The Heritage Project Group held a number of events at which people shared their memories of shops along Shettleston Road.  Banners displaying east and west Shettleston Road were shown at our event on 19 May 2018.

 

Calder Stores

The original Calder Stores was situated near Vesalius Street when it opened in 1917.  It moved in 1979 to the corner of Shettleston Road at Wellshot Road.   Ena McDougal Laing and her family ran the shop for many decades until it closed in February 2018.  They sold a wide variety of haberdashery, drapery and knitted goods.  Many people have fond memories of the store. 

 

Maxwells

This leather shop holds fond memories for many ladies, selling fine purses and handbags.  Folks say that the smell of the leather goods was amazing.

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Co – operative

This was one of the earliest Department Stores.  It is reported that people came from as far away as Edinburgh, to shop here.   There were many parts to this store including furniture and household goods, men’s and ladies fashions, children’s wear and toys, grocery, butchers and a creamery.   Margaret Barrie remembers being sent by her Gran for bread and milk, with the warning “remember the Divvy Number” – a small % of your purchases was saved up and paid out to loyal members annually.  Sandra Hollingsworth worked in the offices behind the shop.  She enjoyed her work there.   With so many shops around about she could nip out during her lunch break to do some shopping or go to the hairdressers for a quick shampoo and set.

 

Fullarton's Emporium

Claimed to be the oldest shop, (1898) and was operated by Maureen Fullarton for the last 30 years, with two generations before her.   Maureen stocked an amazing array of goods from kitchen gadgets, gardening tools and DIY and so much more.   If she didn't have what you needed she would source it for you.   The shop closed on 31 May 2018 and we wish Maureen a wonderful retirement.

 

Cafes

There have been many cafes on Shettleston Road over the years, too many to mention!  Memories of spending time in these cafes include; enjoying an ice cream covered in raspberry sauce with a chocolate flake, or a hot pie and mushy peas with vinegar.  These were great places to meet up with friends and many a romance was started.

 

Italian Barber

The McChesney family visited here about every three weeks.   As a small boy Robin would have sat on a board placed across the arms of the chair.  This was for two reasons, so that he was high enough for the barber to reach him and so the he could see himself in the mirror!

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McKenzie

This was one of the many Bakers shops.   Dorothy Ralston remembers buying cakes and buns for a penny on the way home from school.

 

T C Houston

Houston’s the bakers back windows opened on to one of Eastbank Academy ‘sheds’.  Anna McWee recalls that the smells were amazing and it was a warm place on a cold day!

 

Ballantynes

David Armstrong’s great grandfather George Ballantyne and wife Margaret Jamieson had a fruit and vegetable shop on the corner of Academy Street and Shettleston Road.   They had a horse and cart, and a flat above the shop.  Their son and daughter went on to open their own shops in Glasgow.

 

The State Picture House

It was always busy here, showing children’s matinee films on a Saturday and the latest blockbuster films in the evening. Many a fond encounter took place within its walls.   However, Chris McChesney has a disappointing story to tell.   One Saturday afternoon, he and one of his friends settled down to watch the film.  They had come from a Scout meeting and were in uniform. The next thing they knew they were being challenged by one of the ushers. “You boys have seen the film already...get out”  In those days the film ran continuously, so you could join the film at any time, sometimes coming in half way through the show.  You might see the end of the film, then stay to watch the beginning.   Despite their denial, in those days the adult was always right and they left not having seen any of it

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Forbes

Little did Margaret Chalmers know when she was buying her sweets here on the way home from school that she would one day marry into this family.  She married John, one of the nephews in 1986.

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Mary Macks

This was one of the many sweetie shops on Shettleston Road and one of the most popular. It sold every kind of sweet available from 1penny potato cakes or liquorice whirls to jars full of boilings or caramels.  Mmmm !! enough to make your mouth water.

 

Eastbank Academy

The original building for Eastbank Academy was opened in 1894.   The current Academy was built in 1986.  Many memories have been shared about being a pupil in the Academy. 

 

Baths & Wash House

The Steamie

Many a child, as Margaret Barrie recalls, remembers going with her Granny to the wash house, their prams filled with the dirty laundry of the week.  The hugeness of the building, and the size of the washing areas, with massive spin dryers, that you could sit in, or the heated airers that came out of the wall, terrified the bravest of us as it swallowed your school uniform, sheets and towels, into oblivion.   There was always good banter and a community spirit.   Then as you repacked the clean carefully folded articles back into the pram for the trip home you'd shout “Good bye see yae next week”

 

Swimming Pool

The swimming baths were well used, as most homes did not have inside toilets never mind bathrooms.   Private baths and Turkish baths were amongst the services offered.   But it was the swimming that is remembered by many children.   The changing cubicles were on the balcony above the pool.  There were timed sessions, about 20 minutes.  The attendants would call out the numbers of the cubicles as your session finished.   Sometimes you would pretend that you didn't hear your number called and carry on swimming .. but the attendants would go into the cubicles and take out your towel and threaten to throw it into the water!

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