DUMBARTON Road looks a bit quieter in 1956 than it does today, with only a few cars on the road and the (now decommissioned) trams trundling along in the distance. This is Partick Cross, taken at the bottom of Church Street looking east towards the junction with Byres Road.
Just out of shot is what was once Partick Cross subway station, renamed Kelvinhall’in 1977 as part of the subway modernisation. Two other stations had an identity change during the modernisation: Copland Road became Ibrox and Merkland Street was closed to make way for Partick opening instead.
Partick itself remained a village until the 19th century, when the growth of shipbuilding on the Clyde led to a population rise in the area. Yet this rapid expansion proved too much for the area’s infrastructure – and inhabitants – and in 1852 the householders of Partick decided to constitute themselves into a police burgh. This allowed residents to elect their own Provost of Partick, and the police burgh status meant that the area was protected from encroachment by the ever-growing city of Glasgow. Other burghs such as Hillhead, Pollokshields and Langside were later incorporated into Glasgow, but Partick, Govan and Kinning Park refused. It took until 1912 for them to be persuaded to join with the city, losing Partick’s Provost and pushing the population of Greater Glasgow above one million for the first time. Yet it still retained its character and independent shops, like those seen in this picture.
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