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100-476: The Vital Spark is a fictional Clyde puffer , created by Scottish writer Neil Munro . As its captain, the redoubtable Para Handy , often says: "the smertest boat in the coastin' tred". Puffers seem to have been regarded fondly even before Munro began publishing his short stories in the Glasgow Evening News in 1905. This may not be surprising, for these small steamboats were then providing
200-617: A few warm and no hot summers in Glasgow, in stark contrast to areas further south in Great Britain and eastwards in Europe. The warmest month on record in the data series is July 2006, with an average high of 22.7 °C (72.9 °F) and low of 13.7 °C (56.7 °F). Even this extreme event only matched a normal summer on similar parallels in continental Europe, underlining the maritime influences. The coldest month on record since
300-565: A holding reservoir at Milngavie, and then by pipes into the city. The project cost £980,000 and was opened by Queen Victoria in 1859. In the early 19th century an eighth of the people lived in single-room accommodation. The engineer for the project was John Frederick Bateman , while James Morris Gale became the resident engineer for the city section of the project, and subsequently became Engineer in Chief for Glasgow Water Commissioners. He oversaw several improvements during his tenure, including
400-615: A host city of the UEFA Euro 2028 . The UK's first official consumption room for illegal drugs including heroin and cocaine was set to open on 21 October 2024, however this has been delayed. Although Glasgow Corporation had been a pioneer in the municipal socialist movement from the late-nineteenth century, since the Representation of the People Act 1918 , Glasgow increasingly supported left-wing ideas and politics at
500-419: A major industry on the upper stretches of the river, pioneered by industrialists such as Robert Napier , John Elder , George Thomson , Sir William Pearce and Sir Alfred Yarrow . The River Clyde also became an important source of inspiration for artists, such as John Atkinson Grimshaw , John Knox , James Kay , Sir Muirhead Bone , Robert Eadie and L.S. Lowry , willing to depict the new industrial era and
600-589: A national level. The city council was controlled by the Labour Party for over thirty years, since the decline of the Progressives . Since 2007, when local government elections in Scotland began to use the single transferable vote rather than the first-past-the-post system , the dominance of the Labour Party within the city started to decline. As a result of the 2017 United Kingdom local elections ,
700-569: A number of VICs came into the coasting trade. The Innisgara was fitted with an internal combustion engine in 1912, and while puffers generally were steam-powered, after World War II new ships began to be diesel engined , and a number of VICs were converted to diesel. The coasting trade serving the islands was kept up by the Glenlight Shipping Company of Greenock until in 1993 the government withdrew subsidies and, unable to compete with road transport using subsidised ferries,
800-483: A puffer). The Pibroch , built at Bowling, West Dunbartonshire in 1957 as a diesel-engined boat for the Scottish Malt Distillers Ltd, had been lying at Letterfrack , County Galway , Ireland , in desperate need of restoration, since 2002. The Pibroch deteriorated further as time passed, and her bulkheads began to give way. In 2010 she was sold and was subsequently scrapped. A sister-ship,
900-550: A second aqueduct and further raising of water levels in Loch Katrine. Additional supplies were provided by Loch Arklet in 1902, by impounding the water and creating a tunnel to allow water to flow into Loch Katrine. A similar scheme to create a reservoir in Glen Finglas was authorised in 1903, but was deferred, and was not completed until 1965. Following the 2002 Glasgow floods , the waterborne parasite cryptosporidium
1000-407: A sermon containing the words Lord, Let Glasgow flourish by the preaching of the word and the praising of thy name . This was abbreviated to "Let Glasgow Flourish" and adopted as the city's motto. In 1450, John Stewart, the first Lord Provost of Glasgow, left an endowment so that a "St Mungo's Bell" could be made and tolled throughout the city so that the citizens would pray for his soul. A new bell
1100-451: A vital supply link around the west coast of Scotland and Hebrides . The charming rascality of the stories went well beyond the reality of a commercial shipping business, but they brought widespread fame. They appeared in the newspaper over 20 years, were collected in book form by 1931, inspired the 1953 film The Maggie , and came out as three popular television series, dating from 1959 to 1995. In her captain's own (islands accented) words,
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#17327903148061200-571: Is administered by Glasgow City Council . In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Glasgow's population grew rapidly, reaching a peak of 1,127,825 people in 1938 (with a higher density and within a smaller territory than in subsequent decades). The population was greatly reduced following comprehensive urban renewal projects in the 1960s which resulted in large-scale relocation of people to designated new towns , such as Cumbernauld , Livingston , East Kilbride and peripheral suburbs, followed by successive boundary changes. Over 1,000,000 people live in
