Statue unveiled at Central Station to Glasgow firefighting dog 'more famous than Greyfriar's Bobby'

Wallace, a collie-setter cross, was taken in by firefighters at Central Fire Station in 1894 after he followed a horse-drawn engine taking part in a lifeboat demonstration and became renowned for his exploits with the fire service—including guarding their horses while they battled blazes in the city.

Wallace was said to have become more famous than Edinburgh’s Greyfriars Bobby, drawing crowds to watch.

He died in 1902 and firefighters paid to have him embalmed, such was the bond he had built with them.

He remains encased and on display at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service Heritage Centre and Museum in Greenock,.

However, he will now have a permanent memorial in Glasgow, thanks to Jean Dallas, a north Glasgow resident, who belied his story should be prominently told in his home city.

The statue was unveiled on Tuesday (September 15) by Lord Provost of Glasgow, Councillor Jacqueline McLaren.

Supported by social landlord ng homes and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS), who organised the museum visit as part of joint community work, Jean shared Wallace’s story with children at Saracen Primary School, along with other organisations as she started fundraising for a plinth for him.

Then people in custody at HM Prison Barlinnie stepped forward to sculpt the artwork, which now sits in Central Station’s main hall after Network Rail managers were also touched by his story - and the campaigner’s determination.

Jean, 81, said: “It’s such a lovely sculpture. I’m so proud to see Wallace home and in Central Station. We wanted him to be somewhere people would see him and celebrate his story.

“This wee dog was famous in his day for his brave antics. There are even books written on his adventures.

“Wallace is well known throughout the world, yet many people in Glasgow don't know about him.”

Jean said she is delighted with the work carried out by those in Barlinnie, and thankful to Network Rail for giving him a new home in the station.

The tune I Belong To Glasgow was played on the bagpipes as Wallace’s statue was unveiled.

Cllr McLaren said: “Wallace the Fire Dog holds a special place in Glasgow's history, and I am delighted to welcome this wonderful sculpture of him to the heart of our city.

“Today's unveiling celebrates not only a much-loved local character, but the community spirit and collaboration by a range of partners that has brought his story to life for a new generation.

“My thanks go to everyone whose passion and commitment has helped create this tribute and given it a permanent home, where residents and visitors alike can discover this unique piece of our city's heritage.”

Mick Stoney, Governor of HMP Barlinnie, added: “This sculpture is a testament to the skill, dedication and hard work of the individuals in our custody who created it. They took great pride in bringing an important piece of Glasgow's history to life, creating a lasting legacy that can now be enjoyed by people from across the city and beyond.

“The project provided an opportunity to develop skills, build confidence and contribute positively to the wider community. We are proud that their work has found a permanent home in Glasgow Central Station, where it will help ensure Wallace's story lives on for generations to come.”

Wallace’s route to Central Station was not without incident. The artwork placed in storage away from Barlinnie during the coronavirus pandemic - and Jean was unsure where it had gone.

She called on Margaret Fraser from Together Leading Communities (TLC) and Margaret Muir from The Croft family support project at the prison to help track Wallace down afterwards.

After finding he was in the safe hands of a prison service dog handler in Livingston, the sculpture was handed over in 2023, being housed in ng homes’ Saracen House office in Possilpark, the area in which Jean lives, until its new permanent home could be secured.

Margaret Fraser, director of TLC, said: “Jean’s determination has shown no bounds and she has been supported along the way by her family, friends and the community. It is wonderful that, as a result of her efforts, Wallace will have a permanent home in Glasgow Central Station.

“Of course, it is only a train journey to the Greenock Fire Heritage Centre to see the real Wallace and hear more about his heroic deeds.”

Margaret Muir added: “Everyone involved has been so passionate about this. This is a wonderful story which deserves to be told.”

Catherine Rossine, chair of ng homes, believes Jean’s work highlights the positives that can happen when people unite for a shared passion.

She said: “Wallace’s story has captured the imagination of so many people. We are proud to support a project that celebrates an important piece of Glasgow’s heritage. This has created something that communities across the city can be proud of.”

Fire chiefs to this day regard Wallace as ‘Scotland’s first fire dog’ and are delighted to see him celebrated.

City of Glasgow Group Commander Craig Campbell represented SFRS at the unveiling.

He said: “Wallace is a local and fire service legend, and this is a fitting celebration of his life and another reminder of the proud history the service shares with Glasgow.

“We are delighted that we have been able to support this, and thankful to Jean and everyone else who has been involved in bringing this sculpture to life and ensuring that it takes pride of place in one of Scotland’s busiest railway stations.

“We hope that thousands more people will have the chance to learn about not only Wallace, but the history of the fire service in Glasgow and beyond.”

Wallace’s story will be among those told as part of tours of Glasgow Central Station, where the courage of firefighters is also celebrated by the Citizen Firefighter statue which stands at its entrance.

Drew Burns, station manager at Glasgow Central, said Scotland’s busiest station was ”proud to give Wallace a home.”

He said: “His story is a unique part of Glasgow’s history, and it’s fitting that thousands of people passing through the station each day will now have the opportunity to discover and celebrate this remarkable fire dog.”

Travellers and visitors at Central Station will be able to read Wallace’s full story by scanning a QR code next to the sculpture.