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Hidden House in Woodlands

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 11:17 am
by red_kola
Hello. New here. Save introductions for another day...

I was wondering if anyone knew anything about a 'hidden' house which is situated in the back courts of the Flats on the west-side of Arlington Street and east-side of Westend Park Street. Where you would normally expect to find bin-shelters, old mattresses and associated detritus the cooncil don't see fit to lift, there is a smallish two story house.

I have no idea if this pre-dates the tenements. It would be a strange mews house as it isn't attached to any of the other buildings and is enclosed on all four sides. Indeed, I think it could only be accessed through the one of closes on Westend Park Street - there seems to be no other means of access.

I'm not talking about the house (which is actually at the rear of the Arlington Baths) which you can see down a lane at the West Princess Street end of Westend Park Street. This is closer to the Woodlands Road end and is not visible from any surrounding street. The only image I have managed to find is an old one from the Virtual Mitchell site:

Image

Be grateful for any information anyone might have... Thanks.

(edited March 2006 to fix link)

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 12:43 pm
by crusty_bint
Image
I've never seen this before, but it looks like an old wash-house? I'll look into it, Ronnie may know something about it tho.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 1:24 pm
by red_kola
Yep, that's it. Unless you live in that block you'd never know it was there. Was at a friends house on Saturday and noticed it then.

I know it looks like a wash-house, particularly in that old photo, but I've got a really vague recollection that a property fitting the description was on the market through Clyde Property a few years back.

I remember it because I was unable to work out where the hell it was, despite the schedule saying '"Woodlands" and having lived here for 14 years...

Woodlands Cottage

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:53 pm
by exdurandal
Well i have big news for you.. i used to live there!! It was a great house, i loved it.. i only moved out cos my girlfriend at the time decided to move in with my best mate (they just got married this weekend i believe ;) ) and left me broke! you enter via 18 west end park street, go down the back stairs! so yes.. it does exist, and i hope one day i can move back there!

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 7:55 pm
by exdurandal
i was just looking at that old picture again.. i just realised that old gas lamp is still there in the cottage's garden! cool!

Re: Woodlands Cottage

PostPosted: Mon Apr 19, 2004 10:05 pm
by red_kola
exdurandal wrote:Well i have big news for you.. i used to live there!!


WOW 8O 8O 8O

Have you got any idea of its history. It must pre-date the tenements, right?

PS thanks to whoever edited my post. I deliberately did not inline the image as I thought it was too big, but since it seems not to be... cheers!

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 12:18 am
by Ronnie
A map of the area made before the tenements were built (available from the Mitchell Library) would show whether the cottage pre-dated them, and the map would probably name the cottage. A Post Office Glasgow Directory for that year, or the census for say 1871, would identify who was living there. Go for it ...

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 5:29 am
by DMcNay
I've got the 1861 census for Glasgow on CD.

But annoyingly I can only search by name...so that's no bloody use whatsoever.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:48 am
by AMcD
I've got the 1881 census on cd, it lets you look up by address, but what address? :D

This is the info for 18 Westend Park... could it be the empty one?

Building: 18 Westend Park UNINHABITED
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203662 GRO Ref Volume 644-9 EnumDist 54 Page 8

Dwelling: 18 Westend Park
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203662 GRO Ref Volume 644-9 EnumDist 54 Page 8
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Robert W. RALSTON M 58 M Barassie, Ayr, Scotland
Rel: Head
Occ: Commercial Traveller Tea
Margaret B. RALSTON 42 F Dundee, Forfar, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Robert B. RALSTON 11 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Annie E. RALSTON 9 F Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Frank RALSTON 7 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Alfred RALSTON 5 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son
William RALSTON 1 M Glasgow, Lanark, Scotland
Rel: Son

Dwelling: 18 Westend Park
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203662 GRO Ref Volume 644-9 EnumDist 54 Page 8
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
John FORBES M 56 M (Brit Subj), At Sea
Rel: Head
Occ: Retired Public School Teacher
Catherine FORBES M 47 F So Ronaldsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Wife
Edith FORBES U 21 F Stronsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Clerk Publishers
Christina FORBES 15 F Stronsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Elizabeth FORBES 13 F Stronsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Charles FORBES 11 M Stronsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar
Archibald FORBES 9 M Stronsay, Orkney, Scotland
Rel: Son
Occ: Scholar

Dwelling: 18 Westend Park
Census Place: Barony, Lanark, Scotland
Source: FHL Film 0203662 GRO Ref Volume 644-9 EnumDist 54 Page 8
Marr Age Sex Birthplace
Sarah S. HOWE W 41 F England
Rel: Head
Occ: Milliner
Edith A. HOWE 13 F England
Rel: Daur
Occ: Scholar
Jane MC FADYEN U 26 F (Brit Subj), America
Rel: Visitor
Occ: Teacher
Henry RUSCILLA U 29 M Buenos Aires
Rel: Lodger
Occ: Engineer Scietific
Benjamin BLAINE U 22 M Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Rel: Lodger
Occ: Medical Student Glasgow University
John J. BROONLIE U 20 M Cape of Good Hope, South Africa
Rel: Lodger
Occ: Medical Student Glasgow University


PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:19 am
by DMcNay
Oooh, the 1881 census! Any chance of a copy? I'll do you the 1861.....

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 10:43 am
by AMcD
Check yer user to user messages... :wink:

Re: Woodlands Cottage

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 3:25 pm
by Ronnie
exdurandal wrote:Well i have big news for you.. i used to live there!! It was a great house, i loved it..


Hi exdurandal, what was the address of the house when you lived there?

Re: Woodlands Cottage

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:18 pm
by exdurandal
red_kola wrote:
exdurandal wrote:Well i have big news for you.. i used to live there!!


WOW 8O 8O 8O

Have you got any idea of its history. It must pre-date the tenements, right?

PS thanks to whoever edited my post. I deliberately did not inline the image as I thought it was too big, but since it seems not to be... cheers!


i *think* it was either 1802 or 1798 that the house was reportadly built in. When i lived there, the old guy up stairs (i was in the lower half) had a news paper clipping from the early 20s which had been able to trace it back to about then. The actual house had lay derilict from about 1930 until the late 50s, then a guy had renovated it. it was beautiful on the inside, i hope someday to buy it, possibly the upper half too and merge them together.. it'd be the most perfect house for me. I'm gonna have a look see if i have any pictures from the inside of it, so keep checking back.. if i have any i'll post them!

Re: Woodlands Cottage

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:20 pm
by exdurandal
Ronnie wrote:
exdurandal wrote:Well i have big news for you.. i used to live there!! It was a great house, i loved it..


Hi exdurandal, what was the address of the house when you lived there?


the address was Flat 0/1 18 West End Park Street, Glasgow, G3.. can't remember the rest of the post code.

PostPosted: Tue Apr 20, 2004 8:32 pm
by Ronnie
Found out some more about the house. It was called Woodside Cottage, with a postal address - before the tenements were built - of 86 Woodlands Road. In 1843 it was owned by David Brown, landscape gardener and nurseryman, and was surrounded by a market garden or nursery. It may have been built before that. Later in the 19C it was the premises of Annan the photographer. (from James Cowan, "From Glasgow's Treasure Chest", Glasgow, 1951).