1300-553: Is represented by seven Members of Parliament (MPs), all elected at least once every five years to represent individual constituencies, using the first-past-the-post system of voting. In Holyrood, Glasgow is represented by sixteen Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs), of whom nine are elected to represent individual constituencies once every four years using first-past-the-post, and seven are elected as additional regional members, by proportional representation. Since
1400-615: Is the most populous city in Scotland , located on the banks of the River Clyde in west central Scotland . The city is the third-most-populous city in the United Kingdom and the 27th-most-populous city in Europe . In 2022, it had an estimated population as a defined locality of 632,350 and anchored an urban settlement of 1,028,220. Glasgow grew from a small rural settlement close to Glasgow Cathedral and descending to
1500-456: Is the oldest surviving steam-powered puffer in existence she must be restored and preserved as part of Scotland's heritage afloat. VIC 72 , renamed Eilean Eisdeal , continued in operation as the last of the true working "puffers" into the mid 1990s. In 2006 she was again renamed as Vital Spark of Glasgow after the Inveraray writer Neil Munro's Para Handy stories. She is now accessible to
1600-548: The 2016 Scottish Parliament election , Glasgow is represented at Holyrood by 9 Scottish National Party MSPs, 4 Labour MSPs, 2 Conservative MSPs and 1 Scottish Green MSP. In the European Parliament, the city formed part of the Scotland constituency , which elected six Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) prior to Brexit . Since Glasgow is covered and operates under two separate central governments,
1700-507: The Acts of Union in 1707, Scotland gained further access to the vast markets of the new British Empire, and Glasgow became prominent as a hub of international trade to and from the Americas, especially in sugar, tobacco, cotton, and manufactured goods. Starting in 1668, the city's Tobacco Lords created a deep water port at Port Glasgow about 20 mi (32 km) down the River Clyde , as
1800-691: The Greater Glasgow contiguous urban area, while the wider Glasgow City Region is home to over 1,800,000 people (its defined functional urban area total was almost the same in 2020), equating to around 33% of Scotland's population; The city has one of the highest densities of any locality in Scotland at 4,023/km . Glasgow's major cultural institutions enjoy international reputations including The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland , Burrell Collection , Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum , Royal Scottish National Orchestra , BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra , Scottish Ballet and Scottish Opera . The city
1900-715: The Hunterian Museum today. Glasgow itself was reputed to have been founded by the Christian missionary Saint Mungo in the 6th century. He established a church on the Molendinar Burn , where the present Glasgow Cathedral stands, and in the following years Glasgow became a religious centre. Glasgow grew over the following centuries as part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde and the Kingdom of Scotland . The Glasgow Fair reportedly began in 1190. A bridge over
2000-703: The Julia T. , Lies in 30 m of water in Killary Bay some 300 yards off Lettergesh. There have also been reproduction puffers built to a smaller size, most recently the MV Mary Hill for tourist traffic on the Forth and Clyde canal. Glasgow Glasgow ( UK : / ˈ ɡ l ɑː z ɡ oʊ , ˈ ɡ l æ z -, ˈ ɡ l ɑː s -, ˈ ɡ l æ s -/ GLA(H)Z -goh, GLA(H)SS - ; Scottish Gaelic : Glaschu [ˈkl̪ˠas̪əxu] )
2100-656: The Milngavie water treatment works , Glasgow Subway , Glasgow Corporation Tramways , City Chambers , Mitchell Library and Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum were being funded by its wealth. The city also held a series of International Exhibitions at Kelvingrove Park , in 1888 , 1901 and 1911 , with Britain's last major International Exhibition, the Empire Exhibition , being subsequently held in 1938 at Bellahouston Park , which drew 13 million visitors. The 20th century witnessed both decline and renewal in
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#17327903148062200-662: The River Clyde to become the largest seaport in Scotland, and tenth largest by tonnage in Britain. Expanding from the medieval bishopric and episcopal burgh (subsequently royal burgh ), and the later establishment of the University of Glasgow in the 15th century, it became a major centre of the Scottish Enlightenment in the 18th century. From the 18th century onwards, the city also grew as one of Britain's main hubs of oceanic trade with North America and
2300-537: The SI unit of temperature , Kelvin, is named. The burgh of Glasgow was historically in Lanarkshire , but close to the border with Renfrewshire . When elected county councils were established in 1890, Glasgow was deemed capable of running its own affairs and so was excluded from the administrative area of Lanarkshire County Council, whilst remaining part of Lanarkshire for lieutenancy and judicial purposes. The burgh
2400-756: The SNP was able to form a minority administration ending Labour's thirty-seven years of uninterrupted control. In the aftermath of the Russian Revolution of 1917 and the German Revolution of 1918–19 , the city's frequent strikes and militant organisations caused serious alarm at Westminster , with one uprising in January 1919, the Battle of George Square , prompting Liberal Prime Minister David Lloyd George to deploy 10,000 soldiers and tanks on
