Tenements are everywhere in Glasgow - growing up in a tenement was universal experience for nearly every Glaswegian - but not everyone knows the origins and hidden history of the buildings that have housed generations on generations of Glaswegians, over the last 200 years.
Tenements were brought in as a quick and inexpensive housing solution to accommodate the booming population of Glasgow during the industrial revolution and highland clearances.
Tenements brought together incredibly tight-knit communities to the city, now the amount of people that used to live on your street all live in the one big sandstone building, and the streets in the city are lined with them.
Take a look below as we explore the hidden history of Glaswegian tenements.
1. Playing in the slums
The population of Glasgow exploded in the 1800s alongside the industrial revolution and highland clearances, and the quality of tenement living varied greatly across the city over the centuries. Some tenements saw no upkeep or care, were built quickly and poorly, and by the time of the slum clearances in the 60s, were all falling to ruin. Conditions in said tenements could be horrendous, and sickness due to the poor living conditions was common thanks to overcrowding and poor sanitation. | Getty Images
2. How tenements got started
In some blocks like the Gorbals, 50 neighbours would be sharing the one outdoor toilet and back court tap. Tenements brought together incredibly tight-knit communities to the city, now the amount of people that used to live on your street all live in the one big sandstone building, and the streets in the city are lined with them. | Contributed
3. Growing Glasgow
A man pulling a barra past tower blocks under construction in the Gorbals. The tenements which had formerly occupied the site were among the worst slums in Britain and there had been campaigns to redevelop the area for many years before work finally began in the late fifties. The high flats that define Glasgow's skyline today were built to house those that had been displaced (while many had moved on to new towns like Irvine, Livingstone, Cumbernauld, and East Kilbride). | Getty Images
4. Tenement demolitions
An open site which children in the Gorbals area of Glasgow use for playing. The Gorbals tenements were built quickly and cheaply in the 1840s and were among the worst slums in Britain. There had been campaigns to have the area redeveloped for many years before work finally began in the late fifties. Thousands of tenements across the Gorbals and "Comprehensive Redevelopment Areas" in Glasgow were demolished in the 50s and 60s. | Contributed