Linthouse Buildings, Govan

tony berry · Post by **tony berry** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 7:09 am

Does anyone have information on the Linthouse Buildings in Govan, which I believe were built by the nearby Linthouse shipyard to house its workers.My shipwright ancestors came from Wales to live there in the mid-1870s and left to return to Wales about 12 years later after having three children.
Why did they come all that way?
Why did they leave?
What was life like in Linthouse Buildings which I believe are today occupied by the trendies.
Cheers, Tony

momat · Post by **momat** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 8:09 am

A "google " brought up this site among many others.
Looks like it's worth a read.
http://www.thegovanstory.co.uk

tony berry · Post by **tony berry** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 9:00 am

Many thanks, Maureen. Idid do a bit of Googling but missed this one. Very useful. Tony

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:39 am

Welcome to Talking Scot Tony.

I assume that you have the 1881 census for your family and the children's birth certificates?

What is the father's occupation on those, that would give a clue as to why they were here. Ship Building was of course it's main industry, but there were many other industries thriving too, some associated with the yards.

It has to be said though that Linthouse is not considered - by True Govanites - to be part of Govan at all! in fact in your folk's time it probably wasn't.

The Linthouse Buildings that you see today on Govan Road aren't for the most part original, only the 2/3 closes on the South West corner are old, the rest have been 'tacked on' in recent years and they are hardly 'trendy' residences, overlooking [and down wind] of the sewage works

According to an 1890's map the Buildings were 1 close on Govan Road and 1 on the corner - both still standing- then a further 8 closes running down the street facing west.

They would have been 4 stories high and the bottom floor would have been, on the corner 'close' at least , taken up with shops or commercial premises . the rest would have had 2 or 3 houses [flats ] on each floor and very likely a single toilet on the half landing shared by each floor. There would have been maybe 3 rooms in 1 house, 2 in the other and rarely 4 room in 1 house 'set in beds' would have been the normal in each room.There would have been a drying green shared by the whole close to the back, and from the looks of an old map a washhouse? though none of those have survived today.

If you look at Multimap search for Holmfauld road you'll find the present buildings, picking the 'birds eye' option will enable you to see more clearly.

I'm giving you this 'tenement' information from my own memories in other parts of Govan and from the looks of the outside of the present Linthouse Buildings.

I can't find a map of 1870/80's to confirm though that the ones still standing today were where your folks actually lived, as all the maps I can find are slightly later.

Currie · Post by **Currie** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:43 am

Hello Tony,

There’s a lot of scattered Linthouse material in “19th Century British Library Newspapers” and the “Times Digital Archive 1785-1985” These databases can be very useful for Scottish, Welsh, or any other research. You can access these and much more from home via:

1. State Library of Victoria
http://www.slv.vic.gov.au/catalogues/in ... fsite.html

and/or

2. National Library of Australia
http://www.nla.gov.au/app/eresources/list/licenced

They are available only to residents. If you haven’t already done so, apply for a Library Card and they’ll post it to your address in Vic.

All the best,
Alan

tony berry · Post by **tony berry** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:48 am

Thanks Alan. That's very useful as I do have access to the SLV (as a Foundation Member) and a library card but I didn't thin of looking so close to home (Richmond). I'll get on to that right away. Cheers, Tony

tony berry · Post by **tony berry** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:54 am

Thanks Wilma (or is it Wonka?)

Yes, I have the 1881 census details and the children's birth certificates?

The father's occupation is given as shipwright.

Although you say Linthouse is not considered - by true Govanites - to be part of Govan at all, this is how it appears on the Census forms.

They lived at 34 Linthouse Buildings and had returned to Wales by 1891

Many thanks for filling some gaps. Tony

WilmaM · Post by **WilmaM** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 3:09 pm

I spoke to my Dad there, the name Linthouse Buildings doesn't mean anything to him, but he can picture where they are and says that everything to the west of them was "Stevie's" as Stephen's Shipyards were known.
Perhaps your man was 'Headhunted' for the booming Clyde yards and returned home once he had passed on his expertise?

He also reiterated the fact that in those days Linthouse was a separate settlement from Govan, just as Govan was, until comparatively recently, separated from Glasgow City.
He says remember the 3 P's,
Linthouse had:
No Pubs
No Picture Houses and
No Pawnshops
[so was probably considered a cut above Govan.]

I see you are in Melbourne - there is a cast-iron fountain in a park there that is connected in someway to the Elder Family who were prominent in Govan life and shipbuilding.

tony berry · Post by **tony berry** » Thu Mar 12, 2009 10:37 pm

Thanks for that Wilma. I like the tale about the 3Ps. I rather got the impression that Linthouse Buildings were something of a tenement built to lure workers so maybe they were a "cut above" the rest. I'll keep digging - and also check out that fountain.
Cheers, Tony

Andrew C. · Post by **Andrew C.** » Fri Mar 13, 2009 5:56 pm

Lived in Linthouse for a coupe of years no idea where the Linthouse Buildings where. I know Linthouse was considered a better class of tenement in the forties and fifties however by the eighties it had became pretty run down. They are trying to bring it up again however not sure if it is working. It is obviously only seperated from Govan by the ship yard and Elder Park.

I think you may be getting confused with the old Light bulb factory (caravanland) which although owned by Linthouse Housing Association was a bit Yuppiefied (see the opening titles of "Chewing the Fat")