It has been 121 years since the Glasgow International Exhibition transformed the west end of the city into a floral wonderland that brought a switchback railway, stunning custom-built architecture, water chute and miniature farm to the west end of the city.
Opened by King Edward VII’s daughter Princess Louise on May 2, 1901, the exhibition was a turning point in Glasgow 's status as a sophisticated city and was the first major event to be held in the UK after the turn of the century.
Following on from the roaring success of the 1888 International Exhibition - which was created to fund the building of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum and visited by Queen Victoria - the 1901 Exhibition aimed raise more money for the project and to showcase the great progress made in industry, science and art during the nineteenth century.
The celebration was held across the 73 sprawling acres of greenery in Glasgow’s west end from May to November that year and over the summer months more than 11 million visitors flocked to the spectacle, making more than £404,000 in ticket sales.
As industries across the country grew at neck-breaking speed, Glasgow was keen to cement its reputation as one of the UK’s greatest cities. The event showcased everything from architecture and steamships to automobiles and telephones. Another relatively new invention - the waterproof umbrella - also featured.
In the eyes of many Glaswegians at the time, the 1901 Exhibition would have no doubt lived up to its claims of being the “workshop of the world”.
For the entire summer, the west end was transformed into a wonderland of dizzying rides, colourful stalls and adventurous attractions.
Princess Louise used a special golden key to open the event, which also boasted lush gardens and a rifle range – while gondola trips snaked their way along the River Kelvin.
The most popular attraction of all was the Canadian water chute with its exhilarating plunge into the river.
Thousands of families swarmed to the colourful wonderland in the heady days of summer, exploring the attractions and having picnics on the grass.
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As the darker, cooler autumn days began to draw in, punters in their droves headed to Kelvingrove Park to watch the leaves fall and enjoy the breathtaking electrical illuminations which lit up many of the attractions by night.
A sum of £373,000 was spent to build the remarkable site that included a whole Russian village of seven buildings - four of them being magnificent pavilions - as well as a model farm complete with working dairy, windmill and grieve's house and a grand concert hall with seating for more than 3,000.
There was a new sports ground created at Gilmorehill with a four-lap cement cycle track, cinder pedestrian course, football pitch and stand accommodation for 25,000 spectators. The Exhibition even hosted an eight team football tournament that saw Rangers beat Third Lanark in the semi before overcoming Celtic in the final.
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But the spectacle was short-lived. Just six months after the closure of the Exhibition, most of the site was torn down with most of the materials and fittings auctioned off to raise funds for the new Kelvingrove Art Gallery.
There are few tangible clues that the 1901 Exhibition even took place - the large Indian pavilion that was built is now where the Art Gallery now stands and the Saracen Fountain was later relocated to Alexandra Park.
Though there is little evidence nowadays that such an action-packed sensory spectacle once enchanted locals in the lush parklands of the west end, we’re certain it will live long in the memory of those whose relatives regaled them with tales of the summer of a lifetime.
