The Canal Boatman

When it opened in 1878, Maryhill Burgh Halls contained 20 stained glass panels created by Adam and Small, which produced possibly the most significant Scottish stained glass for the next four decades.

The building was in disrepair in the 1960's, and the panels had been removed for safe keeping, but the Maryhill Burgh Halls have recently been reopened as a Trust, and are set up as a community project, having, among other things, a nursery, a leisure centre, a cafe, the original large hall which has multi use for events, office space, etc.

We went for a free guided tour of the building and it was fantastic, but the highlight for me were the 11 panels of the original 20, which are on display. They hope eventually to have all twenty panels displayed.

The panels feature geographically specific locations in Maryhill, with real working people of the 1870s, going about their everyday jobs, not dressed up or stylised. I show you the Canal Boatman, which is wonderful, you can see the stitches in the patch in his trousers, and the hoof prints in the mud of his horse.

To complement the old stained glass panels, ten modern stained glass panels have been made, designed by Alec Galloway and Margo Winning, commissioned as the outcome of a competition to design and produce a new set of windows for the Maryhill Burgh Halls. These are beautiful and feature what goes on in modern day Maryhill.

I would thoroughly recommend the tour to anyone who lives near enough and is interested in the history of Glasgow. Tours can be booked through the Internet, and are free.