Govan ( ;

Cumbric Cumbric was a variety of the Common Brittonic language spoken during the Early Middle Ages in the ''Hen Ogledd'' or "Old North" in what is now the counties of Westmorland, Cumberland and northern Lancashire in Northern England and the souther ...

?: ''Gwovan'?''; Scots: ''Gouan'';

Scottish Gaelic Scottish Gaelic ( gd, Gàidhlig ), also known as Scots Gaelic and Gaelic, is a Goidelic language (in the Celtic branch of the Indo-European language family) native to the Gaels of Scotland. As a Goidelic language, Scottish Gaelic, as well as ...

: ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'') is a district, parish, and former

burgh A burgh is an autonomous municipal corporation in Scotland and Northern England, usually a city, town, or toun in Scots. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burg ...

now part of south-west City of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated west of Glasgow city centre, on the south bank of the

River Clyde The River Clyde ( gd, Abhainn Chluaidh, , sco, Clyde Watter, or ) is a river that flows into the Firth of Clyde in Scotland. It is the ninth-longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third-longest in Scotland. It runs through the major cit ...

, opposite the mouth of the River Kelvin and the district of

Partick Partick ( sco, Pairtick, Scottish Gaelic: ''Partaig'') is an area of Glasgow on the north bank of the River Clyde, just across from Govan. To the west lies Whiteinch, to the east Yorkhill and Kelvingrove Park (across the River Kelvin), and to t ...

. Historically it was part of the

County of Lanark Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...

. In the early medieval period, the site of the present Govan Old churchyard was established as a Christian centre for the Brittonic Kingdom of Alt Clut (Dumbarton Rock) and its successor realm, the Kingdom of Strathclyde. This latter kingdom, established in the aftermath of the Viking siege and capture of Alt Clut by Vikings from Dublin in AD 870, created the sandstone sculptures known today as the Govan Stones. Govan was the site of a ford and later a ferry which linked the area with

for seasonal cattle drovers. In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries,

textile Textile is an umbrella term that includes various fiber-based materials, including fibers, yarns, filaments, threads, different fabric types, etc. At first, the word "textiles" only referred to woven fabrics. However, weaving is not the ...

mills and

coal mining Coal mining is the process of extracting coal from the ground. Coal is valued for its energy content and since the 1880s has been widely used to generate electricity. Steel and cement industries use coal as a fuel for extraction of iron from ...

were important; in the early-nineteenth century,

shipbuilding Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befor ...

emerged as Govan's principal industry. In 1864, Govan gained burgh status, and was the fifth-largest burgh in Scotland. It was incorporated into the City of Glasgow in 1912.

History

Early history

Recent studies of the

archaeology Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...

of Govan Old have revealed the presence of an ancient

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι ...

church. Two associated Christian burials are radiocarbon dated to the 5th or 6th centuries, making Govan the earliest known Christian site in the region. Govan is believed to have then been part of a kingdom ruled from Dumbarton Rock, known as ''Alt Clut'', the rock on the Clyde. During the

Viking Age The Viking Age () was the period during the Middle Ages when Norsemen known as Vikings undertook large-scale raiding, colonizing, conquest, and trading throughout Europe and reached North America. It followed the Migration Period and the Ger ...

, following the sack of Dumbarton Rock in 870, Govan is believed to have been one of the major centres of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. In 1855, an elaborately carved

sandstone Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized (0.0625 to 2 mm) silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar (both silicates) ...

sarcophagus A sarcophagus (plural sarcophagi or sarcophaguses) is a box-like funeral receptacle for a corpse, most commonly carved in stone, and usually displayed above ground, though it may also be buried. The word ''sarcophagus'' comes from the Greek ...

was found during digging in the churchyard. It is now kept inside the church, as part of the Govan Stones museum collection. It may have been used to contain the body or relics of St. Constantine, a Pictish king killed seemingly killed by Vikings in 876/7 - the style of carving indicates an origin in the late 9th or early 10th century. Govan's earliest recorded name may be found in the '' Historia regum Anglorum'' attributed to Symeon of Durham. This is a 12th-century

