|
It is situated on the north bank of the River Clyde and was reached across the Albert Bridge at the end of Crown Street. This green parkland was a special place for many Glaswegians and due to its close proximity, it was used frequently by Gorbalonians, trying to escape the drabness of tenement life. When we were young the park seemed enormous and had the added attraction of a large swing park. My ma sat on the park bench and watched us climb up the chute, play on the swings and birl round on the roundabout. My brothers enjoyed climbing the trees and playing hide-and-seek amongst the bushes. Sometimes we sat on the benches at the entrance, watching with fascination, the variety of people waiting anxiously to attend the courthouse which was just opposite the main gates. I suppose this was a form of people watching as it is now called. If my Da felt flush, he bought us a treat from the ice-cream van parked near the entrance. 'Wid yae like a pokey hat or an ice lolly fae the van', but he already knew the answer would be a resounding 'aye'. Ice-cream vans were in less demand in the Gorbals partly because of the huge variety of shops within the area but also due to the fact that by the time anybody ran down all the tenement stairs the van would most likely be gone. Sweets and ice-cream were usually only bought for special occasions and were devoured as slowly as possible to savour every bit of the treat. Ann's favourite sweets were cherry lips and a small poke could last for days if she was careful. They were small hard gums which were bright red and shaped like lips and could be bought by the ounce from a large jar in the sweet shop in Crown Street. My favourites were pear drops which were pear flavoured boiled sweet, covered in sugar granules. These lasted equally as long as the cherry lips but less were weighed out for the same amount of money. My parents didn't have much money but made use of the many parks dotted around the Gorbals. Frequently we would walk to King's Park, Richmond Park and Rouken Glen and almost every day my ma would collect us after school and take us to the 'Rose Garden'. We were unaware that this was actually a small ancient graveyard. Most of the gravestones had been moved to the peripheral wall, leaving a grassy area in the middle. My brothers and sister and I spent almost everyday playing happily amongst the rose bushes which I assume gave the park it's name. Towering over us as we played were the Queen Elizabeth Flats. The were built in the late 1950's, designed by Basil Spence and opened in early 1961. My ma and sister were present at the official opening where the flats were hailed as a major new breakthrough in modern housing. They were pulled down just 30 years later. |
|
