Hielanman's Umbrella facts for kids
The Hielanman's Umbrella is a famous landmark in the centre of Glasgow, Scotland. This special nickname is what local people in Glasgow call it. It is a railway bridge with glass walls. This bridge carries the train platforms of Glasgow Central station right over Argyle Street. It was built a long time ago in a Victorian style.
The Umbrella's Story
Why People Met Here
A long time ago, in the 1800s, many people from the Scottish Highlands had to leave their homes. About 30,000 Highlanders, who mostly spoke Scottish Gaelic and not English, came to Glasgow to find jobs. They settled in different parts of the city.
Many Highlanders found work in homes or in factories. They also worked on the river ferries. As more Highlanders arrived, they started meeting up under this bridge. They often met on weekends. Glasgow's weather can be rainy, so the bridge offered good shelter. Because so many Highlanders met there, it became known as the Hielanman's Umbrella. At these meetings, they would share news and stories from their homes. They also talked about what was happening in the city.
The tradition of meeting under the Umbrella was most popular in the 1920s and 1930s. However, because of the Second World War and the blackout rules, people stopped meeting there.
An interesting fact is that the first long-distance television pictures in the UK were sent to Glasgow Central Station in 1927.
Modern Updates and Awards
Glasgow Central Station and the Hielanman's Umbrella have been updated many times.
In 1998, the bridge was greatly improved by Railtrack. This company later became Network Rail in 2002. The bridge's special Venetian style windows were replaced. The gold "Central Station" letters were also added. Workers also tried to make the area under the bridge better for shops. They put in bright lights and fans. The entrances to Central Station under the bridge were also improved.
In 2001, a new entrance was added under the bridge. This led to The Arches, a complex with a nightclub and restaurants. This new entrance made many more people walk under the bridge.
In 2015, the Hielanman's Umbrella, as part of Glasgow Central Station, won a Scottish Design Award.
In November 2019, a ten-year plan was announced to improve Glasgow city centre. This plan includes turning the Hielanman's Umbrella into a bright and welcoming station lobby.
Featured in Books
The Hielanman's Umbrella is mentioned in books, showing its importance.
It appears in Jackie Kay's novel Trumpet from 1998:
We court for three months. A kiss on the cheek at the end of the date. Meeting at Boot's Corner, at The Shell in Central Station, or below The Hielan Man's Umbrella under where the trains come out of Central Station on Argyle Street, between Hope Street and Union Street. The times I've waited for Joss sheltered from the rain, under the Hielan Man's Umbrella imagining the Highland men years ago, fresh down from the Highlands talking excited Gaelic to each other. Either we go drinking or we go dancing.
—Jackie Kay, Trumpet
It is also mentioned in Simon Jenkins' book Britain's 100 Best Railway Stations from 2017:
The bridge is like a whale, beached across the street, except for Miller’s ability to lighten a blank wall with stylish, classically detailed and arched windows. They offer a glimpse of the interior roof and make the bridge seem almost lightweight.
—Simon Jenkins, Britain’s 100 Best Railway Stations
