Calton, Glasgow facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Calton
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 Calton
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| OS grid reference | NS603645 |
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| Country | Scotland |
| Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
| Post town | GLASGOW |
| Postcode district | G40 |
| Dialling code | 0141 |
| Ambulance | Scottish |
| EU Parliament | Scotland |
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Calton (Scottish Gaelic: A' Challtainn, lit. 'the hazel wood', Scots: Caltoun), known locally as The Calton, is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde, and just to the east of the city centre. Calton's most famous landmark is the Barras street market and the Barrowland Ballroom, one of Glasgow's principal musical venues.
History
The area was a Burgh of Barony from 1817 to 1846, when it was annexed by the City of Glasgow.
The lands of Blackfaulds, on which Calton now stands, originally formed part of the lands of the Archbishopric of Glasgow, but were annexed to The Crown in 1587. In 1705 the owner, John Walkinshaw, began to feu the lands of Blackfaulds (part of the Barrowfield estate) on which the old village of Calton was built, and in 1817 a charter was granted, erecting Calton into a Burgh. During the area's time as an independent burgh, there were four Provosts of Calton:
- Robert Struthers (1817-1818)
- Nathaniel Stevenson (1818-1839)
- Robert Bartholomew (1839-1843)
- William Bankier (1843-1846)
The Calton Martyrs
The area became known for its weaving industry. On 30 June 1787, a meeting of Calton weavers was held on Glasgow Green. Their wages had dropped because of the increased importation of cheaper foreign textiles. Most of the workers decided to take strike action, although some accepted lower wages and carried on working. The dispute came to a head on 3 September 1787: when violence erupted after some striking weavers tried to seize materials from weavers who had carried on working.
The military were called in and a detachment of the 39th Regiment of Foot opened fire on the demonstrators. Six of the men killed at the scene were locally called 'martyrs' and some of them were buried in the Calton Cemetery off the main London Road. The families of the men could not afford a headstone although, a century later, a memorial was raised to commemorate their actions.
Images for kids
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The Calton Bar on the London Road in 2008
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Tongland graffiti in the Calton. Photo taken 2004.