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

source, but one believed to be based on much earlier materials; it records a place near Dumbarton Rock named ''Ouania''. Based on this, Govan's Cumbric language name has been reconstructed as *''(G)uovan''. Govan is ''Baile a' Ghobhainn'' (the smith's town) in

. Bishop Leslie in his ''Scotia Descriptio'' of 1578 says it got its name from the excellence of its ale ''(God-win)'', whereas Chalmers in his ''Caledonia'' says it is derived from

, ''Gamhan'' (a ditch)."A History Of Glasgow & Govan (1883)", ''Ordnance Gazetteer Of Scotland'' The earliest references to Govan are found in connection with the Christian church. In 1136, when Glasgow Cathedral was formally consecrated,

King David I David I or Dauíd mac Maíl Choluim (Scottish Gaelic language, Modern: ''Daibhidh I mac haoilChaluim''; – 24 May 1153) was a 12th-century ruler who was David, Prince of the Cumbrians, Prince of the Cumbrians from 1113 to 1124 and later Ki ...

(1124–53) gave to the See the lands of Partick and also of the church at Govan (on opposite sides of the

), which became a

prebend A prebendary is a member of the Roman Catholic or Anglican clergy, a form of canon with a role in the administration of a cathedral or collegiate church. When attending services, prebendaries sit in particular seats, usually at the back of the ...

of Glasgow.

Govan Old Parish Church Govan Old Parish Church is the name of the original parish church serving Govan in Glasgow from the 5th or 6th century AD until 2007. In that year, the Church of Scotland united the two Govan congregations with Linthouse and established the paris ...

was rebuilt in 1762, 1826, and again 1884-1888. Within it and its roughly circular churchyard is one of the finest collections of Early Christian stones in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

, known as the Govan Stones, dating from the c.9th to 11th centuries. Not much is known about any medieval village that may have surrounded the church until 1454 when it is recorded that whole houses, barns and mills in the village were brought down by a great flood. By the 16th century, extensive coal mine workings had been developed around Craigton and

Drumoyne Drumoyne ( gd, Druim Uaine) is now a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde and is part of the former Burgh of Govan. It is the birthplace of Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United football ...

There is an oddity whereby part of eighteenth-century parish of Govan (which was in

Lanarkshire Lanarkshire, also called the County of Lanark ( gd, Siorrachd Lannraig; sco, Lanrikshire), is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the central Lowlands of Scotland. Lanarkshire is the most populous county in Scotlan ...

) is counted as being within Renfrewshire. There existed a hospital in the area, and as quasi-religious foundations were not taxed, it had never been assigned to a sheriffdom. Thus, when Renfrewshire was created out of a sheriffdom of Lanarkshire in the early fifteenth century, the lands associated with the hospital ( Polmadie) were not technically in the newly created shire, as they were not part of the sheriffdom. They were, however, very much a part of the physical landscape that became Renfrewshire. A similar uncertainty existed regarding the nearby lands of

Pollokshields Pollokshields ( gd, Buthan Phollaig, Scots: ''Powkshiels'') is an area in the Southside of Glasgow, Scotland. Its modern boundaries are largely man-made, being formed by the M77 motorway to the west and northwest with the open land of Pollok C ...

and Westends. People lived with the inconsistency in the records. When the railway was to be built in the late nineteenth century, however, the confusion over proper descriptions in the land titles made necessary legal transactions difficult and had to be reconciled. The county added to the description of these lands, the phrase: "but now by annexation in the County of Renfrew." Govan Glasgow 1904

By the early part of the 19th century, Govan was rapidly losing its rural appearance and assuming the character of a town with the development of new industries and factories, including Reid's Dye Works and Pollok's Silk Mill. Town officials arranged for the deepening of the Clyde in 1759, the reclamation of the channels between the islands (The Whyte Inch, The Black Inch, and The King's Inch), and the construction of quays and docks. This facilitated the development of shipbuilding as a major industry. By the 1860s, the village needed a higher order of administration and it was made a

in 1864, under the General Police (Scotland) Act 1862. At the time, it was the fifth largest burgh in Scotland and contained within its boundaries, the areas of

Plantation A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...

