Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust welcomes all media enquiries about our work. Please contact us at any time more information on the project or any of the stories featured here. Email press@mbht.org.uk or phone 0845 860 1878.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 2:53PM BBC News Website Picture Gallery: Stained glass windows return to Maryhill
Evening Times: Opening Windows on the Past
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/features/editor-s-picks/opening-windows-on-past-1.1148999
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 11:24AM Historic Stained Glass back in the Burgh Hall for first time in nearly 50 years!
When Maryhill Burgh Hall first opened in April 1878, pride of place up in the main hall were twenty stained glass windows showing the trades and industries of the area.
Some of the finest pieces of non-religious stained glass in Scotland, they were taken out of the building for safekeeping in 1963.
Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust has been working closely with Glasgow Museums to allow a number of the original panels to be seen again in the building they were designed for - and now, at long last, they are back!
10 original panels back in place in the Main Hall
Gordon Barr, Heritage Development Officer for the Trust, said: “It’s a dream come true to finally get to see these stunning windows where they belong - back in Maryhill and back in the Burgh Halls.
They are full of hidden details and stories - parcels addressed to Paisley, Newcastle and London sit on the platform in the Railway Workers; the Soldiers panel shows two guardsmen about to go to the Barracks Canteen; and the Canal Boatman even has a patch sewn in his trouser leg at the knee (you can even see the stitches!). As we gear up to fully re-opening the Halls, having the stained glass back in place is the perfect icing on the cake!”
Marie Stumpff, Senior Conservator for Glasgow Museums said:
“The restoration of the Maryhill Burgh Halls has provided the funding and opportunity to conserve and restore the 20 stained glass panels by Stephen Adam which depict the trades of Maryhill. This work was carried out by Scottish Glass Studios, and we are delighted with the outcome. It was a fantastic project to be involved in, giving us the opportunity to study the panels closely and find out more about their history."
"One of the panels, the Canal Boatman, which can now be seen close up in the foyer of the Halls, has been given special attention. Like all of the panels in the series, it had suffered significant paint loss. This is not an uncommon problem with stained glass of that period. Conservators were able to bring back some of the details by plating the original glass with very thin clear glass, which has been painted to enhance the original drawing. This reversible technique has re-instated lost detail and improved the readability as well as the aesthetic appearance of the picture.”
Canal Boatman panel on display in the foyer
• Why are the windows important ?
The windows are not just important pieces of art history, but also social, industrial, and fashion history as well.
They show ordinary people going about their jobs - with working clothes & industrial machinery shown in incredible details.
It’s very rare for working people to be shown honestly like this - not dressed up or stylised - - plus two of the panels even feature women workers who are normally even less often seen.
For many of the panels, we know which companies they show and exactly where they are set; for some we even know who some of the people are that are depicted in them.
Main Hall, with 10 original panels facing the 10 new Windows of Today
• What does it mean for Maryhill to have them back on display?
The stained glass has formed the centrepiece of the long-running campaign to re-open the Burgh Halls as a community facility fit for the 21st Century.
The panels - along with a number of other Maryhill-related artefacts from Glasgow Museum’s Collections - are now on display in the building.
• Where & when can I see them ?
Ten of the panels are hung up in the main hall, as close as possible to their original positions. They face the ten new stained glass panels designed in 2011 by Alec Galloway, which are designed to complement and contrast with the originals.
One panel - the Canal Boatman - has had extra restoration work done on it, and is mounted in the foyer, so visitors can get up close and see the intricate painted detail.
We’ve also created a display wall - designed by Anna Montgomery, with illustrations by David Lemm, which features illuminated small-scale copies of all twenty panels against a background of a map of the Burgh of Maryhill made of Caithness Stone.
We are running regular guided tours - details are on the website, or ring 0845 860 1878 to find out more.
The cafe is also now open, initially on Monday - Friday, 10 am - 4 pm.
