Kinning Park

Kinning Park is a southern suburb of Glasgow, Scotland. In 1897 it had a population of 14326. Govan Parish School Board, "The Members' Year Book 1897", William Hodge & Co, Glasgow, p 121]

Political history

Originally a separate Police burgh founded in 1871, it became part of Glasgow in 1905. [cite book | title=Labour in Glasgow, 1896-1936: Socialism, Suffrage, Sectarianism | author=J.J. Smyth | year=2000 | publisher=Tuckwell Press | id=ISBN 186232137X] It was the smallest such burgh in Scotland at just 108 acres. During its 34 year existence the burgh had its own council, elections, coat of arms, provosts, town hall, council chambers, fire brigade, police force, and police court.Andrew J McMahon et al (2003), "A History of Kinning Park and District, Glasgow", Glasgow Lending Libraries shelfmark 941.443] Govan Burgh to the west survived even longer from 1864-1912 before it too was annexed by the City of Glasgow.T C F Brotchie (1905 & 1938), "History of Govan", Cossar Ltd]

The inaugural council in 1871 was one of the first examples of working class representation in Scotland with 5 "working men" candidates being elected to the 12 member council under the guidance of Andrew Boa, an activist who also served on the Glasgow Trades Council. This was well before the formation of the Scottish Labour Party in 1888 by Keir Hardie and R B Cunningham Graeme.

During the area's time as an independent burgh, there were nine Provosts of Kinning Park:
* Alexander Abercrombie (1871-1874)
* Thomas Dick (1874-1877)
* William Muir (1877-1883)
* George Lindsay (1883-1890)
* James Whyte (1890-1893)
* John Campbell (1893-1896)
* Alexander Mitchell (1896-1899)
* William Gray (1899-1902)
* Thomas McMillan (1902-1905)

In 1970 the neighbouring Kingston ward of Glasgow Corporation was the first in Scotland to elect a muslim councillor, Bashir Mann.

More recently political activity in the district has received national publicity in relation to the Glasgow headquarters of the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) in Stanley Street which occupies a site adjacent to the former Kinning Park Burgh Chambers. This SSP building was the scene of the Executive Committee Emergency Meeting on 9 November 2004 which led to later disagreement between prominent Scottish politician Tommy Sheridan and many of his committee colleagues. The minutes of the meeting are disputed and they became a key point of discussion in the libel case which Sheridan brought against the News of the World newspaper in 2006.

Etymology

A map by Robert Ogilvy in 1741 of the estate of Sir John Maxwell of Pollok shows a field called "The Park" just to the west of the building "Kinnen House" (later Kinning House) and immediately south of what today is Paisley Road Toll, but up to the 19th century was called Parkhouse Toll. Hence, this proximity of "The Park" and "Kinning House" is likely to be the origin of the name Kinning Park as the area developed. "Kinning" could be linked to the old Scots words "cunig", "cuning", "cunyg" or "coney" meaning a rabbit. This would be consistent the naming of the neighbouring area of Ibrox after the old Scots term "Y brocks" meaning "the badgers".

Economic development

From 1850 Kinning Park grew from a rural village to a busy centre mainly inhabited by artisans and labourers. Its principal industries were engineering, bread and biscuit baking, soap-making and paint-making.Robin Smith (2001), "The Making of Scotland", Canongate, p 424 - 429]

Andrew Boa was also involved in the formation of Kinning Park Co-Operative SocietyPatrick Dollan (1923), "Jubilee History of the Kinning Park Co-Operative Society", Kinning Park Co-Operative Society Ltd] in 1871 which flourished up until 1952 opening retail and manufacturing premises in Kinning Park and many other neighbouring districts south of the Clyde.

Kinning Park is now a district in Glasgow situated on the south bank of the Clyde about 1 mile west of the city centre between Kingston and Ibrox/Govan. It is served by Kinning Park subway station which is the closest to the surface of all the stations on the 15 station circle. Nowadays the district is home to many small industrial units, as well as the Scottish versions of News International's UK newspaper titles. The headquarters of BBC Scotland and Scottish Television were relocated to Pacific Quay over a preiod between 2004 and 2008, just to the west of the boundary of the old burgh.

port

It also incorporates some of the most football-obsessed public houses in Glasgow, almost all of them favouring the nearby Rangers F.C. Rangers F.C. once played at a ground in West Scotland St within Kinning Park Burgh from 1876-87 after which they moved to Ibrox. The ground was first used by Clydesdale Cricket Club in 1849 who moved to their current Titwood premises in 1876. The cricketers played cricket in summer and the new sport of football in winter. Clydesdale F.C. of Kinning Park contested the very first Scottish Cup Final in 1874 against Queen's Park F.C. but lost 2-0 at the first Hampden Park.S Courtney (1954), "As Centuries Blend - One Hundred and Six Years of Clydesdale Cricket Club", John Miller Ltd, p 28 - 30] The 1881 Scottish Cup Final, in which Queen's Park beat Dumbarton after a replay, was played at the Kinning Park football ground. The site of the ground is now covered by the eastbound carriageway of the M8 motorway just to the south of the present Lambhill Quadrant.

M8 motorway

The route of the M8 motorway through Kinning Park was first proposed in Glasgow Corporation's "Bruce Plan" in 1945. The eventual building of the motorway during 1970-76 demolished a large part of the old district and displaced many residents to other other areas of Glasgow or to new towns further afield.

References