Govanhill

Govanhill ("Bhrae na Ghobhain" in Gaelic) is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde between the Gorbals and Queens Park. The council ward has boundaries of Dixon Avenue and Dixon Road to the South, Victoria Road to the West, Butterbiggins Road to the North, and Aikenhead Road to the East. The history of the area is linked to the Dixon family. A prominent miner and ironworker named William Dixon opened local works and brought jobs to the area. The area itself was formed in 1877 and the main avenue that runs the length of it is called Dixon Avenue. Some of the local streets were name after the daughters of William Dixon Jnr, namely Allison Street, Daisy Street, and Annette Street.

Govanhill is home to one of Glasgow's original Carnegie libraries, deftly designed in the Edwardian Baroque style by James Robert Rhind. The library is situated at the junction of Langside Road and Calder Street.

The ward has a population of approx. 8,500 and has a rich multicultural mixture. Govanhill remains the most together of all of Glasgow's suburbs, with the area having a high volume of tenement housing built in the Victorian era.

Notable current and former residents include psychiatrist and author R.D. Laing, born on Ardbeg Street in 1927.

Govanhill Pool

The baths were designed by A B McDonald and opened in 1917 after the architect's death. They contained hot baths in the upper storey and three swimming pools on the ground floor. There was a seating gallery around one of the pools for spectators attending events such as galas. There was also a wash-house or "steamie" at the rear of the building, which was converted to a launderette in 1971.

The Govanhill baths were not the first in the area - private baths had opened on Butterbiggins Road in 1877.

'Closure'

The campaign to save Govanhill Pool formally began in December January 2001 when Glasgow City Council informed the community and the users that it was to close the baths on March 31st that year. There had been no local consultation and none with the users. A feasibility study was commissioned by the Council after it was clear there was a massive and popular demand to keep the pool open. Community members occupied the pool from March 17th until August 7th that year when, after obtaining a decree to remove the protesters from the pool Sheriff’s Officers accompanied eventually by some 250 police, horses and even a helicopter surveillance removed the protesters and boarded up the pool with steel shutters. It has remained like this since. [ [http://www.geocities.com/govanhillbaths/photo.html Govanhill Baths Community Trust - Photo Gallery ] ]

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