Tales From Govanhill

theatre@govanhillbaths.com

By Bruce Downie

The Expansion of Queen’s Park in 1893

In 1893, Queens Park was less than half the size it is now. The grounds of Camphill were still private, so the pressure on Queen’s Park by all the different sports club that wanted to use it was intense. Here’s a petition presented to Glasgow Town Council to buy the grounds at Camphill (which had just become available) and extend Queen’s Park.

Couldn’t read every signature but there’s an amazing number of clubs using the space and proves how important the park was to many people, including clubs from the north of the city who would have come to Queen’s Park to compete.
Today there are dedicated sports grounds around the city but back then, everybody trying to one of the few public spaces available at the same time must have been crazy.

‘The humble petition of the undersigned officials and representatives of athletic clubs in various districts of the city

‘That the serious encroachments which have been made up on the space available for games in the Recreation Ground of the Queens Park have had the effects of overcrowding the ground and compelling many to resort to feuing grounds in the neighbourhood. Those vacant places mostly been closed and although there is an ever increasing taste among young men for outdoor exercise and therefore a growing demand for more space the Recreation Ground has been more and more contracted by portions been taken away from a tennis court, for the deaf school, for a church, for the Victoria Street Primary and worst of all, for a long tenement of buildings thrust into the heart of the playground.

‘The great number of working young man and lads who form themselves in to athletic clubs for the more robust exercise obtained from cricket, rounders, football etc and who cannot afford to lease ground for this special use come to Queens Park grounds and that not only for the dense working population of the Southside but from all parts of the Southside as well.

‘Besides these regularly performed clubs there are great numbers of young men who are not associated but use the ground for the same and other athletic games with the result that many who desire opportunities for simpler exercise are prevented from engaging in them by the number by the danger of colliding with each other.

‘Your petitioners would for these and all the reasons urge the addition to the Queens Park of the ground on the summit and slopes of Camphill and this allow a portion of the enlarged park to be set aside for the enjoyment of quieter games and where also a gymnasium such as that one Glasgow Green, a maze puzzle and other interesting features might be added and found advisable.

‘May it please your honours therefore to purchase the whole of The Camphill grounds, so as to make such addition to the Queens Park as will relieve the overcrowded Recreation Ground and your petitioners will ever pray.’

Melvyn Thistle
Glencillen FC
Caledonian Swifts
Edgar Vale
Royal Fern
Roseleith
Elmrole
Young thistle
70thBB’s
Union FC
Eastern Rangers
Kirkdale
Bridgeton Rangers
Holland Athletic
Second Festia Thistle
Royal Park FC
Cerwyn Athletic
Crown Athletic
Balmoral
Langside Swift
Thistle Wood
Cathkin Rovers
Glasgow Juvenile Football Association (57 clubs)
Ashfield FC
Gartmore FC
Possilpark FC
Possil Vale
Woodburn FC
Cowglen
Gartland
Possil Athletic
Scotia Athletic
Wellwood
Claythorn
Dundas Star
Northburn
Knose Thistle
Maryhill Myttle
Gilmore Thistle
Craigvilla
Ruchill
Overdale
Ridgevale Athletic
Oxford
Second Woodburn
Primrose
Everslie
Ashgrove
Fernie
Smithfield
Gartmore
Alexander Thistle
Stonefield Castle
Leonard FC
Eastern Bluebell FC
Shettleston Rangers
Egerton FC
Loudon Rangers
Gilmore Thistle
North Albion
Clubs for the Scottish Junior Football League
Clubs of the Glasgow North Eastern Junior Football Association
Glasgow Conservatives
Darnley Cricket Club
Springfield Athletic Harriers
Glenune Athletic
Second Melbourne
Myrtle Bank
Southern Albion
CampHill
Second Strathearn
Olivebank
Beaumont Thistle
Roselea
Tradeston
Second Victoria Park
First Victoria Park
Clubs of the Glasgow Junior Second XI Association

Read More Tales!

Click to explore previous articles.