GOODNESS, these women really do seem pleased to see him. Who is this rock star that they are cheering for? It is if course Prime Minister Harold Wilson in April, 1968, arriving in Springburn to officially open Glasgow’s 150,000th council house.
Yes, it was a time when the council still built houses for folk to live in.
The address was Balgrayhill Road, which is dominated by high-rise flats that are still in use today.
Progressive councillors - that’s what Tory councillors called themselves back then - complained about the landscaping that was done before Harold arrived - some £14,000 was spent on trees, turfing and “causey setts” which had me scurrying for my dictionary where I discover that causey is merely the old Scottish version of causeway so it was just some nice stones laid down on the paths.
Even The Herald thought the councillors had gone too far, describing their complaint as “petty” and declaring it was “hardly a wild extravagance.”
The landscaping was always going to be done, they had just brought it forward a bit for the Prime Minister’s visit, which is fair enough.
The Progressives boycotted the event, not just because of the extravagance of planting a few trees, but because not enough private housing was being built in the city and because the council had not worked fast enough in clearing up the terrible damage across the city after the January storms tore many roofs off.
The council said they could not magic roofers out of thin air, and were doing their best.
The Springburn ladies are smartly turned out although Harold himself doesn’t look that svelte - it’s probably the pipe and tobacco pouch in his pocket spoiling the line of his suit.
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