Springburn Public Halls
{{short description|Municipal building in Springburn, Scotland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2024}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2024}}
{{Infobox historic site
| name =Springburn Public Halls
| native_name =
| image =Springburn Public Halls (geograph 1787280).jpg
| caption =The building in 2010
| locmapin =Scotland Glasgow
| map_caption =Shown in Glasgow
| coordinates ={{Coord|55.8803|N|4.2350|W|type:landmark_region:GB|display=inline,title}}
| location =Millarbank Street, Glasgow
| area =
| built =1902
| architect =William B. Whitie
| architecture =Italian Renaissance style
| governing_body =
| designation1 =Category B Listed Building
| designation1_offname =46 Keppochill Road, 1, 11 Millarbank Street Sports Centre, Formerly Springburn Public Halls
| designation1_date =16 March 1993
| designation1_number =LB33877
| website=
}}
Springburn Public Halls was a public events venue on Millarbank Street in Springburn, part of Glasgow, Scotland. The building, which was derelict for three decades before being demolished in 2012, was a Category B listed building.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB33877|desc=46 Keppochill Road, 1, 11 Millarbank Street Sports Centre, Formerly Springburn Public Halls |cat=B|access-date=26 August 2024}}
History
Following significant population growth in the area, largely associated with the locomotive manufacturing industry, James Reid of Neilson, Reid & Co. decided to donate £12,000 to fund the building of a local events venue for the Springburn area.{{canmore|num=246378|desc=Glasgow, 46 Keppochhill Road, Springburn Public Halls| access-date=26 August 2024}} As part of this arrangement Glasgow Corporation committed to fund the Springburn Winter Gardens.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=PEzyEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA54 |title= The Celestial Railroad: A Steam Age Saga of Artisanship and Aspiration |first= S. David|last= Wilson|year= 2024|page=54}} The site that Reid selected, in Millarbank Street, was open ground adjacent to the Cowlairs Somerville Church.{{cite web|url= https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=16.5&lat=55.8803&lon=-4.2350&layers=6&b=1&o=100&marker=55.8803,-4.2350|title=Ordnance Survey Six-inch 1st edition, 1843–1882| access-date=26 August 2024}}{{cite web|url= https://powis.scot/sites/springburn-cowlairs-ex-parish-church-9271/ |title= Cowlairs Somerville Church of Scotland, Cowlairs, Springburn, Glasgow|publisher=Places of Worship in Scotland| access-date=26 August 2024}} The foundation stone for the new building was laid by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, Samuel Chisholm, in 1899. It was designed by William B. Whitie in the Italian Renaissance style, built in red ashlar stone and was officially opened on 16 May 1902.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=z6UxEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA601 |title=History of Scottish Architecture |first=Miles|last= Glendinning|year= 2019|page=601|publisher=Edinburgh University Press|isbn=978-1474468503}}
The design involved a main frontage of five bays facing onto Millarbank Street. The left-hand section of five bays was symmetrical and featured, in the central bay, two doorways with fanlights and keystones on the ground floor, and a tall round headed window, flanked by Corinthian order pilasters supporting a cornice, a frieze and a segmental open pediment, on the first floor. The bays on either side of the central bay contained windows with keystones on the ground floor, and niches with statues of Greek goddesses on the first floor. The outer bays of the left-hand section contained doorways with curved pediments on the ground floor and were blind on the first floor. The right-hand section of two bays contained, on the left, a doorway with a keystone flanked by a pair of windows, and four windows on the first floor, all surmounted by a pyramid-shaped roof. The far right-hand bay contained a three-stage tower, which was blind in all stages and surmounted by a dome.{{cite web|url= https://urbanglasgow.co.uk/springburn-public-halls-t1713.html |title= Springburn Public Halls|date= 4 December 2009|publisher=Urban Glasgow| access-date=26 August 2024}} Internally the principal room was the main assembly hall which was {{convert|77|feet}} long and {{convert|40|feet}} wide.{{cite web|url= https://www.archiseek.com/2014/springburn-hall-glasgow/ |title=1899: Designs for Springburn Hall|publisher= Archiseek| access-date=26 August 2024}} A pipe organ by James Jepson Binns was installed above the stage in 1905.{{cite web|url= https://npor.org.uk/survey/N11993 |title=Springburn, Springburn Town Hall, (aka Springburn Public Halls), Corner of Keppochhill Road and Millarbank Street|publisher=National pipe Organ Register|access-date=5 May 2025}}
The building served as an events venue, for activities such as dancing, until it closed in 1960.{{cite news|url= https://www.glasgowworld.com/news/its-hall-gone-but-we-still-have-our-memories-2715115 |title= It's hall gone... but we still have our memories|date=21 January 2013|newspaper=Glasgow World| access-date=26 August 2024}} It was then converted for use as a sports centre until it was shut down, because of dry rot, in 1985. The building was subsequently badly maintained and became dilapidated: it was demolished, because of public safety concerns, in December 2012.{{cite news|url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/13246151.its-the-end-as-historic-halls-are-demolished/ |title=It's the end as historic halls are demolished|date=27 December 2012|newspaper=Glasgow Times| access-date=26 August 2024}}{{cite news|url= https://www.heraldscotland.com/opinion/13086202.Save_facade_of_Springburn_Public_Halls_from_imminent_demolition/ |title= Save facade of Springburn Public Halls from imminent demolition |date=27 December 2012|newspaper=The Herald| access-date=26 August 2024}}{{cite news|url= https://www.urbanrealm.com/news/3923/Christmas_Grinch_steals_Springburn_Public_Halls.html |title= Christmas Grinch steals Springburn Public Halls|date=29 December 2012|newspaper=Urban Realm| access-date=26 August 2024}} The statues, which had been sculpted by James M. Sherriff, were recovered before the demolition and placed in storage.{{cite web|url=https://glasgowsculpture.com/pg_images.php?sub=springburn_halls |title=Springburn Public Halls, Glasgow|publisher=Glasgow Sculpture| access-date=26 August 2024}} North Glasgow Homes and Chameleon subsequently redeveloped the site for residential use with a new block of 49 flats.{{cite news|url=https://www.urbanrealm.com/news/7176/Springburn_lays_public_halls_ghost_to_rest_with_new_housing.html |title=Springburn lays public halls ghost to rest with new housing|date=9 January 2018|newspaper=Urban Realm| access-date=26 August 2024}}{{cite news|url= https://www.scottishconstructionnow.com/articles/cruden-wins-deal-to-redevelop-former-springburn-public-halls |title= Cruden wins deal to redevelop former Springburn public halls|date=17 December 2019|newspaper=Scottish Construction Now| access-date=26 August 2024}}
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{commons-inline}}
Category:Category B listed buildings in Glasgow
Category:City chambers and town halls in Scotland
Category:Listed government buildings in Scotland
Category:Government buildings in Glasgow
Category:1902 establishments in Scotland
Category:Government buildings completed in 1902
Category:2012 disestablishments in Scotland