Govan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Govan is a district and former burgh in the southwestern part of the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated on the south bank of the River Clyde, just across from Partick. It was an administratively independent Police burgh from 1864 until it was incorporated into the expanding city of Glasgow in 1912.
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[edit] History
[edit] Pre-20th Century
Researchers believe that Govan was the site of one of the earliest Christian settlements in mainland Scotland, dating back to before the 9th century. At that time, the area was part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde, with its capital at Dumbarton on the north side of the river. The name is Bàile Ghobhainn, 'smith's town' in Scottish Gaelic, but probably derives from an earlier Brythonic name of disputed meaning. According to John of Fordun, Constantine, a 7th century King of Strathclyde, founded a monastery at Govan, where he died and was buried. In 1855, a sarcophagus was found during digging in the churchyard. It now resides inside the church and is thought to have contained the relics of Constantine.
The earliest references to Govan are found in connection with the Christian church. In 1136, when Glasgow Cathedral was formally consecrated, King David I (1124-53) gave to the See the lands of Partick and also of the church at Govan, which became a prebend of Glasgow. The Govan Old Parish Church was rebuilt in 1762, 1826, and again 1884-1888. Within it and its roughly circular churchyard is one of the finest collections of Early Christian stones in Britain, dating from the 10th and 11th centuries.
By the 16th century, there were extensive coal mine workings around Craigton and Drumoyne. As the village grew, new trades and crafts, such as weaving, pottery and agriculture, were established.
By the early part of the 19th century, Govan was rapidly losing its rural appearance and assuming the character of a town as other industries, including Reid's Dye Works and Pollok's Silk Mill, established themselves. Shipbuilding accelerated this change most prominently, with the deepening of the Clyde in 1759, the reclamation of the channels between the islands (The White Inch, The Black Inch, and The King's Inch), and the construction of quays and docks. By the 1860s, it was obvious that a proper administration was required, and the village was made a burgh in 1864, under the General Police (Scotland) Act of 1862. With Morris Pollok as its first Provost, the Burgh and its Commissioners ensured that over the next 48 years Govan became a well equipped, modern town. During the 19th century, the population of Govan increased from 9,000 in 1864 to 95,000 by 1907. In 1912, Govan was annexed to Glasgow.
A prominent feature of the Govan landscape was the Doomster or Moot Hill, which stood near the river, north of the present Govan Cross. It was removed in the early 19th century and Reid's Dyeworks erected on the site. The origins of the Doomster Hill are a mystery. One hypothesis is that it was a prehistoric burial mound. In 1996, a team from Channel 4's Time Team programme carried out a dig at the site. They suggested that it could be a 12th century Norman motte.
[edit] 20th Century to the Present
Traditionally viewed as a working-class area, Govan has been a hotbed of support for the Labour Party, but the Scottish National Party (SNP) is strong there as well and in 1973 won a by-election with Margo MacDonald as their candidate. The SNP won another by-election victory in 1988, this time with Jim Sillars as candidate.
The area has had a reputation for deprivation and poverty, partly due to the construction of housing estates in the 1930s to relieve the overcrowded slum district of The Gorbals, Glasgow. The most famous of these housing estates is Moore Park, more commonly known as "The Wine Alley" which was parodied by the BBC sitcom Rab C. Nesbitt. Although Govan was used as a setting for the show, it was seldom filmed there. In the post-war years, many Govanites were relocated, often reluctantly, from the town to outlying areas such as Drumchapel, Pollok, Darnley, Priesthill and Penilee by the Corporation of Glasgow.
In the 1930s the Reverend George MacLeod - one of the Church of Scotland's best known ministers - was minister at Govan Old Parish Church. He founded the Iona Community, whose offices are still based in Govan.
[edit] Govan shipyard
Govan was at one stage the centre of the world-renowned Clydeside shipbuilding industry, although few yards remain today. Those that do are under almost constant financial threat. Govan remains one of two large shipyards to survive, the other being Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited (YSL). Both of these yards form BAE Systems Naval Ships.
Govan shipyard was founded in the 1860s as Randolph, Elder and Company, later John Elder and Company. In 1885 the yard was reorganised as the Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. This company continued until 1965 when it filed for bankruptcy. In response, the yard was again reorganised in 1966 as Fairfields, which was guaranteed by the government. The following year Fairfields and the other major Clydeside yards (Stephens, Connels, YSL and Browns) were merged to form Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS).
In 1971 the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders went into receivership and the Tory government under Edward Heath refused it a £6m loan. Rather than go on strike, which was the traditional form of industrial action, the union leadership of the yards decided to have a 'work-in' and complete the orders that the shipyards had in place. In this way they dispelled the idea of the workers being 'work-shy' and also wanted to illustrate the long-term viability of the yards. The work-in was successful in the short-term. YSL withdrew from UCS in 1971 and Govan was sold off in 1973 as Govan Shipbuilders.
In 1977 the Labour government of James Callaghan passed the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act which nationalised Govan and grouped it with other major British shipyards as British Shipbuilders. In May 1979 Margaret Thatcher was elected as Prime Minister and her administration soon began its privatisation programme. British Aerospace, established by the same act, was privatised in 1981. British Shipbuilder's road to privatisation was not as swift, and the group was sold piece by piece throughout the decade. Govan was sold to Kværner in 1988.
In 1999 GEC's Marconi Electronic Systems division purchased the yard from Kværner. GEC's Marconi Marine division already owned YSL (purchased in 1985) and VSEL (purchased in 1995). Marconi Electronic Systems and its Marconi Marine unit were sold to British Aerospace in 1999 to form BAE Systems. The shipbuilding operations became BAE Systems Marine, now BAE Systems Naval Ships.
[edit] Ships built at Govan
This is a partial list
- HMAS Sydney
- HMS Theseus
- RFA Wave Ruler
- Sea Launch Commander
- 'Pacific Peace'
[edit] Transport
Govan is served by Govan subway station on the Glasgow Subway.
[edit] Trivia
The world renowned football club, Rangers FC and its Ibrox Stadium home are situated in the district of Govan. The club moved to the area in 1899 and have enjoyed their very best years there.
- Govan is home to the popular Scottish junior football team Benburb F.C. who play at Tinto Park, Craigton. They share a rivalry with St Anthony's F.C. who once hailed from the Helen Street district of Govan but who are now based further to the west at Cardonald..
- Govan has had several local newspapers over the years such as the Govan Press (1851-1983) published by the Cossar Family, and the Govan Post (1983-1988) published by Cook, Paton & Co. of Paisley, now part of Dunfermline Press. The local newspaper serving Govan is the Local News for Southsiders, which also serves the communities of Gorbals,Kinning Park and Pollokshields.
- Sir Alex Ferguson, the manager of Manchester United was born at a house in Shieldhall Road but spent most of his early life living in a tenement on Govan Road.
- Leo Blair, the father of Tony Blair, was brought up in Govan by his adoptive parents. He lived in Golspie Street and attended Govan High School.
- Govan is also home to the depot for the Glasgow Subway system.
