| Dassie
Green, Greenhead Street, Bridgeton
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Statue of JAMES
WATT.(1736-1819)
whose idea of the steam engine came to him in
1765, while wandering aimlessly through Glasgow
Green, Watt hit upon the idea of condensing the
steam in a separate vessel. This removed the
need for heating and cooling, making the engine
faster, safer, and more fuel-efficient. A stone
in Glasgow Green marks this spot, where the
industrial revolution really began.
It was his invention that allowed industry to
move into towns from the water powered
countryside and laid the foundations for the
industrial revolution.
I think its shocking that
this pioneer's statue has been left headless
in a run down park. Surely a prominent spot
along at the Peoples Palace would be more
appropriate?....with a new head! #
In 1882, 63 years after Watt's death, the
British Association gave his name to the unit of
electrical power - and today James Watt's name
is to be found written on almost every lightbulb
in the world.
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How the Statue and
park used to look
Notice the Goalpost in the background from the
famous 'red ash' football parks of the Glasgow
Green
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Photograph of the statue with its
original head taken in c1941
The two wee girls are sisters Dinah and Alice
Maxwell aged 7½ and 2½ from James Street,
Bridgeton.
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Jan.2003
SOME GOOD NEWS
One of my readers (Russell
Henry) wrote to the Glasgow City
Council after viewing this website to complain
about the state of the James Watt statue......Extract from letter :
"......I write to bitterly complain about the
James Watt statue which has not only been
badly defaced but is also
headless!...........I find it appalling that
such a well known figure, who brought fame to
the city should be left in such a
state.........he like many other people are
part of the culture of our great
City........Could you please let me know if
there are any plans to restore this statue and
it's rightful place in our City's history"
#
Extract of Reply from
Glasgow City Council, Peter J Downing,
Principal Landscape Officer.
"I am delighted to be able to advise you
that it is planned to restore the James Watt
Statue including replacing his head, and
relocating it within the Winter Gardens
enclosure"
So
success for our James Watt statue and our
website, well done Russell.
...
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Further along in THE GREEN next
to Admiral Nelson's column is a boulder
........
The Winter Gardens of the Peoples Palace
can be seen in the background and further back
through the trees you can just make out the old
Templeton Carpet Building
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