, Cessnock, Ibrox, Craigton and

. in 1901 the Burgh boundaries increased further west to include

Linthouse Linthouse is a neighbourhood in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated directly south of the River Clyde and lies immediately west of Govan, with other adjacent areas including Shieldhall and the Southern General Hospital to the west, a ...

and West

. With

Morris Pollok Morris may refer to: Places Australia *St Morris, South Australia, place in South Australia Canada * Morris Township, Ontario, now part of the municipality of Morris-Turnberry * Rural Municipality of Morris, Manitoba ** Morris, Manitob ...

as its first Provost, the Burgh and its Commissioners ensured that during the next 48 years Govan became a well-equipped, modern town. During the late 19th century, the population of Govan increased more than tenfold: from 9,000 in 1864 to 95,000 by 1907. In 1901 Govan was the 7th largest town in Scotland. In 1912, Glasgow annexed Govan after a series of annexation battles. A prominent feature of the Govan landscape was the Doomster or Moot Hill, which stood near the river, north of the present Govan Cross. It was removed in the early 19th century and Reid's Dyeworks was erected on the site. The origins of the Doomster Hill are a mystery. One hypothesis is that it was a prehistoric burial mound. In 1996, a team from

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

's ''

Time Team ''Time Team'' is a British television programme that originally aired on Channel 4 from 16 January 1994 to 7 September 2014. It returned online in 2022 for two episodes released on YouTube. Created by television producer Tim ...

'' programme carried out an archeological excavation at the site. They suggested that the hill may have been a 12th-century

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

motte.

20th century to the present

Traditionally viewed as a lower working-class area, Govan has typically supported the Labour Party, but the

Scottish National Party The Scottish National Party (SNP; sco, Scots National Pairty, gd, Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba ) is a Scottish nationalist and social democratic political party in Scotland. The SNP supports and campaigns for Scottish independence from ...

(SNP) has also been strong there. In 1973 SNP won a by-election with Margo MacDonald as their candidate. The SNP won another by-election victory in 1988, this time with Jim Sillars as candidate. The latest victory for the SNP was in the 2007 Scottish parliamentary elections, when

Nicola Sturgeon Nicola Ferguson Sturgeon (born 19 July 1970) is a Scottish politician serving as First Minister of Scotland and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) since 2014. She is the first woman to hold either position. She has been a member of ...

became the MSP for the constituency. The area has had a reputation for deprivation and poverty, partly due to the construction of housing estates in the 1930s to relieve the overcrowded

slum A slum is a highly populated urban residential area consisting of densely packed housing units of weak build quality and often associated with poverty. The infrastructure in slums is often deteriorated or incomplete, and they are primarily inh ...

district of The Gorbals, Glasgow. The most famous of these housing estates is Moorepark, sometimes referred to jocularly as "The Wine Alley" - this area was named by ''

The Independent ''The Independent'' is a British online newspaper. It was established in 1986 as a national morning printed paper. Nicknamed the ''Indy'', it began as a broadsheet and changed to tabloid format in 2003. The last printed edition was publis ...

'' newspaper in April 1994 as one of the worst areas in Britain, with drug abuse being a widespread problem and unemployment standing at nearly 30% (up to three times the national average at the time). It was parodied by the

BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board ex ...

sitcom ''

Rab C. Nesbitt ''Rab C. Nesbitt'' is a Scottish comedy series which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who seeks unemployment as a lifestyle choice. Rab C. Nesbitt was originally a recurring character i ...

''. Although Govan was the stated setting for the show, episodes were seldom filmed there. Despite these developments, there were numerous older buildings around Govan until quite recently, most notably the terraces and tenements situated around Govan Road. These were not cleared until well into the 1970s. However, there is the potential for tourism development, for example, the planned development of the Govan Old site, which hosts the historically significant stone carvings, has led to the development of the surrounding townscape and new infrastructure. Such developments benefit the aesthetic and connective appeal of the Govan area for future visitors.

Economy

Govan was at one point the centre of the world-renowned Clydeside shipbuilding industry. In 1841, Robert Napier began iron shipbuilding in Govan, and in 1843 produced its first ship, the ''Vanguard''. He also procured a contract with the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

to produce vessels, notably the '' Jackal'', the ''

Lizard Lizards are a widespread group of squamate reptiles, with over 7,000 species, ranging across all continents except Antarctica, as well as most oceanic island chains. The group is paraphyletic since it excludes the snakes and Amphisbaenia alt ...

