CAMBUSLANG

'Cambuslang' (Scottish Gaelic: '''Camas Long''' from ''camas'' - river bend, ''long'' - ship) is a suburban town on the south-eastern outskirts of Glasgow, Scotland located within the local authority area of South Lanarkshire. It is known as "the largest village in Scotland", with a population of around 24,500. The town is located just south of the River Clyde - about 6 miles south-east of the centre of Glasgow. It has a long history of coal mining, iron and steel making and ancillary engineering works, most recently Hoover. Small manufacturing businesses continue but most employment comes from the distribution or service industries.

Contents

Location

Education

Schools

Colleges

History

History

Buildings

Cambuslang Railway Station

Politics

Westminster

Holyrood

South Lanarkshire Council

Famous residents or connections

Bibliography

External links

Location

Cambuslang is located on a lengthy bend on the River Clyde, south-east of Glasgow. The town is accessible from the nearby M74; the nearby A724 links to Glasgow city centre and Hamilton; the town is also accessible by car from East Kilbride by the A725, A749 and then the B759. The town's railway station, Cambuslang, lies on the Argyle Line between North Glasgow and Lanark.

Education

There is a range of schooling in Cambuslang, together with a College of Further Education with links to the University of Paisley

Schools

Primary Schools in Cambuslang include- West Coats Primary School, James Aiton Primary School and St Brides Primary School. Secondary schools in Cambuslang include- Cathkin High School and Trinity High School. There is also Uddingston Grammar School only one train stop down on the Motherwell via Bellshill line.

Colleges

'Cambuslang College of the Building Trades', was a specialist college established in the mid-20th Century but it gradually expanded the trades and academic subjects taught. It became 'Cambuslang College of Further Education' in the 1960s. It gradually expanded its provision at its East Kilbride Campus, but retained a substantial annex on Hamilton Road. It renamed itself 'South Lanarkshire College' in 2000 .
'South Lanarkshire College' has links with Bell College , a degree-awarding Higher Education Institution, three miles away in Hamilton, so that local students can progress through HNCs and HNDs to degrees.

History

There has been a Parish school in Cambuslang at least since the Reformation, and probably before that. The schoolteacher was appointed and paid by the Heritors, though he also charged fees. Free Primary Education came with the Education (Scotland) Act (1871), though there had always been charitable provision.
The original 'Cambuslang Public School' can be seen on Greenlees Road, where it is now ''Greenlees Care Home''. It had been for some time the Cambuslang College of the Building Trades, which became part of Cambuslang College (now 'South Lanarkshire College'). An even earlier school is now a Gospel Hall in Bushiehill Street. The 'Cambuslang Subscription School' of 1848 provided basic education to the children of miners and weavers in return for a few coppers. It was attractive to those who did not like the influence of the gentry and the Minister on the Parish School.

History

Cambuslang is an ancient part of Scotland where Iron Age remains loom over 21st century housing developments. The History of Cambuslang mirrors and gives life to the general History of Scotland. The Geography of Cambuslang explains a great deal of its history. It has been very prosperous over time, depending first upon its agricultural land, (supplying food, then wool, then linen ) then the mineral resources under its soil (limestone and coal, and, to some extent, iron. These were jealously guarded by, first of all, the Medieval Church, then the local aristocracy, particularly the Dukes of Hamilton. Because of its relative prosperity, Cambuslang has been intimately concerned in the politics of the country (through the Hamilton connection) and of the Church - including the Medieval Church, - (Cardinal Beaton and Bishop John Cameron , the Scottish King's first minister were both Rectors of Cambuslang) - the Reformation, the Glorious Revolution, the extraordinary religious movements of the 18th century, including the 'Cambuslang Wark', the Scottish Enlightenment, and the split in the church during the 19th century.
The manufacturing industries that grew up from them attracted immigrants from all over Scotland and from the rest of the United Kingdom, which included at that time Ireland. It benefited at all times from its closeness to the burgeoning city of Glasgow, brought closer first of all, in the 18th century, by a Turnpike Road then, in the 19th century, by a railway, which opened up wider markets in Britain and beyond to the British Empire, Europe and the rest of the world. In the 21st century, it continues to derive benefit from its closeness to Glasgow and to wider communication networks, particularly through access via the M-74 to the motorway system.
Its increasing (and increasingly diverse) population posed problems, over the centuries, of employment and housing as well as of schooling and health, not all of which have been solved. In this regard, it is fairly typical of most British towns. Cambuslang F.C. were founder members of the Scottish Football League, who's most notable achievement was being the runners-up of the Scottish Cup in 1888. They folded unfortunately, but a new team Cambuslang Rangers F.C. were established.

