'Flourish' - Women's Heritage Walks Glasgow

Episode 25 (Season 3): ‘Flourish’

Let’s dig deep and uncover the stories of outstanding women from Glasgow!

‘Flourish’ is a story about Glasgow’s “City of the Dead”. We’re joining a group of history detectives from the Glasgow Women’s Library for a guided tour at the Necropolis, a Victorian garden cemetery behind Glasgow Cathedral.

We’ll hear stories of influential women who were buried here and learn about the lives of ordinary women in the city throughout history. Learn how many statues of women you can find in Glasgow, what happened to women accused of being witches, and what Queen Victoria has to do with fortune telling.

After the story, I’ll tell you my top tips for making the most of your trip to Glasgow.

If you liked this episode, listen to my interview with Adele Patrick, one of the co-founders of the Glasgow Women’s Library.

TRANSCRIPT

Credits

Written and hosted by Kathi Kamleitner.
Produced, edited and sound design by Fran Turauskis.
Transcripts and social media by Michelle Payne.
Cover Art illustrated by Lizzie Vaughan-Knight.
All original music composed by Bruce Wallace.
Additional sound effects from Zapsplat.
All photographs by Kathi Kamleitner.

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Disclaimer: All information provided in this podcast is based on personal travel experiences. Companies mentioned in the story or tips were active at the time of release. If you listen to episodes at a later point, note that this information may have changed in the meantime.

My Glagow Travel Tips

1) Visit the Glasgow Women’s Library

The Glasgow Women’s Library is a palace for everyone who would like to learn more about women’s history and literature. It’s not only a library, but also an accredited museum with exhibitions and a busy schedule of special events. Anyone is welcome and if you’re looking to experience Glasgow beyond the tourist attractions, there really is no better place.

2) Do a Women’s Heritage Walk

The history detectives at Glasgow Women’s Library have developed several walks that tell the stories of Glasgow’s women. The guided walks happen only a handful of times throughout the year, but you can download leaflets for all the routes and explore at your own pace. The West End and East End tours are even available as free audio guides.

You can find more information about the walks and the leaflets downloads here on the Women’s Library website.

3) Visit the People’s Palace at Glasgow Green

The People’s Palace is one of my favourite museums in Glasgow because it tells the social and cultural history of its people. You’ll find exhibitions about the steamies I mentioned in today’s story, but also about living conditions in Glasgow, times of prohibition, where Glaswegians went on holiday back in the days, and where many of them fell in love.

The museum is free to visit and there is also a lovely greenhouse filled with tropical plants attached to it.

4) Check out the beer garden at West Brewery

Remember the Templeton building at Glasgow Green? Well one of the businesses located there today is West Brewery, a beer company founded by a German woman who fell in love with Glasgow but missed the kind of beer she’d drink back home in Germany. They brew beer on site and have a great restaurant with lots of German classics on the menu, but my favourite thing about West is their beer garden. It faces west and is just the most perfect spot for a sunny summer evening.

5) Go bargain hunting at the Barras

The Barras is an iconic market in the East End of Glasgow. It was opened in the 1920s and has since been the place to go for literally anything you need, from board games to garden hoses. There are several market halls with stands, yards with shops and an outdoor market area. It’s quieter now than it was in its heyday, but it’s still a great place to mingle with locals and get a taste of Glaswegian flair.

At the heart of the Barras you can find the famous Barrowland Ballroom, one of the city’s best music venues. You might even be able to catch a show there.