Glasgow Bridges and the Merchants' Tower by J Brooks, 1806.
This watercolour looks across Glasgow Green towards the Merchants' Steeple and the bridges which spanned the Clyde, with the masts of ships moored at the Broomielaw visible in the distance. On the Green in the foreground, families can be seen taking the air and walking their dogs. A cow is being milked to the right. To the left, linen has been laid out on the grass to bleach in the sun. A woman is sprinkling a bleaching agent (probably urine, but perhaps a commercially-made chlorine bleach) from what appears to be a watering can.
The nearer wooden bridge was built in 1803 to connect Hutchesontown and the foot of the Saltmarket, and was known as the Hutchesontown Bridge. In the distance is the stone structure of Glasgow Bridge (built in the 14th century and rebuilt in 1847 when it was renamed Victoria Bridge) which connected the city with the Gorbals.
Reference: 820.82.6
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Glasgow Museums
Keywords:
bleachfields, bleaching, bridges, cows, dogs, Glasgow Bridge, Glasgow Green, Hutchesontown Bridge, laundry, linen, Merchants' Steeple, Merchants' Tower, milk, milking, parks, River Clyde, rivers, tenements, urine, washing tubs, watering cans, women, wooden bridges
You have 0 images in your photo album.