Buildings

Cambuslang has an interesting range of Churches, Public Buildings, Schools, Industrial and Commercial buildings (see Buildings of Cambuslang). Its domestic buildings range from 19th century mansions, villas and tenements to modern flats and detached houses, along with sheltered and nursing homes.

Cambuslang Railway Station

Main articles: Cambuslang railway station
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Politics

Westminster

Cambuslang is in the Rutherglen and Hamilton West Constituency for elections to the House of Commons at Westminster.
''Tommy McAvoy'' retained the seat for the Labour Party. He has been a Government Whip since 1997.

Holyrood

Cambuslang is in the Glasgow Rutherglen Constituency for the Scottish Parliament at Holyrood. In June 2003, 49,512 electors were eligible to vote. The turnout was 23,560 (47.6%).
''Janis Hughes'' retained the seat for Labour with 10794 votes, a majority of 6303 (26.8%).

South Lanarkshire Council

The councilors elected for Cambuslang Wards in the 2003 local elections were

★ Ward 63 Cambuslang Central ''Bob Rooney'' (Labour)

★ Ward 64 Cathkin/Springhall ''Russell Clearie'' (Labour)

★ Ward 65 Fernhill ''Patricia Osbourne'' (Labour)

★ Ward 66 Kirkhill/Whitlawburn ''David Baillie'' (Liberal Democrat)

★ Ward 67 Eastfield ''JohnMcGuinness'' (Labour)

Famous residents or connections

People who have either been attracted to Cambuslang, or who have gone out from there to make a mark on the world are a saint, a king, a queen, a cardinal, a bishop, a lord, a famous manufacturer, a garden designer, at least three significant clergyman, a famous retailer, a miners' leader, a leader of the RAF, a physicist, several poets, at least one writer and two historians, a pop singer and a boxer

★ Cadoc (c 497 - c 570)
'St Cadoc' (or "''Cadow''" or "''Cattwg''") reputedly founded a monastery on the site of the present ''Old Parish Church'' in the later sixth century. He is the patron saint of 'Cambuslang', where there is a modern Primary School named after him. His feast day is the 25th of September. In medieval times, ''Cadoc'' was called on for help by (among others) deaf people and those suffering from cramp.
He was a British saint - previously, a Prince of Glamorgan - who brought succour to the native Christians against the invading Saxons. 'Cambuslang' is at the northernmost reach of the Welsh speaking Britons, so he may well have visited here in his wanderings, or in an effort to secure help against the Saxons. He had travelled to Ireland,to Brittany (to visit the Welsh speaking monks there), Rome (the centre of Western Christianity) and Jerusalem (from where he brought back two alter stones that had touched the Holy Sepulchre. The Europe he walked through was being battered by the barbarian invasions, so it is not improbable that he managed to reach 'Cambuslang'. However, as no mention is made in the legends of an expedition this far north, it might have been a disciple, or a pilgrim returning from Glamorgan, with a relic, who established the church at 'Cambuslang'.
Cadoc was cut down while serving Mass by a Saxon raiding party at "''Benevenna''", most probably near Weedon in Northamptonshire.
St Cadoc was prestigious enough in his lifetime for local chiefs in to have recourse to him to settle disputes. This reputation lasted well into the Middle Ages, where solemn bonds and oaths were sworn over his (or his followers') remains. Just before the Reformation, a wealthy Cambuslang notable expressed in his will a desire to be interred "''with the ashes of St Cadoc''", in the Parish Kirk.

