Old Glasgow Club

Minutes of ordinary meeting of Club held at Adelaide’s, 209 Bath Street on Thursday 11th September 2008 at 7.30pm.

Attendance

106

Chair

Mr Gordon (for President)

Welcome

Mr Gordon welcomed members and visitors to the first meeting of the new session.

Apologies

There were apologies from Anna Forrest, Brian Henderson, Janette Knox, Margaret McCormack, Maida Gibson, Jean Aitken, Marion McGuigan, John Murdoch.

Minutes

The minutes of the last ordinary meeting held on 10 April, having been circulated, were approved, proposed by Mrs Thom and seconded by Mr Little. There were no matters arising.

Honorary President

Mr Gordon intimated that Mr Bob Winter, Lord Provost of Glasgow, has agreed to become Honorary President.

He also made a presentation to Mr Bob Dunlop, who had retired as Honorary President.

President’s report

There was no President’s report.

Secretary’s report

Mrs McNae said that much interest had been aroused in the Club as a result of the article which had appeared in the Glasgow Magazine (distributed free to all city ratepayers). A number of people had come this evening as a result, and the club was grateful to the Glasgow City Council for their support in this way.

Serving tea and coffee at the start of the meeting had proved to be successful last year, and the practice would be continued this session.

The Old Edinburgh Club had invited people from the old Glasgow Club to attend a conference on 4 October, and anyone interested should see Mrs Mc Nae.

Doors Open day was on Saturday/Sunday 20/21 September and there were seminars and a Doors Open Festival from 15 – 19 September.  There would also be a Merchant City Festival from 25 – 29 September.

The Club website was now available for use.

Speaker

Mr Gordon introduced Mr Tom F Cunningham, who spoke on the topic of “Buffalo Bill’s Wild West in Glasgow”, illustrated with  photographs on screen.

Mr Cunningham noted that since his last talk to the Club in 2001, he had unearthed new information on his subject.  The passing of Old Glasgow is a continuing process, but he hoped to bring back some “ghosts” with his talk this evening. In acting out their Ghost Dance, the Indians believed that the white men would be driven back.

Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show  was in Glasgow from 16 November 1891 to 27 February 1892, and introduced various new attractions including performing elephants.  The animals included 18 buffalo and numerous horses and steers, and were stationed near Whitehill School, which had recently opened.  After the show, a vet examined the buffaloes and found them free of disease.

Mr Cunningham showed a menu from the Grand Hotel in Glasgow, where Buffalo Bill stayed in December 1891, and noted that Buffalo Bill attended football matches at both Ibrox and Celtic Park. 

Photographs shown by the speaker included Sitting Bull and Wild Bill Hickock in Montreal in 1885, a group of Indians including some who came to Glasgow in 1891, a photo of Kicking Bear taken at a studio in Bellgrove Street, a photo of Short Bull taken in Antwerp on the tour which later came to Glasgow, a house in Dennistoun used by the cast of the Wild West Show, a photo of Annie Oakley taken at the studio of Watson and Wilson in Jamaica Street, and a family photo of GC Craiger and family showing the ghost shirt which is now in Kelvingrove Museum.

Buffalo Bill returned to Scotland with a different show in 1904; this included rough riders and he spent one week in Glasgow.  Mr Cunningham showed a photo of Indians entering the showground in Dixon Road, and of an act in the show portraying wagons being attacked.  The 1904 show also included the Japanese Imperial cavalry and various sideshow attractions.

Vote of thanks

Mr Robertson thanked Mr Cunningham for his excellent talk, which had brought to life ghosts from long ago.

AOCB

Mr Gordon advised the meeting that Bob Crampsey, who had spoken to the Club in October 2006, had died in July.

Close

Mr Gordon wished all a safe journey home.

JN Gibson