'', and the '' Bloodhound''. He also allowed naval officers in training to visit the shipyard to familiarise themselves with the new vessels. Napier's Shipyard in Govan was later acquired by William Beardmore and Company in 1876 and incorporated into William Beardmore and Company in around 1900. Govan's other major shipbuilding firm was founded in the 1860s as: Randolph, Elder and Company, later becoming John Elder and Company. In 1885, the yard moved further west to its present site and was reorganised as the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Ltd. This company continued until 1965, when it filed for bankruptcy. The following year in 1966, the yard was again reorganised as Fairfields and guaranteed by the government in response. The following year, Fairfields and the other major Clydeside yards (Stephens, Connels, Yarrows and John Browns) were merged to form Upper Clyde Shipbuilders (UCS). In 1971, Upper Clyde Shipbuilders went into receivership and the Conservative government led by Edward Heath refused to give them a £6,000,000 loan. Rather than go on strike, which was the traditional form of industrial action, the union leadership of the yards decided to have a

work-in A work-in is a form of direct action under which workers whose jobs are under threat resolve to remain in their place of employment and to continue producing, without pay. Their intention is usually to show that their place of work still has long- ...

and complete the orders that the shipyards had in place. In this way they dispelled the idea of the workers being "work-shy" and also wanted to illustrate the long-term viability of the yards. Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company was renamed Govan Shipbuilders in 1973. In 1977, the Labour government of

James Callaghan Leonard James Callaghan, Baron Callaghan of Cardiff, ( ; 27 March 191226 March 2005), commonly known as Jim Callaghan, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1979 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1976 to 1980. Callaghan is ...

passed the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act which nationalised Govan and grouped it with other major British shipyards as

British Shipbuilders British Shipbuilders (BS) was a public corporation that owned and managed the shipbuilding industry in Great Britain from 1977 through the 1980s. Its head office was at Benton House in Newcastle upon Tyne, England. History The corporation was ...

. In May 1979, Margaret Thatcher was elected

Prime Minister A prime minister, premier or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. Under those systems, a prime minister is not ...

and her ministry soon began its privatisation programme. British Aerospace, established by the same act, was privatised in 1981. British Shipbuilders road to privatisation was not as swift, and the group was sold piece by piece throughout the course of the 1980s.

Kværner Kværner was a Norwegian engineering and construction services company that existed between 1853 and 2005. In 2004, it was amalgamated to the newly formed subsidiary of Aker ASA - Aker Kværner, which was renamed Aker Solutions on 3 April 2008 ...

of Norway, as part of a planned development of a large international shipbuilding group, took over Govan. British Shipbuilders' sale of Govan to the Norwegian firm was completed in 1988, and the yard was renamed Kvaerner Govan.Birkler
p. 14.
/ref> In 1999, GEC's Marconi Marine division purchased the yard when Kværner announced its departure from the shipbuilding industry. GEC's Marconi Marine division already owned YSL (purchased in 1985) and VSEL (purchased in 1995).

Marconi Electronic Systems Marconi Electronic Systems (MES), or GEC-Marconi as it was until 1998, was the defence arm of General Electric Company (GEC). It was demerged from GEC and bought by British Aerospace (BAe) on 30 November 1999 to form BAE Systems. GEC then renam ...

and its Marconi Marine unit were sold to

British Aerospace British Aerospace plc (BAe) was a British aircraft, munitions and defence-systems manufacturer. Its head office was at Warwick House in the Farnborough Aerospace Centre in Farnborough, Hampshire. Formed in 1977, in 1999 it purchased Marconi ...

in 1999 to form

BAE Systems BAE Systems plc (BAE) is a British multinational arms, security, and aerospace company based in London, England. It is the largest defence contractor in Europe, and ranked the seventh-largest in the world based on applicable 2021 revenues. ...

. The shipbuilding operations became BAE Systems Marine, which subsequently became part of

BVT Surface Fleet BVT may refer to: * The Bobby Van Trust, a group of charities that improve home security in the UK * BVT Surface Fleet, former name of BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships, British naval shipbuilding company * Bandwidth-variable transponder, a type ...

