INTRODUCTION

There are now many histories of Glasgow, with increasing numbers devoted solely to districts of the city. Bridgeton and Dalmarnock have not been particularly well-served in this recent upsurge of interest in local history and as a Brigtonian I felt the balance should be redressed - this book being the means.

The geographical area covered by this book is shown on the inside front cover. It includes the original Bridgeton village, the Dalmarnock lands and Mile-End. I have neither included Glasgow Green or Calton as I feel these merit individual attention, nor have I covered all aspects of the areas' development as it simply would not have been possible to do so in a book this size. I have also excluded some of the most familiar aspects of the history to allow the inclusion of perhaps less well-known information.

That said, this book is primarily intended as an illustrative work, a photograph album for all those many thousands who were removed from the district in the past few decades before the massive changes which have rendered great areas no longer recognisable to those born and bred there. That is not to say that changes were not needed. However, the long ranges of tenements and the bustling, busy shops and streets are well within the living memory of many; probably a fond memory of times gone by. It was always my own delight to find a photo of some part of Bridgeton which would bring those memories flooding back. Like looking through your own family album, I hope that you will find happy thoughts returning if you see a photo of your old street, house, church or school reproduced.