HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

In 1242 King Alexander II granted the lands of Schedinestun (Shettleston) to William Bondington, Bishop of Glasgow and his successors. Included in this grant was Tollcross, which remained in the possession of the Corbet's for many centuries.

Known variously through the centuries as Towcorse, Towcors, Towcross, and eventually Tollcross, the name derives from the Scots "towl" meaning toll. The Royal Burgh of Rutherglen was allowed to collect tolls at the cross of Shettleston and it is believed that this was situated at the west end of the future Tollcross village, near the present junction of Tollcross and Wellshot Roads. These two modern roads are built upon far more ancient thoroughfares which were used by early travellers and traders.

The lands of Tollcross were far more extensive than they are today, stretching as far west as the Eastern Necropolis. This cemetery was laid out on ground once known as the "Little Hill of Tollcross". To the south, it bordered the various parts of Dalbeth. To the north was Shettleston, with Tollcross Burn being the boundary. The Corbet's estate was acquired by James Dunlop of Carmyle in 1810. Dunlop had inherited Carmyle from his father in 1777, and was a tremendous influence on the area, particularly in Fullarton.

Although the general march of history has had its effects upon Tollcross as everywhere else, the village does not appear to have participated in any of the main events or played host to the principal players on the historical stage. Mary, Queen of Scots did not sleep here and the Bonnie Prince does not seem to have marched his armies through the hamlets - but the Romans did! Tollcross's connection with events seems more to have been incidental. For example, when the first mail coach ran from London to Glasgow the owner of Glasgow's Saracen's Head Inn (the terminus for the journey) and his companions rode out as far as Tollcross to greet it.

This is not to say that the local population did not play their individual parts in the Rebellions of 1715 or 1745 or anything else. Indeed, the following is testimony of their willingness to involve themselves in current happenings.

At the turn of the 19th century there was great unrest in Scotland about the state of social affairs. A Radical movement planned insurrection which resulted in 1820 in a skirmish with Government troops at Bonnymuir from whence they were forced to flee. The rumour was spread that the Radicals had achieved victory.

"At Tollcross, upon hearing this, men, women and children seized arms and weapons of any description that they could lay their hands upon, and marched forth prepared to go wherever fortune called them, and to assail whatever might oppose them. The delusion, however, soon vanished, as the truth became known, and chagrin and dejection took (the) place of their former confidence and exaltation."

(From "The Scottish Insurrection of 1820.")

However, although the village cannot claim to have had an significant influence on the country's history in its own right, the history of its own development as a village and a community is a study worth the making because it is a story about the ordinary people who make up the country.

The mansion house of the Tollcross estate was built in 1848 by David Bryce for James Dunlop and replaced an earlier structure. It was acquired by Glasgow Corporation in 1897 along with the estate, the latter becoming Tollcross Park. The house was used as a children's museum for many years before finally being closed down in 1976 due to financial strictures. A main feature was the "Who Killed Cock Robin?" display.

It lay empty and boarded up until its fate could be decided. Finally, in a bid to prevent the building's further deterioration and subsequent demolition the A-listed structure was finally sold to the National Trust for Scotland. It is currently being converted into housing for people with special needs.