★ King Arthur
There is some evidence from Welsh Chroniclers - using place name analysis - that the British King Arthur was a prince of the northern Welsh-speakers of Strathclyde and that he fought his last battle against the invading Saxons at Cambuslang.

★ Mary, Queen of Scots (1542 - 1587)
'Mary' is reputed to have crossed the Clyde at the "fliers ford" as she fled to England from the Battle of Langside , (1567). The ford is situated where the Kirkburn enters the river, below the bridge near the supermarket.

★ David Beaton (1494 - 1546)
'Cardinal David Beaton' was Rector of Cambuslang from 1520. (see above). He was appointed to this post by his Uncle, James Beaton, the Archbishop of Glasgow, and was a prebendary , which means he lived off the tithes and never lived there, leaving the work of a parish priest to a Vicar.

★ William Hamilton (1665 to 1751)
'Lt William Hamilton' wrote a metrical abridgement, in 18th century Scots, of Blind Harry 's life of Sir William Wallace, lived in Westburn and Gilbertfield – whose 17th century castle remains, though in ruins. He corresponded with Allan Ramsay and his poetry was praised in an epistle by Robert Burns - where he referred to him as "Gilbertfield".

★ Claudius Buchanan (1766 - 1815)
'Claudius Buchanan' was born in Cambuslang to the schoolmaster. His maternal grandfather had been converted at the Cambuslang Wark. He died in Hertfordshire in 1815. His studies at Cambridge were supported by John Newton , the anti-slavery campaigner. His books and publications seeking to strengthen the Christian presence in India resulted in the setting up of an educational and ecclessiastical structure. Jane Austen , in one of her letters, professed to have loved these books. He was honoured for his missionary work by Glasgow and Oxford Universities and he seems to have made enough money in India to fund several prizes to promote missionary activity back home.

★ David Dale (1739 - 1806)
'David Dale' was a Scottish industrialist and philanthropist. His efforts to establish a cotton-spinning factory at Flemington failed but was very successful as co-founder of the New Lanark Mills in 1786. Dale owned the estate of Rosebank in Cambuslang, which he used as a summer retreat from his townhouse (reputedly still standing) in Charlotte Street Glasgow and to where he retired and lived until his death. The estate was sold after his death to the Caledonian Railway Company, which divided it in two (to accommodate the new railway). The half to the north of the railway line (which included Rosebank House) eventually became Rosebank Industrial Estate (including the Rosebank Dyeworks. The southern half was sold to 'Thomas Gray Buchanan', a Glasgow merchant, related to the Buchanan who established Buchanan Street in Glasgow, who established a country retreat at Wellshott House (still standing) but his son Michael sold off the lands to build suburban villas in the 1860s'.

★ John Claudius Loudon (1783 - 1843)
'Loudon' was a famous gardener (or rather "''horticultural writer, dendrologist and designer''") was born in Cambuslang to a respectable farming family. He wrote the ''Encyclopaedia of Gardening'' 1822 , invented a flexibible iron-bar sash which made possible such monumental greenhouses as the ''Palm House at Kew Gardens'' and ''the Crystal Palace''. He also laid down the prototypical semi-detached house (in Porchester Terrace, London), to satisfy the needs of the emergent (and aspirant) middle classes.

★ Thomas Lipton (1850 - 1931)
'Sir Thomas Lipton' was of tea fame and lived in the Johnstone Villa (named after his mother's family) in Cambuslang and one of the (detached) villas in Wellshot – now the North Street Health Centre – was occupied by an aunt. He often drove in style in a carriage-and-four to Glasgow.

★ David Forbes Martyn (1906 - 1970)
'Dr David Forbes Martyn' was born in Cambuslang on 22 June 1906, the son of a local doctor. He was educated at Alan Glen's School then the Royal College of Science, London. (Bsc in 1926; PhD in 1929; and DSc in 19360.He was a physicist and radiographer who moved to Australia in 1927 to take up one of the first posts in radio research there. He contributed to the development of coastal and air defence RADAR for Australia during World War II. He was elected FRS of London in 1950.

★ John B Wallace (1907 - )
'Air Vice-Marshal John B Wallace' came from Cambuslang. He was Deputy Director-General of Medical Services, Royal Air Force from 1961 to 1966.