, a naval shipbuilding joint venture between

and VT Group, which became BAE Systems Surface Ships in 2009. Alexander Stephen and Sons also established a shipyard in nearby

in 1870. The yard eventually closed in the wake of the collapse of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders consortium in 1971.

Ships built at Govan

* PS Vanguard (1843) *

PS Scotia (1861) PS ''Scotia'' was a steam paddle passenger vessel that ran between England and Ireland from 1847 to 1861, and then became an American Civil War blockade runner. History She was built by Money Wigram & Sons at Blackwall Yard, London in 1847 for ...

* HMS ''Northampton'' (1876) * HMS ''Nelson'' (1876) * HMS ''Curacoa'' (1878) * SS ''Arizona'' (1879)Johnston, Ian. "Govan Shipyard" i
''Ships Monthly.''
June 1985. * ''Ibis'' (1886)Clydebuilt Database - Shipping Times, Stuart Cameron * ''Akasha'' (1886) * ''Livadia'' (1880) *''Victoria'' (1886) * RMS ''Campania'' (1891) * RMS ''Lucania'' (1893) * HMS ''Venus'' (1895) * HMS ''Diana'' (1895) * HMS ''Highflyer'' (1898) * HMS ''Hermes'' (1898) * HMS ''Cressy'' (1899) * HMS ''Aboukir'' (1900) * HMS ''Good Hope'' (1901) * HMS ''Bedford'' (1901) * SS ''Armadale Castle'' (1903) *RMS ''Port Kingston'' (1904) renamed RMS ''Tahiti'' * HMS ''Cochrane'' (1905) * HMS ''Commonwealth'' (1905) * RMS ''Empress of Britain'' (1906) * RMS ''Empress of Ireland'' (1906) * * HMS ''Indomitable'' (1907) * SS ''Balmoral Castle'' (1910) * HMS ''New Zealand'' (1911) * HMAS ''Sydney'' (1912) * RMS ''Empress of Russia'' (1913) * RMS ''Empress of Asia'' (1913) * SS ''Calgarian'' (1913) * HMS ''Valiant'' (1914) * HMS ''Renown'' (1916) * RMS ''Empress of Canada'' (1922) * SS ''Athenia'' (1922) * ''Aorangi'' (1922) * TSS ''Tuscania'' (1923) * SS ''Letitia'' (1924) * MV ''Speybank'' (1926) * HMS ''Berwick'' (1926) * HMS ''Norfolk'' (1928) * RMS ''Empress of Japan'' (1930) * HMS ''Delight'' (1932) * HMS ''Woolwich'' (1934) * HMS ''Liverpool'' (1937) * HMS ''Phoebe'' (1937) * HMS ''Howe'' (1940) * HMS ''Bellona'' (1942) * HMS ''Implacable'' (1942) * HMS ''Theseus'' (1944) * HMS ''Chichester'' * HMS ''Blake'' (1945) * SS ''Karanja'' (1948) * TS ''Oxfordshire'' (1955) * TS/SS ''Empress of Britain'' (1956) * TS ''Leecliffe Hall'' (1961) * HMS ''Fife'' (1964) * HMS ''Antrim'' (1967) * USNS ''Harkness'' (1968) * ''Jervis Bay'' (1969) *''Pacifique'' (1969) * USNS ''Chauvenet'' (1970) * ''Pacific Peace'' (1981) * MV ''Selkirk Settler'' (1983) * MV ''Saskatchewan Pioneer'' (1983) * ''St. Lawrence Seaway'' (1983) * ''Sir Charles Parsons'' (1985) * MV ''Norsea'' (1986) * MV ''Havis'' (1992) * ''Sea Launch Commander'' (1996) * RFA ''Wave Ruler'' (2003) * RFA ''Mounts Bay'' (2004) * HMS ''Daring'' (2006) * HMS ''Dauntless'' (2007) * HMS ''Diamond'' (2007) * HMS ''Dragon'' (2008) * HMS ''Defender'' (2009). * HMS ''Duncan'' (2010) A list of almost 3000 ships built at Govan has been collected in the "Clydebuilt Database". The ships were built by the following companies: Robert Napier & Company, Randolph Elder & Company, Dobbie Hedderwick & Co., Dobie & Company, Mackie & Thomson, Smith & Rodgers, London & Glasgow Engineering and Iron Shipbuilding Co. Ltd., William Beardmore & Company, John Elder & Company, Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng. Co. Ltd., Alexander Stephens & Sons, J & G Thomson, Harland & Wolff and more.