2500-645: The Scottish independence referendum , Glasgow voted "Yes" by a margin of 53.5% to 46.5% . In the Brexit referendum , results varied from constituency to constituency. Glasgow North recorded the biggest remain vote with 78% opting to stay in the EU whilst in Glasgow East this figure dropped to 56%. The city as a whole voted to remain in the EU, by 66.6% to 33.3%. Voter turnout has often been lower in Glasgow than in
2600-498: The Vital Spark is "aal hold, with the boiler behind, four men and a derrick, and a watter-butt and a pan loaf in the foc'sle". The way these steam lighters with their steam-powered derricks could offload at any suitable beach or small pier is featured in many Vital Spark stories, and allows amusing escapades in the small west coast communities. The cargoes carried in the hold vary from gravel or coal to furniture to livestock,
2700-601: The West Indies ; soon followed by the Orient , India , and China . With the onset of the Industrial Revolution , the population and economy of Glasgow and the surrounding region expanded rapidly to become one of the world's pre-eminent centres of chemicals, textiles and engineering; most notably in the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry, which produced many innovative and famous vessels. Glasgow
2800-507: The gabbart , small single masted sailing barges, which took most of the coasting trade. The original puffer was the Thomas , an iron canal boat of 1856, less than 66 ft (20 m) long to fit in the Forth and Clyde Canal locks, powered by a simple steam engine without a condenser, since as it drew fresh water from the canal there was no need to economise on water use. Once steam had been used by
2900-558: The triangular trade and the Atlantic slave trade that the former depended upon. Glasgow merchants dealt in slave-produced cash crops such as sugar, tobacco, cotton and linen. From 1717 to 1766, Scottish slave ships operating out of Glasgow transported approximately 3,000 enslaved Africans to the Americas (out of a total number of 5,000 slaves carried by ships from Scotland). The majority of these slaving voyages left from Glasgow's satellite ports, Greenock and Port Glasgow . After
3000-599: The "Second City of the Empire" and was producing more than half Britain's tonnage of shipping and a quarter of all locomotives in the world. In addition to its pre-eminence in shipbuilding, engineering, industrial machinery, bridge building, chemicals, explosives, coal and oil industries it developed as a major centre in textiles, garment-making, carpet manufacturing, leather processing, furniture-making, pottery, food, drink and cigarette making; printing and publishing. Shipping, banking, insurance and professional services expanded at
3100-531: The 1920s when purely canal traffic decreased and the vast majority of coasters had to operate in sea water . A derrick was added to the single mast to lift cargo. From this basic type of puffer three varieties developed: inside boats continued in use on the Forth and Clyde canal, while shorehead boats extended their range eastwards into the Firth of Forth and westwards as far as the Isle of Bute and from there up
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3200-451: The 1950s. By the 1960s, growth of industry in countries like Japan and West Germany , weakened the once pre-eminent position of many of the city's industries. As a result of this, Glasgow entered a lengthy period of relative economic decline and rapid de-industrialisation, leading to high unemployment, urban decay , population decline, welfare dependency and poor health for the city's inhabitants. There were active attempts at regeneration of
3300-433: The 56 additional members . Both kinds of member are known as Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) . The system of election is designed to produce a form of proportional representation . The first past the post seats were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of then existing Westminster ( House of Commons ) constituencies. In 2005, the number of Westminster Members of Parliament (MPs) representing Scotland
3400-521: The City of Glasgow was granted to the royal burgh by the Lord Lyon on 25 October 1866. It incorporates a number of symbols and emblems associated with the life of Glasgow's patron saint, Mungo, which had been used on official seals prior to that date. The emblems represent miracles supposed to have been performed by Mungo and are listed in the traditional rhyme: St Mungo is also said to have preached
3500-738: The Conservative Party continued to decline into the twenty-first century, winning only one of the 79 councillors on Glasgow City Council in 2012 , despite having been the controlling party (as the Progressives ) from 1969 to 1972 when Sir Donald Liddle was the last non-Labour Lord Provost . Glasgow is represented in both the House of Commons in London , and the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh . At Westminster, it
3600-601: The EU Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive ended the practice. The sewerage infrastructure was improved significantly in 2017, with the completion of a tunnel 3.1 mi (5.0 km) long, which provides 20 × 10 ^ imp gal (90 Ml) of storm water storage. It will reduce the risk of flooding and the likelihood that sewage will overflow into the Clyde during storms. Since 2002, clean water provision and sewerage have been
3700-512: The Forth and Clyde canal at Kirkintilloch and Maryhill , Glasgow . During World War I these handy little ships showed their worth in servicing warships, and were used at Scapa Flow , and for World War II the Admiralty placed an order in 1939 for steamships on the same design, mostly built in England , with the class name of VIC, standing for " Victualling Inshore Craft ". After the war