Heritage Wall display with replicas of all 20 panels
Notes to Journalists
This news release is issued by Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk
Further information is available from Gordon Barr, Heritage Development Officer, 0794 081 5202 at any time or email: press@mbht.org.uk
About the Regeneration Project
The 133 year old building has undergone a £9.6 million restoration project, which has breathed new life into the iconic Halls, saved them for the community, created a thriving centre for business, and made the place once again the focus and beating heart of Maryhill.
Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust raised this remarkable sum to secure a bright future for the treasured Halls and in so doing recapture the splendor of one of the city's best loved buildings.
The restoration work began in November 2009 and is now complete.
In November 2010, the project was awarded a prize for best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds at the European Structural Funds Best Practice Awards.
Maryhill Burgh Halls were the seat of municipal government in the days before Maryhill was a part of Glasgow. Built in 1878 and designed by renowned architect Duncan McNaughtan, they have lain derelict for the past eight years and are listed on the Buildings at Risk register. Once open, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and courtyard garden. Around 7 years of hard work has been put into developing proposals for the project.
The Board of the Trust, which comprises local people and representatives from partners Maryhill Housing Association, Cube Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, has worked tirelessly to deliver the restoration.
The contractor for the project Graham Construction has secured employment opportunities within the local community by creating three apprenticeships in joinery to work on the Halls restoration. Funding for the Maryhill Burgh Halls project has come from:
European Regional Development Funding £1.327m
Scottish Government City Growth Fund Phases 1 and 2 £1.26m
Heritage Lottery Fund £1.16m
Big Lottery - Growing Community Assets Fund £980,910
Glasgow City Council Better Glasgow Fund £1.02m
Glasgow City Council Vacant and Derelict Land Fund £675,000
Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund £1.8m
Historic Scotland £593,000
Scottish Government Wider Role Fund £764,000
The Robertson Trust £28,000
Everyone who is interested in following the development of the project through to completion can view progress and comment on the project on the Trust's Website at www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 1:32PM Our cafe, run by Grassroots Organics, is now open for the sale of teas, coffees, filled rolls and nice cakes!
Why not pop in for a cuppa between 10am and 4pm, Monday to Friday ?
The menus will be expanded over the next few weeks.
Friday, January 6, 2012 at 1:49PM 
Wednesday, December 14, 2011 at 12:31PM Scotland.org: The official web-portal to Scotland
World's First Ever Interactive Stained Glass Window
West End Extra:
The Daily What:
Space-age windows come to Glasgow
Heritage Lottery Fund:
Maryhill’s new stained glass windows of today revealed at last!
The Metro, 14 Dec 2011, page 3
New crown jewels of Maryhill: Interactive Stained Glass Windows make their debut...
also:
The Herald Arts Magazine, 10 Dec 2011: Colourful Stories
Read the full text on author Jan Patience's blog here.
Greenock Telegraph, 9 Dec 2011
plus, a motion lodged in the Scottish Parliament:
Motion S4M-01590: Bob Doris, Glasgow, Scottish National Party, Date Lodged: 14/12/2011
That the Parliament welcomes the news of the world’s first interactive stained glass windows being revealed at Maryhill Burgh Halls; recognises the technological achievement in incorporating a 2D barcode that can be scanned by visitors’ smartphones, automatically directing them to a webpage containing further material and information on the designs; acknowledges that the set of 10 features the Maryhill-born Turner Prize winners, Douglas Gordon and Susan Phillipsz, Jaconelli’s Café, local primary school children and the signature of Mrs Mary Hill, the lady who gave her name to the area; notes the long history of stained glass in Maryhill from the creation of the original “crown jewels of Maryhill” in 1878 when the burgh commissioned 20 stained glass windows to showcase the trades and industries of the area, and celebrates this initiative, which can attract and inform the next generation of visitors to the crown jewels of Maryhill, both old and new.Supported by: Margaret Burgess, Kevin Stewart, Mike MacKenzie, David Torrance, Ruth Davidson, Stuart McMillan, Christina McKelvie, Humza Yousaf, Clare Adamson, Willie Coffey, Jamie Hepburn, Dennis Robertson, Colin Beattie, Bill Kidd, George Adam, Dave Thompson, Roderick Campbell, Adam Ingram, Annabelle Ewing
Share Article | tagged coverage Tuesday, December 13, 2011 at 3:41PM Press Release:
Set of ten includes the world’s first ever interactive stained glass window!