Transport

Govan is served by Govan Subway Station,

Ibrox Subway Station Ibrox subway station is a station serving the Ibrox area of Glasgow, Scotland. The station was known as Copland Road until 1977. The station's surface buildings were replaced during the Subway's modernisation programme, with the main entrance s ...

and

Cessnock Subway Station , style = Glasgow Subway , image = Cessnock subway station (11122768616).jpg , image_caption = , address = Cessnock, Glasgow , country = Scotland , coordinates = , eleva ...

on the

Glasgow subway The Glasgow Subway is an underground light metro system in Glasgow, Scotland. Opened on 14 December 1896, it is the fourth-oldest underground rail transit system in Europe after the London Underground, Liverpool's Mersey Railway and the Budapes ...

system.

Govan railway station Govan railway station was a railway station in Govan, a district of Glasgow, Scotland. The station was originally part of an extension to the Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway The Glasgow and Paisley Joint Railway was the section of railwa ...

opened on 2 December 1868. It closed permanently to regular passenger services on 9 May 1921. Regular bus services, mainly operated by

McGill's Bus Services McGill's Bus Services is a bus operator based in Greenock, Scotland.First Glasgow First Glasgow is the largest bus company serving the Greater Glasgow area in Scotland. It is a subsidiary of FirstGroup. The company operates within the area covered by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, a public body responsible for h ...

, offer frequent routes to Glasgow City Centre, as well as to numerous locations in Renfrewshire.

Sports

Govan borders the district of Ibrox, home to the Scottish football club Rangers F.C. who traditionally incorporate the red and black civic colours in the socks of their kit; their

Ibrox Stadium Ibrox Stadium is a football stadium on the south side of the River Clyde in the Ibrox area of Glasgow, Scotland. The home of Rangers Football Club, Ibrox is the third largest football stadium in Scotland, with an all-seated capacity of . O ...

has a stand named for Govan (the closest to the heart of the burgh), although officially this was re-named after their former player Sandy Jardine in 2014. Govan is home to the Scottish Junior football team

Benburb F.C. Benburb Football Club is a Scottish football club, based in Govan, Glasgow. Formed in 1885, the club is a member of the Scottish Junior Football Association and currently competes in the West of Scotland Football League. Benburb's colours are ...

who until March 2014 played at Tinto Park (

) then moved to the adjacent New Tinto Park. They share a rivalry with

St Anthony's F.C. St Anthony's Football Club is a Scottish non-league football club based in Glasgow. Nicknamed ''the Ants'', they play in green-and-white hooped kits and currently operate in the . History Founded in 1902, they were members of the Scottish Jun ...

who originated from the Helen Street area of Govan, but are now based further west at Shieldhall.

and

Parkgrove Parkgrove is a suburb of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. Approximately 4 miles north-west of Edinburgh city centre. The suburb is located between the neighbouring areas of Clermiston, Barnton and Davidson's Mains Davidson's Mains is a ...

were 19th century senior sides, who fell into decline and are now defunct. There were two other sporting venues for local residents and workers located in the south of Govan (with no space available in the industrial northern area at the Clyde):

White City Stadium White City Stadium was a stadium located in White City, London, England. Built for the 1908 Summer Olympics, it hosted the finish of the first modern marathon and other sports like swimming, speedway, boxing, show jumping, athletics, stock car ...

and

Albion Greyhound Stadium The Albion Greyhound Stadium was a greyhound racing stadium in Glasgow. Origins Albion in Glasgow opened on 21 April 1928 on the Broomloan Road and was described as good size track with a circumference of 457 yards. The first hare installed ...

, both now entirely demolished.

