its 100 year anniversary. The fire destroyed the entire inside and roof of the building, mercifully leaving the façade unscathed. The building, which used to contain “two large teaching laboratories, an herbarium on two floors with a small library, a museum occupying three floors, a 300-seat lecture room, staff offices and a workshop” were rebuilt at a cost of £10.8 million and reopened in three years after the fire in November 2004. The botany museum which was destroyed in the fire contained manuscripts by Charles Darwin, together with a large number of samples from his expeditions. The building is mainly taken up by the Biochemistry & Molecular Biology Department and faculty offices.
I was going to mention that on Google’s satellite maps the Bower Building is shown as a construction zone while it was being refitted and I was going to link to it. Interestingly, the maps for Glasgow have been renewed and are shinier than ever. Here, take a look for yourself. You can also see that the Frasier Building is finished and the Hetherington Building which contains the Language Centre is being extended, but the north side of the Library is shown pre-refurbishment. Oh, the new version of the maps have some buildings and services mentioned, but most of them are completely in the wrong places. Case in point, the QMU is in the wrong place, the GUU is listed at “The Universal Bar & Restaurant”, and the University Library is tagged as being a few block north of its actual location, up Hillhead Street. Any other mistakes I missed?
You can find some photos and an article on the fire on the BBC News website from October 2001. More “On This Day” entries can be found on Glasgow University Story website at universitystory.gla.ac.uk maintained by the Archive Services. Information also from University Story site.
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Photos from Glasgow University 