Stained glass is an ancient art form that stretches back hundreds of years. Now, here at Maryhill Burgh Halls, we’re ready to reveal the world’s first ever interactive stained glass window.
Scan the 2D barcode in the window with your smartphone, and you’ll be automatically taken to a webpage explaining the designs and giving information about the glass.
While the new glass is as modern as can be, stained glass in Maryhill has a long history: in 1878, the then Burgh commissioned twenty stained glass windows to showcase the trades and industries of Maryhill. They were designed by the artist Stephen Adam, and have become known as the crown jewels of Maryhill.
In 2010, Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust decided to commission ten new stained glass windows, to celebrate the completion of the multi-million pound restoration of the Halls.
Around 250 local people - ranging in age from 6 to well over 65! - got involved in the process, learning about the techniques involved in stained glass making, creating their own stained glass, and crucially, having their say as to the kinds of things the new windows should depict.
Featured in the original 1878 windows were boatbuilders, glassblowers, iron moulders and a canal boatman - what things would the people of modern Maryhill like to see captured in glass for the 21st century?
Glass artist Alec Galloway, working with community specialist Margo Winning, has distilled the hundreds of comments and suggestions down into a variety of themes depicted in ten new windows.
Alec says: “I have to thank everyone at Maryhill for giving me their time and having faith that I could deliver the ideas that were presented - the key to the project has been the close community involvement and the fact that so much has come directly from the people and imagery of Maryhill itself.
I wanted to create something different from the original 1878 Adam windows, but that would sit along side them and not become overshadowed. They are defined by the screenprinting technique, something that I'd only really done on a few pieces before - this then marks them out as being pretty unique as an architectural glass scheme anywhere in the UK.
I really do look forward to seeing them permanently on display in the Burgh Halls!”
Margo commented: “It quickly emerged that the multiple layers of communities that make up Maryhill were very keen to express their thoughts and ideas in a range of ways; including writing, drawings, glass making and in endless interesting discussion and chat. It provided an enormously valuable introduction and connection to the area and community, letting me learn more about the place and people in a few weeks than I otherwise could have in years. It has been a delightful project to be involved in.”
Gordon Barr, Heritage Development Officer for the Trust, said:
“We’re really excited to finally see the results of all the hours of workshops and talks, and the effort put into this, not just from Alec and Margo, but from the literally hundreds of local people who got involved in various ways to have their say, try out some of the techniques involved in making stained glass, and in some cases, have their images actually featured in the glass itself.
The original Adam windows - which thanks to Glasgow Museums will be coming back to be displayed in the building very soon - have lasted over 130 years. Hopefully in another 130 years - around the year 2145 - the descendants of some of the school pupils featured in these new windows will be coming to the Burgh Halls to see just what their great-great grandfather looked like when he was in Primary 7 !”
Key funding for the Windows of Today project came from the Heritage Lottery Fund. Colin McLean, Head of the Heritage Lottery Fund in Scotland, said:
“In 1878 the most magnificent stained glass windows were unveiled to celebrate the opening of the Burgh Halls. Over a hundred years on, the art of stained glass has inspired the community to come together again to celebrate their rich heritage. With their roots in the past, these new windows are a symbol of the future and the people of Maryhill should be extremely proud of what they have achieved.”
