An unearthed documentary from the sixties examined a rising problem at the time in Glasgow as youth gangs became more violent, dangerous and prevalent.
As the 1960s drew to a close, the people of Glasgow were hoping a new decade would bring more peaceful times. It wasn’t the flat cap, organised gangs of the thirties but a different, evolved form of street gang that posed a bigger threat. Though, as the documentary points out, behind the black eyes and stab wounds - there was a lonely, need to belong among gang members.
The Gangs of Glasgow, which was broadcast on ITV at the time, talks to members of the Shamrock, Cumbie, and Bundy gangs. The documentary begins with a clip of 1960s singer Frankie Vaughan, who was vocal in the fight for peace in Glasgow, as he declares: “There’s no more gangs.”
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A statement of hope for locals, but one that may have been premature. Glasgow's problem with gang culture is one that had been going on for decades, perhaps most famously captured in the 1935 novel, No Mean City.
Often considered the definitive account of life in Glasgow in the 1920s, the author, Kingsley Long used conversations with Alexander McArthur, an unemployed Glaswegian, to construct his novel. It tells the story of Johnnie Stark, the son of a violent father and downtrodden mother, as he becomes the ‘Razor King’ of Glasgow’s pre-war, slum underworld.
Telling tales of violence, gang fights, alcoholism and poverty, the pages of No Mean City are sadly mirrored in the clips featured in the Gangs of Glasgow documentary, despite the 40-year gap.
The rise in crime by the late 60s was clear; over 1,400 incidents of violence had been recorded in 1967 - though the real figure is likely to be far higher. In fear of further brawls or being caught ‘dobbing’ someone in, many would use a cover story if they required medical attention.
One young man who features told nurses he fell on a glass bottle, which would likely have been to avoid a further beating.
The reasons behind the increase in gang violence, as pointed out in the film, may have come from the ‘homes in the sky’ - as high rise living spread across the country in the 60s. Glasgow saw over 80,000 homes developed after the war, with families moving from strong communities in the tenements into new, modern housing.
While the plans were hopeful, many tower blocks were criticised for having inadequate amenities, very few shops or community buildings. While gangs had been an issue in the city for some time, the boredom and lack of camaraderie had many looking to gangs for a sense of purpose and belonging.
As for the violence, territorialism had gripped the city. Stepping foot in an area you didn’t belong to was asking for trouble. The interviewer asked one member of the Shamrock gang about his commitment to his territory.
He replied: “Union Street in Glasgow, that’s Cumbie territory.
“We can’t go along there, unless maybe there’s one or two of you.
"They can’t come along here, unless there’s a team of them.”
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The interviewer then asked if he would be safe to walk down the local streets, which the young man doesn’t recommend.
He said: “Don’t think so.
“I mean if you’re standing there you’ll probably just get what anybody else is getting.
"Likes of the Shamrock, that’s one thing about them, they don’t take liberties - but the Cumbie, if they’re running down a street they’ll just hit anybody.”
The footage moves on to a group of mothers, as they speak to the Easterhouse MP at the time, Hugh Brown.
One of the women declared: “There’s no community, there’s no spirit.
“We all came up here with good intentions, thinking we’re giving our children a better chance, we’re moving out of the city itself.
"Coming out to fresh air, open fields, all the rest of it, but that’s all we do have.”
In Easterhouse, families were lacking facilities and sending their children down to other areas wasn’t an option. Walking into neighbouring areas saw youngsters chased by gangs set on keeping their territories for themselves.
In one chilling scene, when asked by the interviewer how he feels after killing someone, a gang member stated: “I get a good night's sleep after it, I don’t bother.”
In January 1967 local police state that group disorder incidents are on the rise. The Chief Constable set up a Group Disorder Vehicle, composed of a sergeant and a few constables, in each division. They were dispatched in the event of an incident in hopes of quickly ending any brawls.
Glasgow's problem with ‘young teams’ has arguably never ended.
In 2006, there were as many gangs in the area as there were in London - which is geographically six times the size. It wasn’t until the introduction of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit in 2005, as well as other successful initiatives, managed to reduce the numbers of youth involved in gangs over the next decade.