Media

Govan is served by community radio station Sunny Govan, broadcasting on 103.5FM to the city of Glasgow and surrounding districts, discussing local issues and providing advice, and with diverse musical output covering soul, hip-hop and reggae. Govan has had several local newspapers over the years such as the Govan Chronicle and ''Govan Press'' published by the Cossar Family (1851-1983) and by John Maclean (2006–2014) which also served the communities of Kinning Park, Cardonald,

Penilee Penilee is a small housing scheme and suburb on the southwestern edge of Glasgow, Scotland. The area is bounded to its east by the Glasgow suburbs of Cardonald and Hillington, and to the west by the Renfrewshire border and the farms of North a ...

and Hillington, and the ''Govan Post'' (1983–1988) published by Cook, Paton & Co. of Paisley, now part of Dunfermline Press.

Religion

Church of Scotland

The church of Govan was a prebend of Glasgow. It was dedicated to St Constantine, who had been buried at Govan. On 13 July 1577, the teinds of Govan were granted to the University of Glasgow, and the Principal of the University ex officio was appointed minister of the parish. This settlement was set aside on 20 December 1621, and only the patronage of Govan was left to the University. There was a chapel in the parish at Partick. Govan Church was rebuilt in 1762, and again in 1826. A later rebuilding was begun in 1884 and was opened 19 May 1888.

List of Provosts of Govan

*1864-1867 Morris Pollok *1867-1869 William Cruickshank *1869-1872 Thomas Reid *1872-1880 James Wilson *1880-1883 John Thompson *1883-1886 Alexander Campbell *1886-1889 George Ferguson *1889-1892 Neil McLean *1892-1901 James Kirkwood *1901-1904 John Marr *1904-1908

Sir John Anthony Sir John Anthony JP (1862–1935) was a late 19th and early 20th century Scottish businessman who served as Provost (civil), Provost of Govan from 1903 to 1906. He was actively involved in the Temperance movement. He was Chairman of the Sco ...

*1908-1912 David McKechnie

Popular culture

* Scottish TV sitcom ''

Rab C Nesbitt ''Rab C. Nesbitt'' is a Scottish comedy series which began in 1988. Produced by BBC Scotland, it stars Gregor Fisher as an alcoholic Glaswegian who seeks unemployment as a lifestyle choice. Rab C. Nesbitt was originally a recurring character i ...

'' is set in Govan; although the series is mostly filmed elsewhere. * Channel 4's

filmed a Series 4 episode in Govan, where they excavated the Churchyard at Govan Old, home of the Govan Stones, and a local carpark to the immediate east of Water Row.

Notable people

* Mary Barbour, resident in Govan while helping to organise the Glasgow Rent Strikes *

Isabella Elder Isabella Ure Elder (15 March 1828 – 18 November 1905) was a Scottish philanthropist who took a particular interest in education, especially of women, and in the welfare of the people of Govan in Glasgow. In Govan alone, Elder was responsi ...

, philanthropist who gifted

Elder Park Elder Park is a public open space in the city of Adelaide, South Australia on the southern bank of the River Torrens and that is bordered by the Adelaide Festival Centre and North Terrace. The park is named after the Elder family who wer ...

and to the people of Govan, as well as many other projects. *

Hugh Binning Hugh Binning (1627–1653) was a Scotland, Scottish philosopher and Theology, theologian. He was born in Scotland during the reign of Charles I of England, Charles I and was ordained in the (Presbyterian) Church of Scotland. He died in 1653, du ...

child genius, professor of philosophy and minister of Govan *

Leo Blair (senior) Leo Charles Lynton Blair (born Charles Leonard Augustus Parsons; 4 August 192316 November 2012) was a British barrister and law lecturer at Durham University. He was the author of the book ''The Commonwealth Public Service''. He was the fathe ...

, father of former Prime Minister

Tony Blair Sir Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is a British former politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1997 to 2007 and Leader of the Labour Party from 1994 to 2007. He previously served as Leader of th ...

and high court judge Sir William Blair, raised on Golspie Street * Ivor Cutler avant garde performer *

Sir Alex Ferguson Sir Alexander Chapman Ferguson (born 31 December 1941) is a Scottish former football manager and player, best known for managing Manchester United from 1986 to 2013. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest football managers of all time ...

