The Hidden Glasgow Forums

I'm looking for a bit of help here. I have searched the forums and can't find any mention.

I like doing research on various aspects of Glasgow and this one has me stumped.

At the first floor of the tenement at the corner of Paisley Road West and Stanley Street (27 Paisley Road West), there is a very large Coat of Arms.

First of all; what I do know.

The Coat of Arms appears to be the Royal Arms of Scotland. The tenement itself is Grade-B listed, as apparently was the preserved interior of the original bank which stood on that corner, now a convenience store. The bank disappeared many years ago and there seems to have been various different convenience stores there over the years. I haven't been inside, but I think I can safely assume that the old wooden bank counters, etc. are long gone.

Banks have their own Coats of Arms, so I don't think it is there because of the original use of the ground floor.
Kinning Park Coat of Arms (the original Burgh building was in Stanley Street) was unoffical and comprised a beehive with bees flying around, so it is not that.

Does anyone know why it is there? And was it there from the beginning (around 1870s) or added later? Is it anything to do with the Royal appointment conferred on Gray and Dunns?

I'm sure it's the arms of either the Bank of Scotland or the Linen Bank. Might have a picture somewhere.

I have looked at the Coat of Arms and I am pretty certain it is not of a bank, but that they are the Royal Arms of Scotland.

I have checked my Glasgow architecture books, the Kinning Park history book, Villages of Glasgow, Second City etc.; also various walks books - and asked my friend, who leads walks around that area, and still have drawn a blank

Could it be one of the old insurance company signs when they all had their own fire brigades ? before all the fire services were merged

This is a closeup of the Coat of Arms on the building from GoogleEarth



and this is a picture of the Royal Arms of Scotkland from Wiki

Royal Bank of Scotland........
from Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_coat ... f_Scotland

Well spotted IBTG.

Here is a close up, just in case it was needed:


16 Corner by vinegartom40, on Flickr

Gaucho, that link is to Wiki for the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland, not the Royal Bank of Scotland, and it is the same place I got the Royal Coat of Arms of Scotland from.

Vinegar Tom, - Thank you for that lovely, clear photo. I had seen the coat of arms as I passed by on a bus and hadn't been able yet to get back to photograph them...... Cheers.

I'm beginning to lean towards the 'by Royal appointment' solution. Any ideas, anyone?

I don't think it's a 'Royal Appointment' crest for Gray & Dunn


Gray,Dunn & Co, Stanley Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow by Robert Pool's Glasgow Collection, on Flickr


1900 Gray, Dunn & Co, 75 Stanley Street, Kinning Park, Glasgow by Robert Pool's Glasgow Collection, on Flickr

Thanks, Bobby - running out of options here!

I'm afraid to contact Glasgow District Council about this, because they may say "Who the heck put that there?", and take it down!!

I don't think the council have the budget to get workmen to remove it It looks like it's been there for many years and is quite weather beaten with a lot of the gold paint gone; in saying that some of the paint still looks in good condition. Knowing you Liz I'm sure you have checked your directories to check the date of when the bank first appeared so it will at least narrow down the dates the council would have to look. I cant help but feel that it may have been repainted in the 60s or 70's as it still has a fair amount of paint on it. If anyone can work this out Liz it's you. I look forward to the next post

No pressure, then..........!!

I have been checking the PO directories (and thanks again for them!), but so far nothing conclusive. Was that part of Paisley Road West originally Paisley Road only? Must get the old maps out............

the order of the thistle has been used on two issues of 1 pound coins so finance would be my guess.

I don't want to seem pedantic and point out that it's the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom as used in Scotland. But I am, and I have

I stand corrected!