Woddrop Street runs parallel to Dalmarnock Road between Allan Street and the River Clyde at Dalmarnock Bridge.  Dunclutha Street on the left leads to Dalmarnock Recreation Ground which had football pitches, bowling greens and tennis courts.  Birkwood Street on the right leads to Dalmarnock Road, at the junction of which is located The Boundary Bar, opposite Dalmarnock Power Station.  Looking south from Allan Street towards Rutherglen my painting shows the three types of housing available to residents at the end of World War II (1939 - 1945) and weans playing in the street around the 1950's.

On the right are the four storey, red sandstone, tenements built on the grounds of the former Dalmarnock House in the 1900's.  Dalmarnock House, an old country house of the Glasgow gentry, was built around 1784 on the lands of Dalmarnock owned by the Woddrop family.  Opposite are the "modern" grey sandstone, three storey tenements, built by Glasgow Corporation at the end of the war.  Beyond these are temporary housing, prefabricated buildings known as "prefabs", that were erected between 1944 and 1949.  The electric generation sub-station behind the prefabs is all that remains today.  The industrial works in the background are located in Downiebrae Road, Rutherglen, on the south bank of the River Clyde.  The Rivet, Nut & Bolt Company was among the works that provided local employment and Christmas parties for the weans of employees.
My family lived at number 17, the first close on the left,  from 1949 until 1981, when the property underwent major refurbishment.  By August 2006 all of the original residential property in Woddrop Street, Dunclutha Street and Birkwood Street had been demolished under the auspices of the Glasgow Eastern Area Regeneration (GEAR) project. 

My painting is an original composition using acrylic on canvas board measuring 508 x 406mm (20" x 16") and it is protected with two coats of gloss varnish.  It was signed and dated by me in May 2011.

Dalmarnock Road Crossover at Birkwood Street - This nostalgic view of Dalmarnock Road is typical of the area around the late 1950's.  Looking south towards Rutherglen, Dalmarnock Bridge is shown in the background with factories in Downiebrae Road on the south bank of the River Clyde.  Dalmarnock Electric Power Station is on the right of the number 46 Corporation motor bus from Castlemilk en route to Cranhill via Bridgeton Cross.  It is followed by a taxi cab.   The number 18 Coronation tramcar from Burnside is en route to Springburn in the north of the city via Hope Street.  The number 30 standard hex dash tramcar is about to use the crossover at its terminus at Birkwood Street, located immediately to the left of the Evening Times delivery van.  The tramcar will then head to Blairdardie via Parkhead Cross. The red sandstone tenements on the left, comprising numbers 799, 805, 811 and 817 survived bombing of the Electric Power Station during World War II, and are all that remains today, apart from of course Dalmarnock Bridge.

The painting, based on a GlescaPals black and white photograph, uses acrylic on canvas board measuring 406 x 305 mm (16" x 12") and it is protected with two coats of gloss varnish.  It was signed and dated by me in February 2011.

Dalmarnock Road at Dale Street/ Ruby Street 1962 - I painted this using a GlescaPals black and white photograph as reference.  The painting using acrylic on canvas board measures 406 x 305 mm (16" x 12") and is protected with two coats of gloss varnish.  It was signed and dated by me in February 2009.

Looking south along Dalmarnock Road, Dale Street is on the right and, on the left immediately before the zebra crossing, is Ruby Street where the tramcar depot is located.  The number 18 Coronation tram is en route to Springburn via Glasgow Cross.   The number 63 red SMT motor bus heading south is en route to Eddlewood, in Hamilton, via Cambuslang.  The tank holders at the gas works located between Old Dalmarnock Road and Poplin Street can be seen to the far right of the red bus.  The tall concrete chimney of Dalmarnock Electric Power Station is visible in the background.

The weans, kitted oot in their Rangers and Celtic fitba' strips play in the backcourt of typical Glesca tenement houses that are in the process of being demolished due to redevelopment of the area.   The "young firm" are being watched and encouraged from the sidelines by other weans standing behind the goalie.  One wummin is hangin' oot her washin' having just taken her turn in the backcourt wash house. Two wee lassies splash aboot in a puddle created by waste watter fae a leakin' drain pipe and swing aroon a claethes pole.  Two auld wifies are having a blether and hoping that the dirty fitba' disnae hit their clean washin'.   A bawheid is aboot tae catch a piece being thrown doon tae him fae the wummin hingin' oot the third storey windae.  He reassures his Ma that her ither weans are happily playing roon the side o' the hoose where the remains o' fireplaces an' cooker recesses can be seen on the plaster flaking gable end.  A wummin takes her dug fur a walk while two ither neeburs natter aboot therr burroo money

Hingin' Oot A Windae - I painted this using a GlescaPals black and white photograph as reference. 

The painting using acrylic on canvas board measures 406 x 305 mm (16" x 12") and it is protected with two coats of gloss varnish.  It was signed and dated by me in July 2011.

The Wembley Bar situated at the corner of Dunn Street and Baltic Street was a favourite haunt of local Glesca Pals.  Sadly the Wembley Bar and its surrounding tenements were demolished in the late 1960's and early 1970's as part of the Glasgow Eastern Area  Regeneration (GEAR) project. 

My painting shows a wummin hingin' oot a windae above the Wembley Bar and watching two boys playing fitba' in their Rangers and Celtic strips.  Two locals also watch from the Dunn Street entrance of the pub.  Two wee lassies are playing peever in Baltic Street ootside the pub entrance and next tae close number 206.  

Backcourt weans

Backcourt sandcastles

See more examples of William's paintings on pages 1, 2 & 4

see further examples of paintings by William, aka 'glesca artist' on GlescaPals messageboard
 

 .  William Neilly... 'glesca artist'

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