I made it to Glasgow, sadly not in time to return my rental car so I had to pay for an additional day. It ended up working out though as I used the car to drive around to some old addresses I found of my Great Grandparents. I woke up early this morning to ensure that I would have plenty of time to get lost and spend time walking in my ancestor’s shoes and paying my respects. The first place I went was an old tenement that actually looks exactly like the one I am currently staying. I found the address amongst some old articles my Father loaned me, it was the residence of my Great Grandfather (and Great Grandmother I assume) when he was twenty seven years old. It took a bit of time to get there without my gps turned on (too spendy though I have had to turn in on a handful of times in emergency situations, aka too lost to find my way) and some unruly roundabouts but I found my way. It was next to a nice looking park however the building looked like it was pretty rough. The number on the address 22 Preston Street looks now to be a roll up garage, so I don’t know if they changed the numbering or if what is now a storage unit use to be a flat.
The great thing I forgot to mention is that I am staying in the same neighborhood that my Great Grandparents and Grandfather lived, the South end of Glasgow, all the addresses were within two miles. My second stop was to the Cathcart Cemetary where, armed with a picture of the headstone I was going to go and pay my respects to my Great Grandfather. I zigzagged all over the South end, honing in on my target knowing that it was only a handful of blocks between my first and second stop. When I finally found the cemetery I discovered that it was no longer open. What the hell? Can you do that? Close a cemetery? There are grave sites that people would like to visit and pay their respects! I am not sure how long it has been closed but the grounds looked pretty rough, and the lock on the gate was pretty rusty.
I felt a little defeated but decided to keep on to the next destination. This was another address that I found in the items, it was 130 Thistle Street, in the South End as well right before crossing over the bridge. This area was known as the Gorbels I have recently learned and well, some things have changed. Where once there was housing at this address it is now an Islamic Mosque. I couldn’t help but laugh a little, I mean really, what luck?! I guess it has been 90 some years since these places were referenced in the documents I have but I was hoping for a bit more for me to pay homage.
Next up, an address that my Great Grandmother received a Jury Summons from in 1927, 74 Albert Road. I crisscrossed my way back across the South End looped around three too many times and finally found the address. The building was standing, looked a little worse for the wear but I was able to actually visit where they lived, though I didn’t know which unit they might have lived. I had no more addresses and no more room for disappointment so I decided to call it a day and return the car.
Xoxo –
Sarah Jane
Jane Travels Again 