(B) General History of Pollokshaws/Shawhill
The name Pollokshaws possibly comes from the following. Pollok could be from the Gaelic Pol which means Pool (the White Cart flows through Pollokshaws and the land here is quite low beside the river) and the word Shaw is believed to mean woodland. (Smart, A. 2002) This would also follow for Shawhill, Woodland Hill, as it was at one point.
Pollokshaws is first mentioned as Pook Shawes on a Timothy Pont map published by Blaeu in 1654 (Smart, A. 2002)
The earliest map that could be found in The Mitchell Library in Glasgow was one dated 1828 (there is another dated 1568 although this is a sketch by A.M Scott who was a Langside Historian in the 1880’s!) The map dated 1828 is a plan of the country between Glasgow and Kingswell (Ayrshire) and illustrates proposed alteration to the main road to Ayrshire from Glasgow (what became the A77) Fig 23.
Pollokshaws was a Burgh of Barony from 1813 to 1858. A burgh of barony was granted to a landowner who held his estates directly from the crown, in the case of Pollokshaws this was Maxwell of Pollok. In 1858 Pollokshaws became a Police Burgh utilizing the Police Burgh (Scotland) Act 1833. This is Police burghs were towns which adopted Acts of Parliament to adopt an elected town council responsible for policing, paving, lighting and cleansing. Pollokshaws Burgh Hall was constructed in 1898, using £20,000 gifted by Sir John Stirling Maxwell. He also contributed to it’s upkeep until the annexation of Pollokshaws to Glasgow.
In “Rambles Around Glasgow”, Hugh MacDonald mentions the area. Travelling from Crossmyloof on the road to Kilmarnock through Barrhead (current Pollokshaws Road)
“On either hand are wide-spreading and fertile fields, relieved at intervals with patches and belts of planting, farm-houses, and gentlemen’s seats. About half the distance it is up hill, but afterwards it gradually declines towards the hollow in which, on the banks of the Cart, here a considerable stream, the town is situated.”
This describes the area from roughly where the Granary Pub is situated at Shawlands Cross, following Pollokshaws Road to the Toll at Auldhouse. (MacDonald, A. 1860).
The industry of Pollokshaws, during this period, was primarily weaving, dyeing and spinning. Clothing manufacture continued in Pollokshaws until 1994 when Claremont Garments, previously D & H Cohen closed.
In 1912, Pollokshaws was annexed to Glasgow. (Miller 2001) The land area at t his time was 67 hectares and a population of 13,000. (Maver 2004) . The area of Pollokshaws contained mostly low residential density and had a village like atmosphere. See Fig 1 and 2 for examples of buildings in Pollokshaws pre 1960’s.
Fig. 1 Pollokshaws Burgh Hall
Fig 2. Pollokshaws Parish Church
The character of the area of Pollokshaws and Shawhill changed in the 1960’s. This was due to Pollokshaws being marked as the second Comprehensive Development Area (CDA). The first area being Gorbals, Glasgow.
The Corporation of the City of Glasgow (as it was at this time) issued two publications. These were a survey of the area as well as a written statement outlining the plans for the area. (The Corporation of the City of Glasgow, 1957, Pollokshaws Comprehensive Development Area, 1957 – Survey Report and The Corporation of the City of Glasgow, 1957, Pollokshaws Comprehensive Development Area, 1957 – Written Statement). Industrial and housing areas were zoned and some businesses, such as John McDonald & Co who had been in business in Pollokshaws from 1895, moved to East Kilbride as adequate provision was not available for the company in the new plans ( Scottish Office 1956)
Fig 3 Redeveloped Pollokshaws L- R 12 Riverford Road, 21 Riverbank, 124 Shawbridge Street, 142 Shawbridge Street, Greenview Street, Wellgreen, Rossendale.
