Once Upon a time in the Gorbals.wmv

[@tombarclay7108]

My grandparents and my great aunt lived on Moffat Street. Loved my time there. Used to buy sweets from Mick Kelly's confectioners and tobacconists. The Kellys lived above the store. They had one of the first television sets of the time. They were nice people, and often invited us up the watch whatever TV programs were on BBC, the only channel available back then. Being a little kid, Mick's son, Kevin used to tell me to look in the back of the TV and I'd see all the little people in there. I was little, but not dumb. I knew there were no people in there, but I would go over and look because it kept everyone there amused. There was a pen halfway down the street which connected to another street (can't remember the name). There was a rag and bone man's place in the pen, and he also kept his horse there. One day, it escaped, and started running wild through the pen, and down Moffat Street. They eventually caught it, and led it back to its stable. Then there was the elderly guy who used to walk like he had a broomstick all the way up his butt. He'd walk to the pub on the corner, stay for a couple of hours, and walk back home. I asked my granny why he walked that way. She told me in a hushed tone that he was once a soldier, and that he had never really adapted to civilian life again when he retired from the army. I miss those simple times, and even the old tenements.

[@jimmybee49]

Born in 1949 in 56 Cavendish Street off Eglinton Street, stayed with my gran in Caledonia Road for some time and with my granda in 315 or 316 Thistle Street, apprenticed as a joiner, age 16, in Alexander Allan's shop in Oxford Street in the Gorbals, this film brought back a lot of memories, remember most of the places in the pictures, if not as a child then as an apprentice, cried a wee bit too, thank you for posting this.

[@00jumpingjack]

Born and bred here in Norfolk st 1962 , I'm still here and love it :)

[@albertreynolds9287]

I went yo buchan street school then abbotsford loved the gorbals great memories proud of it

[@haddockface]

I was born in 1948 in Lennox castle hospital and lived in Mathieson Street till 1952 when we moved out to East Kilbride. I went to Oatlands School and remember watching Flash Gordon in the Paragon in Cumberland Street.

[@Jameshaxton-q6l]

Born in 371 Cumberland Street have not been there in many years unfortunately it's lost its soul, very sad.

[@scabycat]

It might be the worst place- but its not about places its about people. Give me a bad place with great people any day of the week rather than some posh place with nasty people. I was brought up on the Ford Estate in Birkenhead. According to local folklor it was the " worst place" in Birkenhead yet I could not have wished for a better place to live and to be among some of the best people u could ever meet. Cherished memories of a superb boyhood.

[@JohnMcaulay-gp6nb]

I was born 4th March 1959 at 11.50am in a single end, 18 Camden Street, the Gorbals. No hospital birth for me I'm afraid. At the age of four, we moved up to a lovely brand new massive housing scheme by the name of Castlemilk. I have always been proud to say that I was born a Gorbals boy, and brought up in Castlemilk.

[@davidgreen7371]

Killed the soul of Glasgow when this was swept away. Beautiful music

[@1gerard47]

​@@lobiedosserthanks ,Enya has been used in old Glasgow videos we are are special people, born 1961,my grandparents, mother and father the best,I'm one of seven no regrets❤

[@lizy2shoes1]

i was born in waddel st,and i would die for a picture of it,we got move to castlemilk (new scheme}1957i only have one memory and thats of my ma taking us out,said we woz goin to the pond,boy were we excited...........turned out to be the pawn lol,a well wot dya expect i was 3 n a half.dead proud of being a gorbals wain.ty for this post,cried masell a river x

[@delbhoy5675]

I lived in the Waddell St. 1956 to 1960. Then we moved to South Nitshill when I was four.

[@pipesmacbaggs3320]

Good wee vid...they didn't need to flatten the whole place as many buildings just needed refurbished..were going to do the same with Govanhill but stopped with only the tenements along Cathcart rd demolished between Calder st and Aitkenhead rd.

[@jamescameron6677]

I was born in Roseberry St off Polmadie Rd ,Stayed with my Gran in Hayfield St ,and went to Hayfield St School ,then John St School .Have lived in Auckland New Zealand for 50 years .The Video brought back fond memories ,Thanks .

[@philky144]

I was brought up in florence street at caley road myself from 1950 and I miss it a lot.I Think it was a disgrace to knock down such beautiful buildings along with the slums.

[@TheGrowler55]

I came from Florence St in the Gorbals, it was the best place in the world to grow up in, Benny Lynch Scotlands first world boxing champ came from Florence St, it was called Rose St then.

[@SandraGray-ti7qd]

I was born in Mathieson Street in 1947. Moved to Pollok when I was 4.

[@TheGrowler55]

I came from Florence street then Caledonia Road, I stayed in the SouSide as we called it until I was in my Thirties, once a Gorbals boy always a Gorbals boy.

[@ibroxholme]

Sorry I was unable to reply to you at the time!!...Iv'e only just managed to get back into my own channel after losing the info required to log-in. I was born in Florence St. in the 1940's myself...moved to Ibrox in 1964...you'r spot on....always a Gorbal's boy!!

