Can anyone give me any sources on the background or history of the people who used to live on the canalside attending to the lifting and closing of the original overbridges on the Forth & Clyde canal? These bridges were wooden and of the bascule design which opened to allow masted sailing barges through. The last of them were converted to fixed concrete bridges in the earl 1960s.
When very young, I lived near the overbridge at the top of Northpark Street in Maryhill. I can recall traffic being delayed while the bridge was raised; I even have a photograph of this everyday scene. However, I cannot trace any references in any existing texts or websites to the people who operated the bridges.
From my own memory I can recall Mr Turner who lived in a white washed cottage at the side of the Bridge at Northpark Street. His kids went to the same school as me and we other kids were all well aware that they were really, really poor; even by our not well-off standards. I still have a vivid memory of being at an enormous great party in their cottage where I was amazed at parrafin lamps and people playing 'real' musical instruments. I stayed far too late. When I got home, after the statutory doing from my mother, she worried about whether I had been all right staying at that house 'where travelling folk came'.
Seems to have been another little segment of the working population that has vanished from history along with the industry they worked.
//I edited in some
better paragraph spacing... Sharon