3800-573: The River Clyde was recorded from around 1285, where Victoria Bridge now stands. As the lowest bridging point on the Clyde it was an important crossing. The area around the bridge became known as Briggait. The founding of the University of Glasgow adjoining the cathedral in 1451 and elevation of the bishopric to become the Archdiocese of Glasgow in 1492 increased the town's religious and educational status and landed wealth. Its early trade
3900-584: The Scottish Air Quality Objective levels for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10)". The city hosted the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) at its main events venue, the SEC Centre . Glasgow hosted the 2014 Commonwealth Games , and will host the 2026 edition of the games . Glasgow also hosted the first European Championships in 2018, was one of the host cities for UEFA Euro 2020 , and will be
4000-461: The Thames and Medway estuaries. VIC 96 was built by Dunstons of Thorne, South Yorkshire in 1945, and after disposal, was restored at Maryport . The restoration was completed in 2009, retaining its steam engine, boiler and winch. On 8 August 2009, VIC 96 arrived at her new home, Chatham No. 1 Basin, after an epic 1,000 miles voyage from Elizabeth Dock, Maryport, which took five weeks. VIC 27
4100-560: The annual precipitation averages 1,245 mm (49.0 in). Glasgow has been named as the rainiest city of the UK, having an average of 170 days of rain a year. Winters are cool and overcast, with a January mean of 5.0 °C (41.0 °F), though lows sometimes fall below freezing. Since 2000 Glasgow has experienced few very cold, snowy and harsh winters where temperatures have fallen much below freezing. The most extreme instances have however seen temperatures around −12 °C (10 °F) in
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4200-417: The area. Snowfall accumulation is infrequent and short-lived. The spring months (March to May) are usually mild and often quite pleasant. Many of Glasgow's trees and plants begin to flower at this time of the year and parks and gardens are filled with spring colours. During the summer months (June to August) the weather can vary considerably from day to day, ranging from relatively cool and wet to quite warm with
4300-525: The attack in Glasgow and an attack in London the previous day . One of the perpetrators of the attack, Kafeel Ahmed , was the only reported casualty, with a following five people sustaining injuries from the attack. In 2008 the city was ranked at 43 for Personal Safety in the Mercer index of top 50 safest cities in the world. The Mercer report was specifically looking at Quality of Living, yet by 2011 within Glasgow, certain areas were (still) "failing to meet
4400-610: The central area. There are also accusations that the Scottish Office had deliberately attempted to undermine Glasgow's economic and political influence in post-war Scotland by diverting inward investment in new industries to other regions during the Silicon Glen boom and creating the new towns of Cumbernauld, Glenrothes, Irvine, Livingston and East Kilbride , dispersed across the Scottish Lowlands to halve
4500-400: The centre of Glasgow, fuelling allegations of gentrification . In 2008, the city was listed by Lonely Planet as one of the world's top 10 tourist cities. Glasgow still has a higher employment rate than Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester. In 2007, the city's primary airport was the target of a terrorist attack when a Jeep Cherokee filled with propane gas cylinders and petrol cans
4600-487: The city in the early 18th century and famously opined in his book A tour thro' the whole island of Great Britain , that Glasgow was "the cleanest and beautifullest, and best built city in Britain, London excepted". At that time the city's population was about 12,000, and the city was yet to undergo the massive expansionary changes to its economy and urban fabric, brought about by the Scottish Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. The city prospered from its involvement in
4700-536: The city's population base. By the late 1980s, there had been a significant resurgence in Glasgow's economic fortunes. The " Glasgow's miles better " campaign, launched in 1983, and opening of the Burrell Collection in 1983 and Scottish Exhibition and Conference Centre in 1985 facilitated Glasgow's new role as a European centre for business services and finance and promoted an increase in tourism and inward investment. The latter continues to be bolstered by
4800-532: The city's streets. A huge demonstration in the city's George Square on 31 January ended in violence, known as the Battle of George Square , after the Riot Act was read. Industrial action at the shipyards gave rise to the " Red Clydeside " epithet. During the 1930s, Glasgow was the main base of the Independent Labour Party . Towards the end of the twentieth century, it became a centre of
4900-667: The city, when the Glasgow Corporation published its controversial Bruce Report , which set out a comprehensive series of initiatives aimed at turning round the decline of the city. The report led to a huge and radical programme of rebuilding and regeneration efforts that started in the mid-1950s and lasted into the late 1970s. This involved the mass demolition of the city's infamous slums and their replacement with large suburban housing estates and tower blocks. The city invested heavily in roads infrastructure, with an extensive system of arterial roads and motorways that bisected
