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Glasgow's East End: A Social History
From bishops to battlefields, barrowboys to business tycoons, Nuala Naughton brings to life some of the characters and events that have shaped Glasgow’s East End since the city’s founder, St Mungo, first set eyes on the ‘dear green place’
This entertaining, lighthearted account looks at the legends behind the city’s coat of arms and the foundation of the city as an ecclesiastic centre of excellence and respected seat of learning. It also offers a colourful insight into tenement life with anecdotes and interviews by born and bred Eastenders; the Battle of George Square in 1919 when Prime Minister Churchill waged war on unionized workers, the make-do-and-mend community and the story behind ‘silk stockings’ made from used teabags and an eyebrow pencil during the Second World War; the dancin’, the saints, the sinners; the ‘City of the Dead’ and how the Barrowland ballroom came to the attention of the German high command and the war propagandist Lord Haw Haw. From medieval Glasgow to modern times, this fascinating book offers a pick ‘n’ mix of fact and fiction, myths and miracles surrounding the rich and sometimes turbulent history of Glasgow’s East End.
This entertaining, lighthearted account looks at the legends behind the city’s coat of arms and the foundation of the city as an ecclesiastic centre of excellence and respected seat of learning. It also offers a colourful insight into tenement life with anecdotes and interviews by born and bred Eastenders; the Battle of George Square in 1919 when Prime Minister Churchill waged war on unionized workers, the make-do-and-mend community and the story behind ‘silk stockings’ made from used teabags and an eyebrow pencil during the Second World War; the dancin’, the saints, the sinners; the ‘City of the Dead’ and how the Barrowland ballroom came to the attention of the German high command and the war propagandist Lord Haw Haw. From medieval Glasgow to modern times, this fascinating book offers a pick ‘n’ mix of fact and fiction, myths and miracles surrounding the rich and sometimes turbulent history of Glasgow’s East End.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published November 7, 2013
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 6, 2023
This book is exactly what it says it is going to be about: a series of stories.
In some ways that is a strength and in others,it's a weakness. It starts off with potted history of how Glasgow started up to the 20th century.
The history bits read like those tourist information boards that are found at historic sites, and the story bits read like daft wee stories about the olden days that older adults tell. You know the type, you are never entirely sure if they are telling you the truth or pulling your leg, or both.
Anyhow. It does reads if it's been written to be a library book and that's where I got this from, my local library.
An enjoyable enough read, just don't expect too much from it.
In some ways that is a strength and in others,it's a weakness. It starts off with potted history of how Glasgow started up to the 20th century.
The history bits read like those tourist information boards that are found at historic sites, and the story bits read like daft wee stories about the olden days that older adults tell. You know the type, you are never entirely sure if they are telling you the truth or pulling your leg, or both.
Anyhow. It does reads if it's been written to be a library book and that's where I got this from, my local library.
An enjoyable enough read, just don't expect too much from it.
Displaying 1 of 1 review