Records of the Burgh of Pollokshields East

The collection includes: Minutes, Oaths and Official Lists of the Burgh, 1880 - 1891 (H/SHE/1); Correspondence 1880 - 1891 (H/SHE/2); Complaints at the instance of the Procurator Fiscal, 1880 - 1891 (H/SHE/3); Papers relating the Burgh such as the Roads and Bridges Act and the Electric Lighting Act, the inventory of the burgh's records on annexation 1891-1892 and public notices 1880-1891; Roll of Electors 1886 (H/SHE/5); Dean of Guild records including plans, 1880-1891 (H/SHE/6).

Pollokshields East was originally part of the Pollok estate on the south side of Glasgow, and was feued out as a largely residential area in the late 19th century. In 1849 Sir John Maxwell of Pollok, 8th baronet (1791-1865), commissioned architect David Rhind (1801-1883) to draw up plans for the development of the Shields part of his estate. The proposed suburb was designed to accommodate middle-class Glaswegians seeking quality housing beyond the boundaries of the congested city. Rhind's scheme divided Pollokshields into two distinct zones. While the eastern district consisted of terraces and tenements, the west consisted entirely of villas. Shields Road separated the two areas.

Despite the spaciousness of its tenements, the eastern district came to be far more densely built-up. The western side covered more territory and was also exclusively residential, which meant that the east came to be the focus of social activity, accommodating shops, schools, churches and community buildings.

In 1880 the eastern district followed the westerner in seeking formal, self-governing status and became police burgh. The Commissioners of the Burgh first met in Miss Pettigrew's School Room on Berlin Terrace [Leven Street] in 1880. However, Pollokshields home rule was short-lived. The promise of generous taxation concessions eventually induced the two burghs to amalgamate with Glasgow in 1891 (City of Glasgow Act 1891, 54 & 55 Vict., c.130).

[Source: The Glasgow Story http://www.theglasgowstory.com/story/?id=TGSDG11]

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