5000-610: The city. After World War I , the city suffered from the impact of the Post–World War I recession and from the later Great Depression , this also led to a rise of radical socialism and the " Red Clydeside " movement. The city had recovered by the outbreak of World War II . The city saw aerial bombardment by the Luftwaffe during the Clydebank Blitz , during the war, then grew through the post-war boom that lasted through
5100-665: The commercial centre of the city. Following the European Protestant Reformation and with the encouragement of the Convention of Royal Burghs , the 14 incorporated trade crafts federated as the Trades House in 1605 to match the power and influence in the town council of the earlier Merchants' Guilds who established their Merchants House in the same year. Glasgow was subsequently raised to the status of Royal Burgh in 1611. Daniel Defoe visited
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#17327903148065200-508: The crew's quarters in the forecastle are taken as lodgings by holidaymakers or lost children and the steam engine struggles on under the dour care of the engineer Macphail. Tales are recounted of improbably dramatic missions in World War I . Others scoff at her as a coal gaabbert , reflecting the origins of the puffers, but an indignant Para Handy is always ready to defend his boat, comparing her 6 knots (11 km/h) speed and her looks with
5300-474: The devolved Scottish Parliament and UK Government, they determine various matters that Glasgow City Council is not responsible for. The Glasgow electoral region of the Scottish Parliament covers the Glasgow City council area, a north-western part of South Lanarkshire and a small eastern portion of Renfrewshire . It elects nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituency members and seven of
5400-577: The electorate of Glasgow voted in favour of Scottish independence; the SNP won every seat in the city at the 2015 general election , including a record-breaking 39.3% swing from Labour to SNP in the Glasgow North East constituency. At the 2017 snap general election , Glasgow was represented by 6 Scottish National Party MPs and 1 Labour MP; the Glasgow North East constituency which had a record 39.3% swing from Labour to SNP at
5500-461: The engine, it was simply exhausted up the funnel in a series of puffs as the piston stroked. As well as the visual sight of a series of steam puffs following the boat, the simple engines made a characteristic puffing sound. By the 1870s similar boats were being adapted for use beyond the canal and fitted with condensers so that they no longer puffed, but the name stuck. Some non-condensing puffers (included those with compound engines ) were built until
5600-434: The glamorous Clyde steamers . The original BBC Series Para Handy - Master Mariner , which ran from 1959–60, starred Duncan Macrae (Para Handy), Roddy McMillan (The Mate), and John Grieve (Dan Macphail, the engineer). Six episodes were made, none of which survive. In 1963 Macrae, McMillan and Grieve, accompanied by Alex Mackenzie and guitarist George Hill, recorded an album of songs, Highland Voyage . A short film
5700-507: The lead role alongside Sean Scanlan as Dougie, Andrew Fairlie as Sunny Jim and Rikki Fulton as Dan Macphail. This ran for two series, a total of nine episodes, in 1994 and 1995. The series also featured David Tennant in one of his first acting roles. Alex McAvoy , who played Sunny Jim in The Vital Spark , appears in one episode as a fellow captain of Para Handy in the coastal trade. The stories sparked considerable interest in
5800-449: The legacy of the city's Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988, its status as European Capital of Culture in 1990, and concerted attempts to diversify the city's economy. However, it is the industrial heritage that serves as key tourism enabler. Wider economic revival has persisted and the ongoing regeneration of inner-city areas, including the large-scale Clyde Waterfront Regeneration , has led to more affluent people moving back to live in
5900-632: The length of Loch Fyne , their length kept at 66 ft (20 m) to use the canal locks. Both these types had a crew of three. Puffers of a third type, the outside boats, were built for the rougher sea routes to the Hebrides islands with a crew of four and the length increased to 88 ft (27 m) still allowing use of the larger locks on the Crinan Canal , which cuts across the Kintyre peninsula. There were more than 20 builders in Scotland, mainly on
6000-524: The lowest turnout were all in Glasgow; turnout further decreased in the 2017 election, when five of the city's seven seats reported a lowered turnout. Glasgow is located on the banks of the River Clyde, in West Central Scotland. Another important river is the Kelvin , a tributary of the River Clyde, whose name was used in creating the title of Baron Kelvin the renowned physicist for whom
6100-417: The mid-eighteenth century the city began expanding westwards from its medieval core at Glasgow Cross, with a grid-iron street plan starting from the 1770s and eventually reaching George Square to accommodate much of the growth, with that expansion much later becoming known in the 1980s onwards as the Merchant City . The largest growth in the city centre area, building on the wealth of trading internationally,
