Baillieston

Baillieston
OS grid reference	NS6763
Shire county	City of Glasgow
Country	Scotland
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Postcode district	G
Dialling code	0141
Police	Scotland
Fire	Scottish
Ambulance	Scottish

Baillieston is a district of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated on the north side of the Clyde, in the East End of the city.

It is the name of Ward 47 of Glasgow City Council within which there are currently three Community Councils: Garrowhill, Broomhouse, and Baillieston. It also appears in the Glasgow Baillieston Constituency of the Scottish Parliament, and it forms part of the Glasgow East constituency of the UK Parliament. All current elected representatives are members of the Scottish Labour Party.

Geographical position

The Baillieston district has relied in the past on the agricultural and mineral resources of its land.

Baillieston is situated west of a major interchange between the M8, M74 and M73 motorways and the A8 trunk road, between the town of Coatbridge, and the neighbouring Glasgow district of Shettleston. There is a railway station as well as the (long filled and disused) Monkland Canal north of the district, at Easterhouse. At present the district – which also encompasses Barrachnie, Garrowhill and Swinton – has a population of approximately 17,500 people.

Population

In 2005, the population of Baillieston (Ward 47) was 18,088, of whom 53.1% were female. Some 35% of the district's residents were under 30 years old and 19.6% were of retirement age. In 2004, 2.1% of the working age population were unemployed (and claiming benefit) with the male unemployment was higher at 3.2%; both figures are substantially below the national average. There is an even spread of occupational levels, the largest groups (at just over 15% each) being Lower Managerial and Professional and Semi-routine Occupations. Just over 67% of the population owned their home and just over 56% owned one or more cars.

History

There are many clues to the Romans being in the Baillieston and Garrowhill area. History teachers at the old Baillieston Junior Secondary School mentioned that Camp Road was built on an old Roman Road and older members of the community speak of a Roman Fort. Information on this can be found at Baillieston.com

Baillieston was situated within Old Monkland Parish described in the Statistical Account of Scotland of 1791-99, in which its minister records the huge expectations, subsequently realised, attendant upon the opening of the Monkland Canal in 1790. He reminds his readers that the eastern part of the Parish lands originally belonged to the Cistertian monks of Newbottle Abbey. However he omitted to mention that the western part of the parish, including the Baillieston district, was part of the Bishopric of Glasgow until after the Reformation when the lands came under the Crown, eventually being feud out to various individuals.

There have been many historical books and writings on Baillieston and District and they can also be viewed at Baillieston.com

Schools

Local schools include:

• Bannerman High School, Glasgow Road, Baillieston.
• Caledonia Primary School, Calderwood Avenue, Muirside, Baillieston
• St Francis of Assisi Primary School, Crown Street, Baillieston.
• Garrowhill Primary School, Springhill Road, Garrowhill
• St Bridget’s Primary School, Camp Road, Baillieston.
• Swinton Primary School, Rhindmuir Road, Swinton.

Churches

There are a number of churches in Baillieston, including the original (1833) but disused Baillieston Old Parish Church on Church Street and the new (1973-76) St Andrew Parish Church on Muirhead Road. There are two Roman Catholic churches, St Francis of Assisi Church on Crown St and St Bridget's on Swinton Road, the latter built by the Pugin company from 1891-93. There is a small Episcopal Church of St John also on Swinton Road, built in 1850. The Mure Memorial Parish Church in Garrowhill was built as part of the garden suburb opened in 1940.

Historic Buildings

• Calderbank House, was situated on the lands formerly known as Blackyairds above a ravine on the North Calder Water, was an early 19th century house in Baronial Style which was burned down in April, 2002.
• Crosshill parish church in Church Street built in 1833 and though now superseded by the new St.Andrew's church nearby is still standing and surrounded by its graveyard.
• St Catherine’s House in Swinton Road was the original Mure Memorial Miners' Church built in 1882 and is now a home for the elderly.
• Rhindmuir House was an 18th Century mansion, demolished in the 1970s.

Other constructions

• M8 Baillieston Interchange — a gateway to Glasgow constructed in 1977.

Football

Baillieston Juniors was founded in 1911 and played at Station Road until the 1990s when the ground was sold off for housing. The team carried on, and, though they are not currently in business, they may still return to Junior football. Their greatest season was 1979-80, when they won the Scottish Junior Cup, the Glasgow Dryburgh Cup and the McLeod Cup. The star player, Davie Wilson was signed from the Juniors to Glasgow Rangers FC in 1956 and played for Scotland. In 1987, Alan Dinnie left the Juniors to play for Partick Thistle F.C. and was also capped for Scotland.In the same year, Tommy Elliott was transferred from Baillieston Juniors to Partick Thistle.

A Baillieston Thistle team preceded the Juniors in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and won the Scottish Junior Football League twice: in 1893 and 1894. This side also featured a future Rangers and Scotland player, in the form of Willie Reid. Its name is kept alive by the Scottish Amateur Football Association team Baillieston Thistle AFC. Another amateur team, Red Star Baillieston AFC plays at Stepford Edinburgh Road. There is a Baillieston Girls Football Club and Baillieston Ladies Football Club, both of whom have supplied players to the national teams.

Transport

Baillieston is served by Baillieston railway station on the Whifflet Line, offering regular services to Glasgow Central. Baillieston is also served by numerous bus routes. Access to the M8 motorway and to the proposed extension of the M74 motorway are nearby.

Health

Baillieston and neighboring Easterhouse and Shettleston have the highest male adult death rates in the UK and as bad, if not worse, than some 3rd world countries. (Scottish Sunday Mail article)This deplorable record is mainly due to heavy drinking and heavy smoking, compounded by a poor diet. The average life expectancy of the male population in this East End quarter of Glasgow is 63, which is 14 years below the national average male life expectancy age in the UK.

Local Websites

Baillieston.com