People: Local Glasgow West End Characters.

Pat Byrne

The West End of Glasgow has the highest number of graduates among its population of any place in the UK (so they say). For sure, the area is dense with students and those who have studied in the area. The list of graduates from places such as Glasgow University, Glasgow School of Art, the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Art (the UK’s only Conservetoire) is long and impressive. More than a few have moved on to achieve great things and many of them choose to live in the area.

Apart from the scholars and literati the West End population has a hefty element of creative, talented and interesting individuals. Fashion experts inform us that Boho is back – but as far as the West End is concerned it has never been away. Poets, actors, artists, academics, photographers, writers, historians, designers, restaurateurs, entrepreneurs, comedians and people of wit, wisdom and style contribute to the unique atmosphere of the area.

I’m building up quite a collection of ‘local characters’ on these pages – and continuously compiling a never-ending list of those I hope to add.

Alasdair Gray, Writer and Artist

Alasdair Gray

Pat Byrne, 2002 Sadly Alasdair Gray died today, Sunday 29 December, 2019.  I’m so happy that in October, after chatting on the phone, Alasdair invited me along to his West End flat. He showed me the cover for Purgatory, which was just going on sale and I gave him a copy of our Ten Writes […]

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Graeme Macrae Burnet – Glasgow Writer

CJ Monk Graeme Macrae Burnet

‘Case Study;’, longlisted for Booker Prize 2022 and shortlisted for Gordon Burn Prizeand Book of the Year in 2021 by The Spectator, The Scotsman and Waterstones Graeme will appear at ‘Meet the Author’ Byres Road Book Festival, 25 September, Hillhead Library. Graeme Macrae Burnet at Aye Write 2022 – 15 May 3 p.m. The Mitchell […]

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Local Characters in Glasgow’s West End: Ali Abbasi: Radio Scotland Travel Desk

Alli Abbasi

Sadly, Ali died on 6th August, 2004 after a short illness. Details can be read in the report in the Scotsman. A charismatic personality, who will be very much missed. (Mussie Abbasi Harrison was heartbroken when her young brother Ali (Mono) died. Very sadly Mussie has now died too after contracting Covid. You can see […]

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Monday, April 19, 2021 | Filed under: Pat's Home Page Blog, People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Payback Claire MacLeary

When police are called to a murder scene at the home of Aberdeen socialite Annabel Imray, they are under pressure to get a conviction, and fast. The last thing they want is the distraction of a series of baffling break-ins. The victims, all of them women, are terrorised: just how did the intruder know so […]

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Avril Paton: Artist – Pat’s Guide to Local Characters in Glasgow’s West End

Avril Paton Artist

In 2016 Avril Paton created a large painting of Kelvingrove Art Gallery – it will be on loan to Kelvingrove from 17 May, 2018. Avril’s painted piano ‘Beatrix Rose’ in Queen’s Cross Church, part of Glasgow Piano City projects. You can listen to Tom Binn’s chatting to Pat about his work with Glasgow Piano City […]

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Dr Gerard Carruthers, Director Robert Burns Centre, University of Glasgow

A few weeks back I went along to Glasgow University to the Robert Burns Centre to meet Gerry Carruthers, or Dr Gerard Carruthers, Reader in Scottish Literature and Head of the Department of Scottish Literature.  (Now Professor Gerard Carruthers) A Clydebank lad, I’ve known Gerry for a very long time, as we did a lot […]

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Celebrity Sightings – Glasgow West End

This feature was discontinued in 2001 because it became a magnet for spam. I saw the wee fat one out of Chewin the Fat – Ford Kiernan? gettig a short, back and sides in barbers in Byres Rd. He didn’t have much hair to cut and the barber spent most of the time slagging him […]

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Wednesday, December 27, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Janey Godley, Comedienne – West End Characters

I met Janey at Mansions Cafe-Bar at Charing Cross where she runs Jester’s Comedy Club, compering the Friday and Saturday night shows and performing her own stand up comedy act. Mansions is housed in a very impressive building and I was soon to learn that Janey herself is pretty impressive – full of confidence, grittiness […]