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#17327903148066200-519: The modern name appears for the first time in the Gaelic period (1116), as Glasgu . It is also recorded that the King of Strathclyde , Rhydderch Hael , welcomed Saint Kentigern (also known as Saint Mungo), and procured his consecration as bishop about 540. For some thirteen years Kentigern laboured in the region, building his church at the Molendinar Burn where Glasgow Cathedral now stands, and making many converts. A large community developed around him and became known as Glasgu . The coat of arms of
6300-412: The modern world, as did Stanley Spencer downriver at Port Glasgow . With the population growing, the first scheme to provide a public water supply was by the Glasgow Company in 1806. A second company was formed in 1812, and the two merged in 1838, but there was some dissatisfaction with the quality of the water supplied. The Gorbals Gravitation Water Company began supplying water to residents living to
6400-740: The odd sunny day. Long dry spells of warm weather are generally quite scarce. Overcast and humid conditions without rain are frequent. Generally the weather pattern is quite unsettled and erratic during these months, with only occasional heatwaves. The warmest month is usually July, with average highs above 20 °C (68 °F). Summer days can occasionally reach up to 27 °C (81 °F), and very rarely exceed 30 °C (86 °F). Autumns are generally cool to mild with increasing precipitation. During early autumn there can be some settled periods of weather and it can feel pleasant with mild temperatures and some sunny days. The official Met Office data series goes back to 1959 and shows that there only have been
6500-427: The previous general election, was regained by Paul Sweeney of the Labour Party , who narrowly defeated sitting SNP MP Anne McLaughlin by 242 votes. Since the 2019 general election , Glasgow has been represented by 7 Scottish National Party MPs; the Glasgow North East constituency, was regained by Anne McLaughlin of the Scottish National Party , resulting in the same clean sweep like 4 years previously . In
6600-431: The public, alongside the Arctic Penguin at the Inveraray Maritime Museum, and continues to make sailings. The Spartan , another diesel-engined "puffer", is on display at the Scottish Maritime Museum at Irvine . Spartan has recently undergone restoration work on her hull, and is still being refitted. The museum also features the diesel-powered motor coaster MV Kyles at Irvine (an early Clyde built coaster, not
6700-475: The puffers, and many books explore their now vanished world. In the third television series, The Tales of Para Handy , the Vital Spark was depicted by the puffer Auld Reekie (VIC 27). She is moored at Crinan awaiting restoration. When VIC 72 , renamed Eilean Eisdeal , ventured from her home at the Inveraray Maritime Museum to visit the Glasgow River Festival in 2005, she bore the name Vital Spark in testimony to her continuing popularity. In 2006 she
6800-450: The regional vote, the Glasgow electoral region is represented by four Labour MSPs, two Conservative MSPs and one Green MSP. Following reform of constituencies of the House of Commons of the United Kingdom ( Westminster ) in 2005, which reduced the number of Scottish Members of Parliament (MPs), the current Westminster constituencies representing Glasgow are: Following the 2014 Scottish independence referendum , in which 53.49% of
6900-408: The responsibility of Scottish Water . Glasgow's population had surpassed that of Edinburgh by 1821. The development of civic institutions included the City of Glasgow Police in 1800, one of the first municipal police forces in the world. Despite the crisis caused by the City of Glasgow Bank 's collapse in 1878, growth continued and by the end of the 19th century it was one of the cities known as
7000-431: The rest of the United Kingdom. In the Referendum of 2014 turnout was 75%, the lowest in Scotland; in the Brexit referendum the city's voters, while joining the rest of Scotland in voting to remain part of the EU, again had a low turnout of 56.2%, although SNP MP Angus Robertson placed this in the historical context of traditional low turnout in Glasgow. In the 2015 general election, the six Scottish constituencies with
7100-419: The river from the city to that point was then too shallow for seagoing merchant ships. By the late 18th century more than half of the British tobacco trade was concentrated on the River Clyde, with over 47,000,000 lb (21,000 t) of tobacco being imported each year at its peak. At the time, Glasgow held a commercial importance as the city participated in the trade of sugar, tobacco and later cotton. From
7200-558: The same time. Glasgow became one of the first cities in Europe to reach a population of one million. The city's new trades and sciences attracted new residents from across the Lowlands and the Highlands of Scotland , from Ireland and other parts of Britain and from Continental Europe . During this period, the construction of many of the city's greatest architectural masterpieces and most ambitious civil engineering projects, such as
7300-498: The second *cöü , "hollow" (cf. Welsh glas-cau ), giving a meaning of "green-hollow". It is often said that the name means "dear green place" or that "dear green place" is a translation from Gaelic Glas Caomh . "The dear green place" remains an affectionate way of referring to the city. The modern Gaelic is Glaschu and derived from the same roots as the Brittonic. The settlement may have an earlier Brittonic name, Cathures ;
7400-534: The second version, The Vital Spark , McMillan took the role of Para Handy, and Grieve reprised his role as Macphail; Walter Carr (Dougie the Mate) and Alex McAvoy (Sunny Jim) completed the crew, and the series ran for three series between 1965 and 1974. The third series, made several years after the first two, was in colour and consisted of remakes of selected earlier episodes. In 1994 BBC Scotland produced The Tales of Para Handy which starred Gregor Fisher in