, football manager and

player Player may refer to: Role or adjective * Player (game), a participant in a game or sport ** Gamer, a player in video and tabletop games ** Athlete, a player in sports ** Player character, a character in a video game or role playing game who is ...

widely known for managing

Manchester United Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of City of Salford, Salford to ...

from 1986 to 2013 (won more trophies than any other manager, considered one of the greatest of all time) *

James Hedderwick James Hedderwick LLD (1814–1897) was a Scottish poet, journalist and newspaper proprietor. He founded the famous Glasgow newspaper, the ''Evening Citizen''. Life He was born on 18 January 1814 in Govan just west of Glasgow, the third son of J ...

, poet and newspaper proprietor, born and raised in Govan. * Jimmy Speirs, footballer (scored the winning goal in the 1911 FA Cup Final, received the Military Medal during the First World War) * James Kelman, writer *

George MacLeod George Fielden MacLeod, Baron MacLeod of Fuinary, (17 June 1895 – 27 June 1991) was a Scottish soldier and clergyman; he was one of the best known, most influential and unconventional Church of Scotland ministers of the 20th century. He ...

, minister of the

Church of Scotland The Church of Scotland ( sco, The Kirk o Scotland; gd, Eaglais na h-Alba) is the national church in Scotland. The Church of Scotland was principally shaped by John Knox, in the Scottish Reformation, Reformation of 1560, when it split from t ...

(founded the Iona Community, whose offices are still based in Govan) *

David Meiklejohn David Ditchburn Meiklejohn (; 12 December 1900 – 22 August 1959) was a Scottish professional footballer, who played for Rangers and Scotland during the 1920s and 1930s. He later managed Partick Thistle for 12 years. Career Born in Govan, Gla ...

, Rangers and Scotland footballer * Andrew Melville minister of Govan, reformer and scholar at Glasgow and St Andrews (exiled) *

Belle Moore Isabella "Belle" Mary Moore (23 October 1894 – 7 March 1975), later known by her married name Belle Cameron, was a Scottish competitive swimmer who represented Great Britain in the Olympics. At the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm, Swede ...

, Olympic Gold Medalist *

Thomas Ashburton Picken Thomas Ashburton Picken (c. 1818 – 23 January 1891), known professionally as T. Picken, was a Scottish-born watercolourist, engraver and lithographer working in England between around 1834 and 1875. He worked for the printing firm Day and ...

, lithographer * Johnny Quigley, footballer * Jimmy Reid, trade unionist *

Iain Robertson Iain Robertson (born 27 May 1981) is a BAFTA award winning Scottish actor. He portrayed Lex in cult Glasgow gang film, ''Small Faces'', though Robertson is also known for his work in the long-running children's drama, ''Grange Hill'' and '' T ...

, actor"Iain Robertson"
, Sunny Govan *

Chick Young Charles "Chick" Young (born 4 May 1951) is a professional association football pundit who regularly appears for BBC Scotland on ''Sportscene'' and ''Sportsound''. He is known for his trademark laugh and speech patterns, which have made him a po ...

, football pundit * Johnny Beattie, actor and stand-up comedian * Bill Martin, songwriter, music publisher and impresario * Dame

Elish Angiolini Lady Elish Frances Angiolini (''née'' McPhilomy; born 24 June 1960"Angiolini, Elish Frances" in ''Who's Who'', A & C Black.) is a Scottish lawyer. She was the Lord Advocate of Scotland from 2006 until 2011, having previously been Solicitor Ge ...

, Lord Advocate of Scotland and former Solicitor General for Scotland, brought up in Govan * Peter Barr, nurseryman and merchant better known as "The Daffodil King" * Jim Craig, Celtic player and Lisbon Lion *

George Rossi George Rossi (28 September 1961 – 5 January 2022) was a Scottish actor, best known for playing Duncan Lennox in ''The Bill'' from 1998 to 2003. Early life and education Rossi was born in Govan, Glasgow, on 28 September 1961. He was of Itali ...

, Scottish actor

Notes

References

External links

Govan Community Council

Get into Govan Govan, the Place and the People

Fairfield Heritage

Govan Maps 1857-1934, National Library of Scotland
{{authority control Areas of Glasgow Ports and harbours of Scotland Civil parishes of Scotland Burghs