Extract from Glasgow: A Portrait

From the introduction

My early memories of Glasgow go back to my boyhood in the 1950’s when I used to visit the city from the family home in Ayrshire with my father. We were mainly trainspotting or going to a football match, but I remember the engine sheds at Polmadie, Corkerhill and St Rollox which all held a steamy fascination for me. And I remember watching Ayr United win 3-0 at Ibrox!

Regrettably, during my studies at Strathclyde University, I failed to appreciate Glasgow’s architectural prowess. It was only after I joined the Ordnance Survey and spent time in the city revising Landranger maps that I took time to stop and look around and above me. It was only then that I realised what a wonderful city Glasgow was. The stunning tenements of Broomhill and the work of Charles Rennie Mackintosh such as Scotland Street School took my breath away. I was hooked.

My work with the Ordnance Survey took me all over Britain, but for many years I was based in Scotland, mapping the Highlands & Islands in particular. During this time I started to take photographs of landmarks and buildings and had many pictures published on the covers of OS maps.

Following early retirement in 2004, I established a home digital photographic laboratory and one of my first thoughts was to take a closer look at Glasgow’s architectural heritage. I originally had a working list of about 50 subjects, but following further research, ground visits and consultation with my publishers, the list just grew and grew.
My wish-list comprised public buildings, historic sites, visitor attractions, monuments, churches, bridges, significant architecture - indeed anything that could be deemed a point of interest, both ancient and modern. Of course there are omissions and gaps - one book will never be enough for Glasgow! I also included some world-famous sites within an hour’s drive of the city, such as Burns Cottage and New Lanark. I hope the images will encourage interest in some of the less well known and less frequently visited sites in and around Glasgow.

During my ground visits I became fascinated by the way natural light can alter a building’s character. A seemingly dull façade by day can come alive brilliantly when illuminated by the late evening sunshine of mid-summer. If the book gives the impression that the sun always shines on Glasgow, I make no apologies for that.

My father is still with us, but alas! those smoky engine sheds are no more, and the football grounds have changed dramatically and much for the better. Glasgow remains a wonderful, vibrant city and I hope my book is worthy of it.

Roy Firth, 2005