7500-530: The service ended. The short stories that Neil Munro first published in the Glasgow Evening News in 1905 appeared in the newspaper for over twenty years and achieved widespread fame, with collections issued in book form since 1931 still in print today. With the continuing popularity of these tales, the puffers became film stars in The Maggie , and Para Handy with his Vital Spark was
7600-490: The sewers, as part of a deal to allow them to tunnel under the city, and sewage treatment works were opened at Dalmarnoch in 1894, Dalmuir in 1904 and Shieldhall in 1910. The works experimented to find better ways to treat sewage, and a number of experimental filters were constructed, until a full activated sludge plant was built between 1962 and 1968 at a cost of £4 million. Treated sludge was dumped at sea, and Glasgow Corporation owned six sludge ships between 1904 and 1998, when
7700-520: The short stories Neil Munro wrote about the Vital Spark and her captain Para Handy , which produced three television series. Clyde puffers characteristically had bluff bows, crew's quarters with table and cooking stove in the focsle , and a single mast with derrick in front of the large hold. The funnel and ship's wheel stood aft above the engine room, followed by a small captain's cabin in
7800-403: The slipway at Crinan boatyard awaiting restoration. Clyde puffer The Clyde puffer is a type of small coal-fired and single-masted cargo ship, built mainly on the Forth and Clyde Canal , which provided a vital supply link around the west coast and Hebrides of Scotland. Built between 1856 and 1939, these stumpy little steamboats achieved an almost mythical status thanks largely to
7900-500: The south of the River Clyde in 1846, obtained from reservoirs, which gave 75,000 people a constant water supply, but others were not so fortunate, and some 4,000 died in an outbreak of cholera in 1848/1849. This led to the development of the Glasgow Corporation Water Works , with a project to raise the level of Loch Katrine and to convey clean water by gravity along a 26 mi (42 km) aqueduct to
8000-470: The stern. When publication of the Vital Spark stories began in 1905 the ship's wheel was still in the open, but later a wheelhouse was added aft of the funnel giving the puffers their distinctive image. Their flat bottom allowed them to beach and unload at low tide, essential to supply remote settlements without suitable piers. Typical cargoes could include coal and furniture, with farm produce and gravel sometimes being brought back. The puffers developed from
8100-592: The struggle against the poll tax ; which was introduced in Scotland a whole year before the rest of the United Kingdom and also served as the main base of the Scottish Socialist Party , another left-wing political party in Scotland. The city has not had a Conservative MP since the 1982 Hillhead by-election , when the SDP took the seat, which was in Glasgow's most affluent area. The fortunes of
8200-527: The subject of three popular BBC television series dating from 1959 to 1995. A small number of puffers survive as conservation projects, though most have diesel engines. VIC 32 is one of the last few surviving coal-fired steam-powered puffers and is based at The Change House, Crinan . She was built by Dunston's of Thorne, Yorkshire in November 1943 – a busy time for the Clyde Ship building yards. As
8300-523: The wartime Admiralty needed 50, (later 100) victualling boats in a hurry, they were built in groups of three by various yards in England. No new designs were needed as the perfect boat existed in a Clyde Puffer. Steam sailings on VIC 32 have been available to the public from 1979, latterly as cruises on the Caledonian Canal . From 2004 she underwent extensive refitting at Corpach Boatyard at
8400-494: The west end of the canal near Fort William , funded by donations and lottery funds. After fitting of a new boiler by Pridham's Engineering and Corpach Boatbuilders, she steamed down from Fort William to Crinan, from where cruises on the Caledonian Canal have now re-commenced. VIC 56 was built by Pollock, of Faversham in 1945. She is preserved in working order at Chatham Historic Dockyard , regularly steaming in
8500-535: The west of the city, in neighbouring Renfrewshire. Owing to its westerly position and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, Glasgow is one of Scotland's milder areas. Winter temperatures are usually higher than in most places of equal latitude away from the UK, due to the warming influence of the Gulf Stream . However, this results in less distinct seasons as compared to continental Western Europe. At Paisley ,
8600-540: Was driven at considerable speed into the entrance of the main terminal building . This was the first time that a terrorist attack had targeted Scotland specifically, and was the second terrorist attack to occur in Scotland following the explosion of Pan Am Flight 103 over the town of Lockerbie in the Scottish Borders in December 1988. Immediately following the incident, a close link was established between
8700-414: Was abolished in 1996, since when the city has again been responsible for all aspects of local government, being one of the 32 council areas in Scotland. Despite its northerly latitude, similar to that of Moscow , Glasgow's climate is classified as oceanic ( Köppen Cfb ). Data is available online for 3 official weather stations in the Glasgow area: Paisley, Abbotsinch and Bishopton. All are located to