The ten new windows have the following themes:
Education - featuring Primary 7 children from a local school
Culture - featuring Maryhill-born Turner prize winners Douglas Gordon & Susan Philipsz
Social Heritage - featuring Jaconelli’s cafe
Heavy Trades - featuring the Maryhill canal and locks
Workers - featuring the Bryant & May match factory
Space Age - featuring a local company that makes satellites
Youth - featuring a local youth club
Sport and Leisure - featuring the Maryhill Harriers running club, and 2 local football teams
Regeneration - featuring the Burgh Halls itself, and the silver key that opened it in 1878
Diversity - featuring some of the many different cultures now making up Maryhill
Connecting all the windows are excerpts from archive maps of the area, and lines from the song ‘Voices’, written by Kevin McDermott, about growing up in the Maryhill area.
Notes to Journalists
Using money raised through the National Lottery, the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) sustains and transforms a wide range of heritage for present and future generations to take part in, learn from and enjoy. From museums, parks and historic places to archaeology, natural environment and cultural traditions, we invest in every part of our diverse heritage. To date it has invested over £500million in Scotland’s heritage.
Further information
Please contact Shiona Mackay on 01786 870638/07779 142890 (shionamackay1@btinternet.com) or Jon Williams on 0207 591 6035 (jonw@hlf.org.uk). Website www.hlf.org.uk
This news release is issued by Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk
Further information is available from Gordon Barr, Heritage Development Officer, 0794 081 5202 at any time or email: press@mbht.org.uk
About the Regeneration Project
The 133 year old building has undergone a £9.6 million restoration project, which has breathed new life into the iconic Halls, saved them for the community, created a thriving centre for business, and made the place once again the focus and beating heart of Maryhill.
Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust raised this remarkable sum to secure a bright future for the treasured Halls and in so doing recapture the splendor of one of the city's best loved buildings.
The restoration work began in November 2009 and is now complete, with the building due to open fully in the very near future.
In November 2010, the project was awarded a prize for best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds at the European Structural Funds Best Practice Awards.
Maryhill Burgh Halls were the seat of municipal government in the days before Maryhill was a part of Glasgow. Built in 1878 and designed by renowned architect Duncan McNaughtan, they have lain derelict for the past eight years and are listed on the Buildings at Risk register. Once open, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and courtyard garden. Around 7 years of hard work has been put into developing proposals for the project.
The Board of the Trust, which comprises local people and representatives from partners Maryhill Housing Association, Cube Housing Association and Glasgow City Council, has worked tirelessly to deliver the restoration.
The contractor for the project Graham Construction has secured employment opportunities within the local community by creating three apprenticeships in joinery to work on the Halls restoration. Funding for the Maryhill Burgh Halls project has come from:
European Regional Development Funding £1.327m
Scottish Government City Growth Fund Phases 1 and 2 £1.26m
Heritage Lottery Fund £1.16m
Big Lottery - Growing Community Assets Fund £980,910
Glasgow City Council Better Glasgow Fund £1.02m
Glasgow City Council Vacant and Derelict Land Fund £675,000
Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund £1.8m
Historic Scotland £593,000
Scottish Government Wider Role Fund £764,000
The Robertson Trust £28,000
Everyone who is interested in following the development of the project through to completion can view progress and comment on the project on the Trust's Website at www.maryhillburghhalls.org.uk
Share Article | tagged press release Monday, October 31, 2011 at 7:33PM Musicians from the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, including Barbara Downie (on violin, at the back of the photo) accompanied children from Maryhill Primary School in the Halls at Doors Open Day 2005 - this was the last time that live music was performed in the Halls before the major restoration works commenced.
Now, in October 2011, Barbara returned to the refurbished Halls to see how they'd changed - and make sure that the acoustics were still up to standard!
