Fairgrounds

[pwm437]

The showgrounds at Vinegarhill, postal address 845 Gallowgate, were established in the 1870's, having had a brief stay at Crownpoint. Originally the showground was on both the east and west sides of Vinegarhill Street, but in 1930 Glasgow Corporation bought east Vinegarhill, and it became a children's park and football pitch. The walled west side of Vinegarhill was owned by the Green family (Green's Playhouse fame), and it became a significant place for showpeople to live. The 1928 voters role shows 190 adults eligible to vote, signifying its status.

The present site of Vinegarhill showgrounds is marked today by the Pizza Hut at the Forge Retail Park.

For some really good contemporary reports of Vinegarhill showground, check out ;
The Detective : 16th July 1885
The Glaswegian : 15th July 1886
Glasgow Eastern Standard : 25th July 1936

Regards
pwm437

[HollowHorn]

Nice one, p4

[HollowHorn]

'Broncho Tom's Wild West Show', Vinegarhill (Gallowgate) Fairground, 1915

The etymology of Vinegarhill is quite interesting. One school of thought puts it as originating from the fact that there was a chemical works on the site at one time. However, and to me this seems the more likely, the gaelic "fianna gabhar", meaning white goat, is the acknowledged source for other places in Scotland known as Vinegarhill.

[job78989]

Nice picture HH

John

[Ronnie]

"Broncho Tom"

Sounds like a cowboy with a serious chest complaint.

[HollowHorn]

coff coff

[Mori]

Used to look forward to the Glasgow Green carnival when i was boy.

They had a very cute advertising poster they posted up in the buses a few weeks before the fair came , i always used to look out for it.

these swings and the Dive bombers were my favourite rides.

[Pgcc93]

Never went to the Green only ever went to the shows at Toryglen pitches or Queens Park recs.

Best rides were the Motorbikes and the awesome Rib Tickler which you just knew had to be good as the stench of Vomit and cheap disinfectant hung heavily in the air as a lasting reminder of previous satisfied customers as you entered

[Fossil]

............. The Stench of Vomit and Cheap Disinfectant................

Two of the best punk bands I ever saw - Rock Garden 1978 I think

-Fossil-

[Dexter St. Clair]

"Broncho Tom"

Sounds like a cowboy with a serious chest complaint.

Have you been to the Grand Ole Opry? It's full of them.

[DickyHart]

jeez oh pg, the ribtickler, that thing did everythin but tickle ribs, death defying thing

[Alex Glass]

I went to the shows on the Green one during the Glasgow Fair. It would have been about 1969/70. We walked through the Gorbals which was quite frighting. We only stayed at the Green for about 30 minutes as we didn't have a lot of money so couldn't go on any of the rides. I think we only has enough money for the swings.

The smell of the candyfloss and chips & vinegar are the things I remember as well as the fear.

The Green had a very bad reputation at that time and I still haven't told my mum I was there that day.

[Mori]

An ET PDF doc on Glasgow @ play feature on Glasgow Green Carnival Fair.

http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/pdf/140704past07.pdf

[HollowHorn]

Just in case any interested parties missed it on another thread. This is the site of the "East End Exhibition Buildings" as per Google Earth.



The site now has been covered over by new build.
This is the site to where Bufallo Bill brought his wild west show in 1891.

Colonel William F Cody (Buffalo Bill) brought his Wild West Show to Dennistoun in October 1891. The show opened on the 16th of November, and closed on the 27th of February 1892. He was accompanied by Sioux Braves and sharpshooter Annie Oakley. The show played at the East End Exhibition Building off Duke Street for two months as part of the great East End Industrial Exhibition set up to raise funds for the People's Palace. The Ghost Shirt, worn by a Sioux Indian at the Battle of Wounded Knee, was sold by the Lakota interpreter of his show George C. Crager and displayed in Glasgow museums for over 100 years. It was finally returned home to the South Dakota museum in Pierre until the Lakota people have their own museum. The Ghost Shirt was seen for the last time in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Museum & Art Gallery on July 25 1999.

http://www.tnais.com/bbis/1891.html

[Apollo]

Doubly interesting. We lived in Meadowpark Street when I was a wee wean, the house is still there, though I visited the area recently and noticed quite a few building replaced nearby. Never realised the show featured was so close, even if rather well before my time.

Also saw the Ghost Shirt and the presentation at Kelfingrove quite a few times before it was returned.

Good stuff