8800-496: Was built at Rowhedge Ironworks . She was renamed Auld Reekie , and starred as the Vital Spark in the third BBC TV Para Handy series where she was berthed at Crinan Basin for 14 years, deteriorating. She was purchased (Oct 2006) by the owner of the Inveraray Maritime Museum who carried out some work on her. She has since been resold to a new owner who has already started on her major restoration work. As she
8900-442: Was cut to 59, with new constituencies being formed, while the existing number of MSPs was retained at Holyrood. In the 2011 Scottish Parliament election , the boundaries of the Glasgow region were redrawn. Currently, the nine Scottish Parliament constituencies in the Glasgow electoral region are: At the 2021 Scottish Parliament election , all nine of these constituencies were won by Scottish National Party (SNP) candidates. On
9000-406: Was found in the reservoir at Milngavie, and so the new Milngavie water treatment works was built. It was opened by Queen Elizabeth in 2007, and won the 2007 Utility Industry Achievement Award, having been completed ahead of its time schedule and for £10 million below its budgeted cost. Good health requires both clean water and effective removal of sewage. The Caledonian Railway rebuilt many of
9100-464: Was in agriculture, brewing and fishing, with cured salmon and herring being exported to Europe and the Mediterranean. By the fifteenth century the urban area stretched from the area around the cathedral and university in the north down to the bridge and the banks of the Clyde in the south along High Street , Saltmarket and Bridgegate, crossing an east–west route at Glasgow Cross which became
9200-549: Was in the type of coronet over the arms. The area around Glasgow has hosted communities for millennia, with the River Clyde providing a natural location for fishing. The Romans later built outposts in the area and, to protect Roman Britannia from the Brittonic speaking ( Celtic ) Caledonians , constructed the Antonine Wall . Items from the wall, such as altars from Roman forts like Balmuildy , can be found at
9300-454: Was made to accompany the recording, filmed on board a puffer as it cruised around the Firth of Clyde. Macrae and McMillan appear as The Captain and The Mate, while Mackenzie appears as The Engineer, causing Grieve to move to play The Cook. Although very obviously based on Munro's characters, the names of Para Handy, the Vital Spark , etc. are never mentioned, probably due to copyright issues. In
9400-451: Was purchased by the magistrates in 1641 and that bell is still on display in the People's Palace Museum, near Glasgow Green . The supporters are two salmon bearing rings, and the crest is a half length figure of Saint Mungo. He wears a bishop's mitre and liturgical vestments and has his hand raised in "the act of benediction ". The original 1866 grant placed the crest atop a helm, but this
9500-472: Was re-registered as the Vital Spark of Glasgow. The Argyll brewer Fyne Ales , near Inveraray, where the current boat rests and Neil Munro was born, brews a beer called Vital Spark in tribute to the series. In December 2007, the Vital Spark Clyde puffer returned to the Forth and Clyde Canal – the place of her 'birth', as reported on STV news' Reporting Scotland. The puffer is now on
9600-414: Was removed in subsequent grants. The current version (1996) has a gold mural crown between the shield and the crest. This form of coronet, resembling an embattled city wall, was allowed to the four area councils with city status. The arms were re-matriculated by the City of Glasgow District Council on 6 February 1975, and by the present area council on 25 March 1996. The only change made on each occasion
9700-410: Was substantially enlarged in 1891 to take in areas from both Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire where the urban area had grown beyond the old burgh boundary. In 1893, the burgh became its own county for lieutenancy and judicial purposes too, being made a county of itself . From 1975 to 1996 the city was part of Strathclyde Region , with the city's council becoming a lower-tier district council . Strathclyde
9800-616: Was the European Capital of Culture in 1990 and is notable for its architecture , culture , media , music scene , sports clubs and transport connections . It is the fifth-most-visited city in the United Kingdom. The city is also well known in the sporting world for football, particularly for the Old Firm rivalry. The name Glasgow is Brittonic in origin. The first element glas , meaning "grey-green, grey-blue" both in Brittonic , Scottish Gaelic and modern day Welsh and
9900-599: Was the "Second City of the British Empire " for much of the Victorian and Edwardian eras . Glasgow became a county in 1893, the city having previously been in the historic county of Lanarkshire , and later growing to also include settlements that were once part of Renfrewshire and Dunbartonshire . It now forms the Glasgow City Council area, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland , and
10000-506: Was the next expansion being the grid-iron streets west of Buchanan Street riding up and over Blythswood Hill from 1800 onwards. The opening of the Monkland Canal and basin linking to the Forth and Clyde Canal at Port Dundas in 1795, facilitated access to the extensive iron-ore and coal mines in Lanarkshire . After extensive river engineering projects to dredge and deepen the River Clyde as far as Glasgow, shipbuilding became
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