[@jaggedittlegirl]

My Mum and family came from a one up on the end in Florence st, moved to 305 Cali Rd. Spent most of my Saturdays in the flats visiting my Granny. Few years back got a taxi from my Mums, the guy asked after my Mum but with maiden name, I freaked oot till he said "you were the youngest right? you don't remember me from the landing at yer Grannys?" I was gobsmacked he was from the family doon a door and he still recalled me 25 yrs later!!!

[@sputumtube]

Even the Gorbals was new once. It must have looked splendid then.....

[@deeferry6520]

I've never seen any pics of what it looked like when first built

[@williamf4544]

@@deeferry6520 Yes its strange that - they probably been destroyed because people would be able to see what the place could have looked like if it had been restored rather than demolished

[@1gerard47]

​​@@williamf4544we are all different, you have the uneducated, that spoil what is good,you can't put the blame on any particular reason for a better word,it's so confusing and ime lost for words🤔

[@MyJan456]

I was born in old rutherglen rd fond memories thank you for your photos

[@williamsafari6437]

num 41 old rutherglen

[@ianmac3648]

Stalker

[@mackerounski]

We were the McIntosh's. At 1.51, in the video, that's the corner of Florence and Cumberland st. The window with the white curtains ma maw put them up.

[@jeffreyhawthornegoines8727]

This is very lyrical, very moving, and visionary

[@geofftaylor8627]

My .Faither. came from the Gorbals. Via Nazi Germany in 39.He loved the old Gorbals ALWAYS. He told me he wouldn't of left the Gorbals but my mother had ambition. Lol.

[@leitfie3579]

Very evocative ; very nostalgic

[@RobRoyBoaz]

Looking at these photos, they could easily represent the Lower East Side of Manhattan during the Prohibition era, except of course for the photos of the pubs. A nice presentation.

[@williamsafari6437]

new york architecture wa fashioned on glasgow arch

[@williambentley2802]

My mum grew up there in the 1930s in a couple of rooms.

[@aasimazam]

Its looks so distant. What was it like living in Gorbals, was it a high crime area? Poverty or was it quite affluent? From some of the pictures, some places look really run down and others look really nice. It doesn't look anything like todays tenement areas like govanhill and Pollokshields. It looks so much better, open and spacious. It must have been horrible having to move away from you home. Have you ever been back?

[@charliemedia5111]

We moved when i was 3 year's old out of 152 Hospital St to a n all new Masonette out in Thornliebank,as my Parent's must have been in there glory as my Good Aunty moved upstair's aswell,as the short year's rolled by i never seen it coming as they both passed away by the time i was 17. I was the last of 3 and a massive 10 year's gap between me and my sister & 15 year's between me + my good Brother,we all moved to different part's of the UK . But remember the best memorys living and growing - up in Kennishead Ave masonette's a Spoilt wee man as by the time i was 10 my Brother always worked away earning good money and my sister married and moved all over the shop as i always knew it all began in the Gorbals as my Mother was a Calton woman and ma good Father ( a Sligo Man and did 2 - years National Service ) and then a Hackney Driver for 38 year's used to pick - up my mother in Wallace St as she was a Machinest sewing away for M&S -Clothing outlet's in Tradeston. Thank You For this amazing insight 10/10 ...wow

[@GorbalsRebel]

Yer Maw loved it when she was here!

[@streapadair]

No problem, thanks for the generous and courteous reply. It's a common misconception that everything on the 'net is fair game. Maybe I should have put a stonking great watermark across my photos, but they seem (to my surprise) to give so much pleasure to so many that this would seem mean.

[@lifeis-good2187]

that music is good......

[@GorbalsRebel]

theres a sculpture of the 3 wee boys @2.42 on Cumberland St now

[@wellbeing7607]

Look at all the shops/people on Cumberland st..you go past there now & it's like a ghost town.

[@albertreynolds9287]

I went to Buchan Street school then Abbotsford great memories of the gorbals

[@leemunro1975]

was born and brought up in queen elizabeth sq a wonderful place what memories ....

[@jaggedittlegirl]

Do you know what was the name of the Chinese take away at the wee shops at the flats? I cant recall as I was about 7yrs old!

[@leemunro1975]

@jaggedittlegirl goldenland also known as 'johns'

[@jaggedittlegirl]

@@leemunro1975 Thank you so so much, they did the best chicken curry and fried rice ever. Still compare it to each one I get to this day.....30yrs later! I also recall the pub at the foot of 341 Cali flats, you wouldn't know what it was called?