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Thursday, December 21, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Harry Kelly, Writer and Expert on Scottish Ceramics

Harry Kelly died in 2008 – he bequeathed a collection of ceramics to The Hunterian Museum and Art Gallery at Glasgow University further information Henry E. (Harry) Kelly is a talented writer, and enthusiastic and friendly West End character and a real expert on Scottish Ceramics. His knowledge of the subject is awesome and his […]

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Wednesday, December 20, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Local Characters: Basia Palka – Poet

Jim and I met Basia at Nancy Smillie’s Gallery and Shop in Cresswell Lane where she works – when she is not busy writing her lovely poetry. She is very involved with the Polish Social and Educational Society and can be found reading her poetry at their very lively and enjoyable ‘Evenings of Word and […]

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Gordon R. Urquhart, Historian and Conservationist

When we set about promoting our Glasgow West End Web site Gordon Urquhart, Assistant Director of Glasgow Conservation Trust West was one of the first people to show an interest in what we were up to. This was reciprocated and we were particularly intrigued to learn about the book Gordon was writing about the area […]

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Sheila Reid – Partick’s Playwright

Shelia Reid, Partick Playwright. Recently a drama has been unfolding in Partick . Sheila Reid’s play ‘Rent Strike Memories’ about the Rent Strikes in Partick in 1915, when local housewives rebelled against rent increases, was not only a resounding success but has given birth to a Community Theatre. A force to be reckoned with, Sheila […]

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Local Characters – Anne Whitaker, Astrologer

Update September, 2012 Anne Whitaker took a long sabbatical at the end of 2001, during which time she wrote two books, one published in the USA and the other on the Web. She has also kept a blog Writing from the Twelfth House since 2008. For further details check out www.anne-whitaker.com Anne is happy to […]

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Local Characters: Lesley Riddoch: Broadcaster and Journalist

A woman with a big personality and emphatic presence Lesley Riddoch, BBC broadcaster could be the West End’s prize contender for an oscar in communications. However, not only has she been very successful in her chosen career of journalism and broadcasting – in her forty years she has made her mark in a number of […]

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West End Characters: Colin Beattie: Glasgow West End Entrepreneur

In recent years the West End has experienced its fair share of renewal and change. Property developments, interesting projects, new restaurants and some excellent coffee bars have all been welcomed with open arms. Nothing, however, has caught the imagination of local people quite so much as the Skerryvore Project (OranMor) – this massively expensive and […]

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Tuesday, December 19, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Young West Enders: Michael Bowes meets Kofi Annan in New York

When Michael Bowes participated in the United Nations Model Millennium Summit, earlier this year, he identified one of the highlights of the event as listening to a speech by Kofi Annan – “his speech was a true inspiration to all of the youths”. Little did Michael realize at that time that he would be off […]

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Monday, December 18, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Young West Enders: Michael Bowes at At United Nations Model Millennium Summit

Michael Bowes: at United Nations Model Millennium Summit Michael meets Kofi Annan in New York I was truly delighted when I heard the good news that I had been chosen to represent Scotland at the United Nations Model Millennium Summit and even more pleased that my school friend and debating partner, David McIntyre, could join […]

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Mary McGoldrick

My friend Mary McGoldrick McIntosh died on 1st December, 2001. We were friends almost all our lives and first met when we went to St Mary’s Primary School at the age of 5. We lived in each other’s pockets throughout our youth and after a taste of hitch hiking in Europe in 1966 we headed […]

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Local Characters in the West End: Eleanor Gordon – Writer/Academic

Department of Economic and Social History, University of Glasgow. Professor Eleanor Gordon – see further information below including Books. I have been eagerly awaiting ‘Murder and Morality in Victorian Britain: The Story of Madeleine Smith’ Eleanor Gordon and Gwyneth Nair – due out on 20th August, 2009 – now available on Amazon This book explores […]

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Local Characters in Glasgow’s West End: Eileen McCusker

