Busby heritage goes on display

Busby resident Ostap Melnick (left) and ERCL chief executive, Anthony McReavy with the banner created by the Ebb and Flow project.

Participants in the arts and heritage project, ‘Ebb and Flow’ attended a historical workshop to explore the role the textile industry played in the heritage of the area.

The group then participated in screen-printing workshops, led by the Glasgow Print Studios, to illustrate the history on a textile banner.

The project was run by East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure, as part of the Year of History, Heritage and Archaeology 2017, after the organisation was awarded an £8200 Heritage Lottery Fund grant.

Now the banner – depicting the railway viaduct at Busby, built in 1866 and the gates at Busby Glen, designed by Thomas Hadden and local printworks – is on display at the Duff Memorial Hall, in the village.

Many of East Renfrewshire’s modern-day towns and villages are in existence because of the enormous impact the water-powered textile industry made on the area.

Anthony McReavy, chief executive of ERCL, said: “This is a unique piece of artwork created by local people celebrating the heritage of Busby and the surrounding area.

“I hope people take the time to view the banner, which is displayed in Duff Memorial Hall, as a lot of effort and imagination has gone into creating it and it’s well worth seeing.”