Glasgow, an introduction.
Created | Updated Oct 10, 2005
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and is to be found on the banks of the River Clyde in the west of the country. It was originally a small fishing village at the lowest crossing point of the Clyde before St. Mungo founded a church there in the 600s. This grew to become a Cathedral and led to Glasgow becoming a major religious centre in the West of Scotland with a Bishop. Glasgow's motto "Let Glasgow Flourish" comes from a statement made by St. Mungo "Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the Word" and its coat of arms tells the story of his life. There is his bell. The bird and the salmon with a ring refer to two of his miracles. The bird, a robin, had been a pet but some classmates who were jealous of Mungo killed it, hoping to pin the blame on him. Mungo restored it to life.
The salmon and the ring relate to a Queen's adultery with a young soldier and Mungo's saving of the Queen. She had presented her lover with a ring which was given to her by her husband. However, a servant informed the king of the affair. Although the King did not want to believe the tale, the sight of ring on the young soldier's hand convinced him. He then laid a plot to denounce his wife publicly. He invited the soldier to go hunting with him and then, when the young man fell asleep, he slipped the ring off his finger and threw it into the Clyde. He then went back and demanded that his wife show him the ring. She, of course, could not get it back from her lover because it was now lost. As a result she was then denounced and thrown into prison to await execution, despite the efforts of the courtiers to have her pardoned.
In prison she sends a messenger to Mungo asking for forgiveness and aid. When the messenger arrives he is immediately told by the bishop to go fishing in the Clyde and to bring back straightway the first fish he catches. This is a salmon which, on being cut open, is seen to contain the ring. This is then taken to the queen who presents it to the King, who, understandably, cannot understand what has happened but nonetheless forgives her.
The town grew over the years, surviving various battles including between William Wallace and the English and different factions at the time of Mary, Queen of Scots. It grew enough to become the second town in Scotland, after St. Andrews, to get a university in 1451. However Glasgow's growth was truly accelerated by trade with the New World. Being on the West Coast trade with the Americas came thick and fast. Indeed by the seventeen hundreds Glasgow had grown very wealthy indeed
on Tobacco money and the city fathers came to be know as Tobacco Lords. This trade also encouraged the building of ships on the Clyde and, as the Industrial Revolution gained pace, more and more people and industry flocked to the city. The discovery of Coal and Iron in the area only accelerated this. Industry, trade and especially ship building flourished.
Glasgow soon became world famous for its manufacture and "Clyde Built" was a badge of quality around the world. Indeed Glasgow became known as The Second City of The Empire.
However, as Glasgow grew it suffered from all the problems of over crowding and deprivation that plagued the era. By the time of the Second World War Glasgow was as famous for its overcrowding and gangs as for its industry. Indeed, times were so difficult that in the 1920's the Westminster Government actually put tanks on the streets of Glasgow as they feared open revolution. Hence in the post war years large area were cleared, a motorway was driven clean through the centre of the city and by the start of the Twenty First Century, the heavy industry now gone, Glasgow has reinvented itself as a modern European city.
Currently Glasgow has a population of 600,000 and is one of Europe's top 20 business centres. It is also the third most popular tourist destination in the UK and has the second largest retail district after London. It is governed by its own City Council, having previously been part of Lanarkshire and then the monolithic Strathclyde Regional Counci. It has many financial and IT companies and a thriving nightlife. Famous Glaswegians include Lord Kelvin the Physicist, Billy Connolly the Comedian, James Watt the Steam Engineer, Alex Ferguson the Manchester United Manager and Charles Rennie Macintosh the Architect. It is within easy access of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland by road, rail and ferry. Glasgow has a number of defining characteristics. There are, first and foremost, the people. For all its history of industrial decline the people are extremely friendly and helpful. They do have some issues, most notably sectarian problems which show up in the "Old Firm" football rivalry but most are always happy to help a confused tourist. And not only tourists. Glasgow has a large population of immigrants, many from the Indian subcontinent and one spin off from this is that it is rightly known as home of some of the best curries in Britain. Food and drink is very big in modern Glasgow with everything available from exotic foreign cuisine to the most basic of haggis and chips. There are also a large number of pubs catering for all sorts from the stag night to the quiet Real Ale Drinker. And there is an Underground system to get you home at the end of the night too, along with a fine bus service and cheap taxis.
