Archives and Special Collections: Glasgow

George Wyllie is one of Scotland’s most popular artists. Born in Glasgow in 1921, he first became a sailor and then a customs officer, but rapidly acquired a national and international reputation as an artist and sculptor. His work, which he called Scul?ture, was famous for its question mark motifs. His best known works are ‘The Straw Locomotive,’ ‘The Paper Boat,’ ‘A Day Down a Goldmine’, ‘Equilibrium of Spires’ and ‘The Cosmic Voyage.’

Read about the project to post one item from Strathclyde University Archives and Special Collections each week throughout 2014 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the granting of the royal charter of the University of Strathclyde.

The Glasgow Athenæum was established in 1847 and was originally housed on Ingram Street with the purpose of providing commercial, literary and scientific training for young men and women.

Since its foundation in 1995 the Scottish Oral History Centre (SOHC) has initiated a wealth of oral history projects, many of them with occupational health themes.

The large ornamental gates and transoms (semi-circular arches) of wrought iron trelliswork of the Royal College building were removed in the 1960s. They were fully restored for the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988 where they welcomed visitors arriving across Bells Bridge. Following the event they were returned to their rightful place where they can still be seen today at the main entrance to the Royal College building on George Street.

This website offers a list and contextualised information on approximately 190 literary societies that were running in Glasgow during the long nineteenth century (here defined as 1800 to 1914).