★ Robin Jenkins(1912 - 2005)
'Robin Jenkins' most famous novel is the ''Cone Gatherers'', much studied in Scottish schools.

★ Mick McGahey, (1925 - 1999)
Mick McGahey was a Scottish Miners leader who had worked in the mines of Cambuslang. There is a significant memorial (in the form of mine workings) to him at the east end of Main Street.

★ Duncan Glen, (1933 - )
'Duncan Munro Glen', as well as being a prolific poet and historian, is ''Emeritus Professor of Visual Communication'' at Nottingham Trent University. Through his editorship of the magazine ''Arkos'', he has been a vigorous promoter of Scots literature, becoming a friend and early champion of, among others, Hugh MacDiarmid and Ian Hamilton Finlay. He was born and brought up in Westburn, Cambuslang. Among his 150-odd publications he has produced the definitive modern history of Cambuslang, along with a collection of Cambuslang poets. His own poetry deals with friends and fellow poets, relatives, Scots history and the history and landscape of Cambuslang. His poetry has been translated into Italian. He was recently awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws by the University of Paisley.

★ John Fallon (1940 - )
John Fallon was goalkeeper for Glasgow Celtic and one of the Lisbon Lions .

★ Mike Watson (1949 - )
'Lord Watson' was a Labour life peer, Lord Watson of Invergowrie – who was given a 16 month prison sentence in 2005 for wilful fire-raising. Though born in Cambuslang in 1949, Watson moved early to Invergowrie near Dundee.

★ Midge Ure (1953 - )
'James "''Midge''" Ure' is a pop-singer, formerly performing with Slik and Ultravox and a leading campaigner against world hunger - including Band Aid and Live 8. He was born James Ure in Cambuslang on 10 October 1953 and was awarded the Honorary degree of Doctor of Letters at Dundee Abertay University in October 2005.

★ Scott Harrison (1977 - )
'Scott Harrison' is the World Boxing Organisation, (WBO), featherweight champion for 2002 was born in Bellshill on the 19th of August 1977 and brought up in Cambuslang.

★ John Sands (1989 - )
"John sands, born July 17th 1989, shot to fame with his television show- cooking with sands. Along side his partner Hannah semple the pairs unique blend of humour, food and abuse was a recepie for success. The pair were both born and raised in Cambuslang, and still live there.
=References=

★ ''See'' Cambuslang main article

Bibliography

★ Glen, Duncan ''A nation in a parish: A new historical prospect of Scotland from the parish of Cambuslang'' AKROS Publications Kirkcaldy (1995) ISBN 0-86142-120-5

★ Glen, Duncan Munro ''New History of Cambuslang'' AKROS Publications Kirkcaldy (1998) ISBN 0-86142-098-5

★ Groome, Francis H. (1903). ''Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Survey of Scottish Topography, Statistical, Biographical and Historical'', ISBN 1-85506-572-X.

★ Magnusson, Magnus (1990). ''Chambers Biographical Dictionary'' W & R Chambers Ltd ISBN 0-550-16040-X

★ Williamson, Elizabeth; Riches, Anne; Higgs, Malcolm (1990). ''The Buildings of Scotland - Glasgow''. Penguin Books. ISBN 0-300-09674-7.

★ Wilson, James Alexander OBE, MD ''A History of Cambuslang: a clydesdale parish''. Jackson Wylie & Co Glasgow (1929)

External links

★ [1] Views of Old Cambuslang

★ [2] Historical perspective for Cambuslang, from the Gazetteer for Scotland

★ [3] History of Clydebridge Steelworks and Clyde Iron Works

★ [4] The Statistical Accounts of Scotland

★ [5] for an extract on Cambuslang from ''Rambles Round Glasgow'' by Hugh MacLelland

★ [6] for an account of Claudius Buchanan

★ [7] for pictures and histories of Wellshott House, Rosebank House and other country houses round Glasgow.

★ [8] for Jane Austen's letter mentioning Buchanan

★ [9] Ronhill Cambuslang Harriers are Scotland's top road running and cross country club.