President Jim Ballantyne opened the latest meeting of East Kilbride Probus Club and a minute’s silence was held to mark the passing of one of their members, Bill Hood.
Mr Ballantyne then introduced the speaker, Douglas Keith, to talk about the villages of Glasgow with the aid of slides.
The guest speaker, a spry 91, grew up in Cardonald and became a pattern maker to end up as a lecturer at Reid Kerr College in Paisley as well as sitting on the Engineering Industry Training Board representing Scotland.
During all that time, he built up his collection of slides, particularly of Glasgow and famous landmarks – many of which now have disappeared.
He opened up with a few humorous anecdotes and first showed the ruin that St Ninian lived in before moving from West Lothian to the west in about 1200 and established a church that grew over the years to become Glasgow Cathedral.
Nearby was the Molendinar Burn where it is said that he baptised his growing flock with St Mungo coming later.
He then showed more slides of St Mary’s Well where Glasgow got all its water before the Loch Catrine project, The Museum of Religion and Provans Lordship across the Street, the oldest house in Glasgow, and the Royal Infirmary, built in 1900.
Mr Keith then showed Templeton’s Carpet factory in the design of the Doge’s Palace in Venice, onto Nelson’s Column – the first in Britain to honour Lord Nelson.
It was then on to the Saltmarket to the Whistlin’ Kirk - the first church to have an organ installed.
He also featured Pollokshaws, Springburn site of the Glasgow steam engine works and Stobhill Hospital as well as the Pierce Institute and the famous Fairfields Shipyard whose offices are now the Museum of Shipbuilding.
Probus members also got a quick glimpse of Kelvingrove, the art galleries built for the Great Exhibition, up to Maryhilll and the guard house of the old Army Barracks and the church where W M Smith started the world wide Boys Brigade.
Crookston was next with its ruined castle and Ross Hall that had belonged to a shipping magnate, became a hotel management school of Strathclyde University and is now a private Hospital.
Proceedings ended at Moss Heights high-rise housing development and the Cardonald cat and dog home.
The meeting was closed by the President, who wished everybody safe home.
The next meeting will be on the November 16, with a topic on ‘Bridgescape’ from Bruce Keith.
To find out more contact the Secretary, Mr Eddie Holmes, at 01355 234 942 or go to the website.
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