The salmon and the ring relate to a Queen's adultery with a young soldier and Mungo's saving of the Queen. She had presented her lover with a ring which was given to her by her husband. However, a servant informed the king of the affair. Although the King did not want to believe the tale, the sight of ring on the young soldier's hand convinced him. He then laid a plot to denounce his wife publicly. He invited the soldier to go hunting with him and then, when the young man fell asleep, he slipped the ring off his finger and threw it into the Clyde. He then went back and demanded that his wife show him the ring. She, of course, could not get it back from her lover because it was now lost. As a result she was then denounced and thrown into prison to await execution, despite the efforts of the courtiers to have her pardoned.
In prison she sends a messenger to Mungo asking for forgiveness and aid. When the messenger arrives he is immediately told by the bishop to go fishing in the Clyde and to bring back straightway the first fish he catches. This is a salmon which, on being cut open, is seen to contain the ring. This is then taken to the queen who presents it to the King, who, understandably, cannot understand what has happened but nonetheless forgives her.
The town grew over the years, surviving various battles including between William Wallace and the English and different factions at the time of Mary, Queen of Scots. It grew enough to become the second town in Scotland, after St. Andrews, to get a university in 1451. However Glasgow's growth was truly accelerated by trade with the New World. Being on the West Coast trade with the Americas came thick and fast. Indeed by the seventeen hundreds Glasgow had grown very wealthy indeed
on Tobacco money and the city fathers came to be know as Tobacco Lords. This trade also encouraged the building of ships on the Clyde and, as the Industrial Revolution gained pace, more and more people and industry flocked to the city. The discovery of Coal and Iron in the area only accelerated this. Industry, trade and especially ship building flourished.
Glasgow soon became world famous for its manufacture and "Clyde Built" was a badge of quality around the world. Indeed Glasgow became known as The Second City of The Empire.
However, as Glasgow grew it suffered from all the problems of over crowding and deprivation that plagued the era. By the time of the Second World War Glasgow was as famous for its overcrowding and gangs as for its industry. Indeed, times were so difficult that in the 1920's the Westminster Government actually put tanks on the streets of Glasgow as they feared open revolution. Hence in the post war years large area were cleared, a motorway was driven clean through the centre of the city and by the start of the Twenty First Century, the heavy industry now gone, Glasgow has reinvented itself as a modern European city.
Currently Glasgow has a population of 600,000 and is one of Europe's top 20 business centres. It is also the third most popular tourist destination in the UK and has the second largest retail district after London. It is governed by its own City Council, having previously been part of Lanarkshire and then the monolithic Strathclyde Regional Counci. It has many financial and IT companies and a thriving nightlife. Famous Glaswegians include Lord Kelvin the Physicist, Billy Connolly the Comedian, James Watt the Steam Engineer, Alex Ferguson the Manchester United Manager and Charles Rennie Macintosh the Architect. It is within easy access of the Highlands and Islands of Scotland by road, rail and ferry. Glasgow has a number of defining characteristics. There are, first and foremost, the people. For all its history of industrial decline the people are extremely friendly and helpful. They do have some issues, most notably sectarian problems which show up in the "Old Firm" football rivalry but most are always happy to help a confused tourist. And not only tourists. Glasgow has a large population of immigrants, many from the Indian subcontinent and one spin off from this is that it is rightly known as home of some of the best curries in Britain. Food and drink is very big in modern Glasgow with everything available from exotic foreign cuisine to the most basic of haggis and chips. There are also a large number of pubs catering for all sorts from the stag night to the quiet Real Ale Drinker. And there is an Underground system to get you home at the end of the night too, along with a fine bus service and cheap taxis.