[@leemunro1975]

@@jaggedittlegirl that was the phoenix

[@jaggedittlegirl]

@@leemunro1975 I cant ask my Mum as she isnt with us nor my Dad but it had been bugging me for sometime both the names, I only recall being in the pub once, i was about 6 and it was a bit scary, heavy with smoke, very loud, swearing and a lot of it. I was told "hold your breath and your ears" as Mum nipped into to find my Granddad. Thank you again as I now have the names to the places in my memories ❤

[@stellaritchie1776]

After my gran died we found out my gran was from the tornado and she never told any one that's so sad to know

[@engelberthumperdinck7366]

Lovely film... READ THE REAL GORBALS STORY NEXT BRILLIANT 👍

[@danedgar4896]

My Grandad was born in Crown Street

[@Joe_Peroni]

At 0:30- on the way home from Pollok we'd walk under the bridge, down past the church, then turn left at end of this; at 1:30- our swing park! One night as we walked past that tenement building overlooking this, there was a woman leaning out of the top floor window shouting: "HELP! MURDER! POLIS!" repeatedly!

[@roberthughes6672]

Born in Hayfield St in 1940 moved to 31 Mathieson St,down at the Clyde end in 1942, stayed 17 years in a room and kitchen there with my 2 sisters and parents then was resettled to Castlemilk in 1959, married a Cowcaddens girl in 1963 and migrated to Australia that same year. They demolished some classic structures,just to name a few, the UCBS at the bottom of McNeil St, St Mungo Hall and the Hutchinsontown Library. Went to St Francis School then Holyrood Senior Secondary. Still married and living in country Victoria, Australia

[@carpetbaggerface]

Peruvian pan pipes music caught me off guard for the Gorbals

[@bonniespike2]

300 rats caught 103 Florence St.,103 was in the middle of the thumbnail photo, happened around the late fities if I mnd right, this made it into the Evening Times and gave some of the credit to a stray dog that wandered around Florence St. We stuffed the rat holes around the middens and smoked them out. The street looks nice and clean but go through the closes and find the filth the weans used as a playground.

[@christinejackson3922]

My dad grow up in the Gorbals he left in 1950 for Melbourne Australia so he was there during the 30’s and 40’s he told me a childhood story about him and mates catching rats (I can’t remember how) and building a bonfire and throwing the rats in bonfire and they thought it was great fun

[@bonniespike2]

@@christinejackson3922 They were five or six cinema's within five minutes walk or less and pawns at every corner, no matter what street you stayed the Palace picture house next to the Citizens theatre in Gorbals main Street had two exits each side of screen at bottom of the aisles leading out to a lane and one would pay to get in and when the usher turned her back you slipped down and open one and a few of our pals would slip in for nothing, for weans it was more of an adventure and did not realise the poverty or parents were suffering, Florence St. Was about quarter of a mile long with a school at each end which I attended, there is one school still standing next to the river Clyde, everything else has gone, 5000 people live there now where once it was 40,000 and that was in the Gorbals area alone. Although I don't like boxing, the Benny Lynch story who's Scotlands famous boxer tells you more than any other book about life in the Gorbals and he lived at same time as your dad, it's a tragic story and funny at times he has his place in the hall of fame, he also was born in Florence St and has a court or street named after him

[@christinejackson3922]

bonniespike2 thank you so much for taking the time to write such long reply 🙏 I know very little of my dad’s childhood a few stories that’s all he passed away in 2012. He was one of 12 children one another story he told me was snicking to the “pictures”to watch the latest cowboy and Indians movie with his little brother maybe it’s one of the cinemas you mentioned

[@Ceorolus]

Where are the street bins? What's more, were, for the most part, is the rubbish?

[@engelberthumperdinck7366]

READ THE REAL GORBALS STORY NEXT brilliant

[@lindawatson2214]

I WAS BORN IN 247 THISILE ST IN 1957

[@leemunro1975]

We probably knew each other lol

[@paulowens7700]

Hi, I am doing a research project on the Gorbals area, to do with the tenements at Mathieson street, Sandyfaulds street and South Wellington street (later named Lawmoor) running North to South in the area and also the tenements of Rutherglen Road, Cumberland Street, Caledonia Road running East to West. I am also looking at the Basil Spence block which replaced them, I would be grateful if anyone has information of these blocks to get in touch with me or reply to this comment. Thanks

[@streapadair]

It's not that hard to ask permission before lifting copyright material from the internet, but I don't recall you asking me for the 10 or so photos of mine you have used. Please don't do it again.

[@lindawatson2214]

SORRY 246 THISILE STREET 😢

[@stewartfraser2574]

What the fk is that bloody music??, what has that got anything to do with the Gorbals.

[@josephberrie9550]

there is always one and its you

[@banditoirlandese3285]

Ennio Morricone theme music from the film Once Upon a Time in America which was set in New York in the 20's/ 30's and looks remarkably like the Gorbals of same period.

[@LR-ee2uu]

There is always two and you are both of them. Cultural Desert.

[@kervilou5905]

now muslims ..............................;;

[@rizwansaqib2065]

kervilou lol yer in the wrang place

[@billmoo]

The music is totally incongruous to the content. What were you thinking @ibroxholme

[@georgeblackley6028]

It was for effect. It worked.

[@govang5191]

Moo , 1yr old account, ya still teething