Elder Park is a public park in the Govan area of Glasgow, Scotland, located a short distance south of the River Clyde, to the east of the Linthouse neighbourhood. It contains Elder Park Library [de], a boating pond, the original Fairfield farmhouse, and Linthouse Mansion portico.

Elder Park
Map
TypePublic park
LocationGlasgow, Scotland
Coordinates55°51′45.45″N 4°19′30.61″W / 55.8626250°N 4.3251694°W / 55.8626250; -4.3251694 (Elder Park)
Area37 acres (15 ha)
Created1885; 139 years ago (1885)
Operated byGlasgow City Council
StatusOpen all year
Public transit accessGovan subway station
Statue of Isabella Elder in Elder Park.

History

edit

The park was given to the people of Govan in 1885 by Isabella Elder, in memory of her husband, the shipbuilding magnate John Elder.[1][2] It was created on the site of Fairfield farm, the farmhouse of which still stands. The headquarters of the family's Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company were directly opposite the park to the north on Govan Road – the buildings still exist as the Fairfield Heritage Centre. Elder gifted the park for "healthful recreation by music and amusement".[3]

The park's sandstone entrance gates were refurbished during 2021, with a small ceremony taking place at the conclusion of the project in February 2022.[4][5]

Buildings

edit

Elder Park Library [de] lies at the south-eastern end of the park, on Langlands Road. It was opened in September 1903 by Andrew Carnegie, gifted to the people of Glasgow by Isabella Elder, and designed by John James Burnett.[6] It is a Category A listed building.[7]

The Linthouse Mansion was built in 1791, however the only remaining part of the house now is the portico.[8]

Statues and memorials

edit
 
Statue of John Elder

There are two statues within the park, one to Isabella Elder [de] (Sir J. E. Boehm, 1906, Category A listed),[9] and one to her husband John Elder (Archibald Shannan, 1888, Category B listed).[1][10][11] There are also two memorials, commemorating the SS Daphne disaster in 1883[12][13] and the HMS K13 submarine disaster in 1917,[14][15][5] both of which involved the death of local shipyard workers (from Stephens and Fairfields respectively).

See also

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Digital, Innovation. "History of Elder Park in Govan, Glasgow: Monument to shipbuilder John Elder of Fairfield Shipyard - Clyde Waterfront Heritage". www.clydewaterfront.com. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  2. ^ Lasting legacy of Govan's first 'lady' Isabella Elder, Nerys Tunnicliffe, Glasgow Times, 13 December 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2022
  3. ^ O'Neill, Cordelia (5 February 2014). "Glasgow City Council park proposal music ban hits wrong note with Govan's Elder Park group". dailyrecord. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  4. ^ Elder Park Gates Ribbon Cutting, Get Into Govan, 4 February 2022. Retrieved 13 February 2022
  5. ^ a b Govan K13 memorial safeguarded for future, Glasgow Times, 15 February 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2022
  6. ^ "Elder Park Library | Art UK". artuk.org. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  7. ^ Glasgow Life's plan to revamp Elder Park library revealed[permanent dead link], Glasgow Times, 23 June 2021. Retrieved 13 February 2022
  8. ^ "architectureglasgow.co.uk". www.derelictglasgow.co.uk. Retrieved 4 July 2020.
  9. ^ "Lady Elder" | Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection, Postcards Collection, The Glasgow Story
  10. ^ Statue Of John Elder, Elder Park, Glasgow, British Listed Buildings
  11. ^ Elder Statue, Elder Park | Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection, Postcards Collection, The Glasgow Story
  12. ^ The Daphne Disaster Archived 13 February 2022 at the Wayback Machine, Lost Glasgow, 3 July 2020
  13. ^ SS 'Daphne' Memorial, Art UK
  14. ^ K13 Memorial | Mitchell Library, Glasgow Collection, Bulletin Photographs, The Glasgow Story
  15. ^ Tragic tale behind K13 submarine memorial in Glasgow's Elder Park, Ann Fotheringhay, Glasgow Times, 11 September 2021
edit