Other musicians and orchestras are also following suit, and it's fantastic to hear the building alive with music once again.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011 at 1:50PM From the Evening Times, Tuesday 27th September
Astonishingly, more than 133 years later, one of the original keys has been discovered, in time for next month’s re-opening of the restored building.
http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/it-s-a-key-moment-in-city-history-1.1126161
Share Article | tagged coverage Tuesday, September 27, 2011 at 4:50PM
The 133 year old buildings, which contained 20 stained glass windows designed by Stephen Adam in 1878 depicting the trades of Maryhill, have undergone an over £9 million restoration project, which will breathe new life into the iconic Halls, save them for the community and create a thriving centre for local people and business use. The restoration work began in November 2009. Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust raised this remarkable sum to secure a bright future for the treasured Halls and in so doing recapture the splendour of one of the city's best loved buildings. In November 2010, the project was awarded a prize for best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds. Once restored, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and garden courtyard. The contractor for the project, Graham Construction, has secured employment opportunities within the local community by creating three apprenticeships in joinery to work on the Halls restoration. The Funders for the project are: European Regional Development Funding , Scottish Government City Growth Fund Phases 1 and 2, Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery - Growing Community Assets Fund, Glasgow City Council Better Glasgow Fund, Glasgow City Council Vacant and Derelict Land Fund, Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund, Historic Scotland, Scottish Government Wider Role Fund, The Robertson Trust.
Share Article | tagged press release Tuesday, September 13, 2011 at 11:25AM The refurbished Maryhill Burgh Halls are set to re-open towards the end of October 2011 – and when they do, the café and catering facilities will be provided by long established Glasgow company Grassroots Organic.
Irene Scott, Chair of Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust said “The Trust is delighted to announce that the well known Glasgow business, Grassroots Organic, will be both the operator for the Cafe within the buildings and the catering provider for functions in the Halls.”
Louise Duncan, Director of Grassroots Organic said "We are really looking forward to opening up in Maryhill in the fabulous spaces in the newly restored Halls. When we started our store and restaurant at St George’s Cross in Glasgow over 10 years ago, it was with the aim of promoting better nutrition and good health. That aim holds true today and will be the focus of our operation at Maryhill Burgh Halls. At Grassroots, we pride ourselves on the quality and tastiness of our food – both meat and vegetarian. Our catering for weddings and events will be tailored to customer requirements and budgets. We will also circulate a monthly newsletter with a focus on seasonal foods and we will hold classes and talks suitable for a variety of age groups focussing on health weeks and health issues."
Image - From left to right: Melanie Farrow, Halls Manager; Louise Duncan, Director, Grassroots Organic
The Halls will be an exciting new destination for both the local and wider community and will once again be the beating heart of Maryhill. If you would like to get involved as a volunteer, or to find out about our facilities for meetings, events, weddings and dinners, please get in touch – email us at info@mbht.org.uk or ring Halls Manager Melanie Farrow on 0845 860 1891 for more details or to make a booking.
Melanie Farrow, Halls Manager said: “The Trust is delighted that the buildings will soon be open for business and would like to invite everyone who is interested to come and see the buildings and make use of the facilities.”
The 133 year old buildings, which contained 20 stained glass windows designed by Stephen Adam in 1878 depicting the trades of Maryhill, have undergone an over £9 million restoration project, which will breathe new life into the iconic Halls, save them for the community and create a thriving centre for local people and business use. The restoration work began in November 2009. Maryhill Burgh Halls Trust raised this remarkable sum to secure a bright future for the treasured Halls and in so doing recapture the splendour of one of the city's best loved buildings. In November 2010, the project was awarded a prize for best contribution to Urban Regeneration in Scotland through the use of European Structural Funds.
Once restored, the Halls will include a modern public hall, cafe, 11 offices, a commercial and a community recording studio, a nursery, meeting rooms and garden courtyard. The contractor for the project, Graham Construction, has secured employment opportunities within the local community by creating three apprenticeships in joinery to work on the Halls restoration.
The Funders for the project are: European Regional Development Funding , Scottish Government City Growth Fund Phases 1 and 2, Heritage Lottery Fund, Big Lottery - Growing Community Assets Fund, Glasgow City Council Better Glasgow Fund, Glasgow City Council Vacant and Derelict Land Fund, Scottish Government Town Centre Regeneration Fund, Historic Scotland, Scottish Government Wider Role Fund, The Robertson Trust.
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