Eileen McCusker has lived in the West End of Glasgow since 1990 when she returned to Scotland after living in New York City for 10 years. She loves staying in the West End where she has a brilliant flat. Eileen has a great time “hanging out with people” and is a big fan of the […]

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Local Characters: Suzanne McGreevy – Artist

Suzanne designed the cover for Jim Byrne’s album The Innocent – February, 2012 Suzanne McGreevy is a Westender who came all the way over from America just to live here! Maybe it wasn’t just the location – the attractions of her husband Andy might have had something to do with it. 🙂 She is a […]

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Willie Miller Urban Designer: Glasgow West End Characters

w miller wmud

Sadly Willie Miller died of a short illness on 12 January, 2021; he left behind his wife and co-worker Ines Triebel and young daughter Maxi. Very sad news. A remarkably talented and interesting man. Ines will continue the practice at WMUD. (Strategy for Glasgow City Centre Lanes – March, 2018) Willie Miller is an Urban […]

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Wednesday, September 6, 2017 | Filed under: Pat's Home Page Blog, People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Allan Tall, musician/actor

allan tall

I’ve been a bit lax in updating my Glasgow West End Characters on the site so I started making a list of possible candidates. Westender Allan Tall, with his fascinating career in music, theatre and television seemed to fit the bill. I caught up with him in Tinderbox on Byres Road for a natter. 

He’s […]

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Tuesday, August 29, 2017 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

The Glasgow Cabbie – Glasgow’s Hidden Gem by Jane Sweeney

glasgow childrens charity glagow cabbie

  King of the Courts – The Glasgow Cabbie – raising money with the help of Andy Murray People Make Glasgow – Glasgow Cabbie’s welcome on the Tour Bus Glasgow is a city of surprises, if you look beyond the beautiful buildings to the empty spaces you find all sorts of delights, including poems! It […]

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Paul Rutherford, Personal Trainer/Lifestyle Coach – feature by Theresa Talbot

paul rutherford

I have to admit I’ve always been slightly scared of personal trainers; Convinced they’d make me do things I didn’t want to do and yell at me if I didn’t reach peak fitness in less time than it takes to throw off my high heels. But my opinion changed dramatically when I met Paul Rutherford. […]

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Ranald MacColl – designer, writer, artist etc

Ranald’s GI Bride comes home to Partick – February, 2011 Often people tell me about Local Characters they would like to see featured on the website. Some time ago Roy Beers, who knows all there is to know about who’s who and what’s what in the West End, mentioned that Ranald MacColl would make an […]

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Sunday, May 1, 2016 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Anita Manning – Auctioneer – Pat’s Guide to Glasgow Characters

Anita Manning – Entrepreneur and West Ender extraordinaire. Great Western Auctions, 1291 Dumbarton Road, Whiteinch, Glasgow G14 9UY Tel : 0141 954 1500 www.greatwesternauctions.com Email: [email protected] Now a familiar face on the BBC’s antique show Flog it, Anita Manning has had considerable impact in a predominantly male oriented trade, where she has fought to introduce […]

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Friday, April 29, 2016 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Bob McDevitt, Aye Write! Programmer and Photographer

bob-mcdevitt

(101 Men in Kilts, photography by Bob McDevitt) Bob McDevitt is a Glasgow based photographer, who focuses on taking photographs of people including professional headshots, family portraits and weddings. Among his work you’re likely to see photographs relating to his other passions: the stage and books.   In his spare time Bob has acting in […]

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John Young 25 November 1950 – 30th December 2011

john allotment

Our brother John died just the other day on 30th December 2011. It was very unexpected as he had been not been ill and had been very well and happy just the day before. In many ways John could be considered to have had a very sad, even tragic, life as he acquired brain damage […]

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Thursday, December 31, 2015 | Filed under: People: Local Glasgow West End Characters

Juliet Cadzow, Actor

Juliet stars as Queen Morgiana – Snow White, The Kings, until 10 January, 2016 I have been aiming to add some more interesting West End Characters to the website for quite some time and particularly keen to include more women in this section. Thus I was delighted to meet up with Juliet Cadzow for a […]

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Alasdair Gray

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