The 1970s was a defining decade for Glasgow, marking a period of dramatic change as many residents left the city’s inner-city slums for newly built housing estates on its outskirts.
Globally, it was a time of major events and cultural milestones — Richard Nixon became the first U.S. president in history to resign following the Watergate scandal, films like The Godfather, Star Wars, and Grease captivated audiences, Billy Connolly emerged as a national star, and the UK experienced political turbulence leading up to Margaret Thatcher’s rise to power in 1979.
In Glasgow, the live music scene thrived. Notable acts performed at Green’s Playhouse — renamed The Apollo in September 1973 — while Hampden Park once again hosted a European Cup Final, with Bayern Munich taking on Saint-Étienne in 1976.
Here are 70 photographs that capture the changing face of Glasgow and everyday life in the city throughout the seventies.
61. Provand’s Lordship
The Provand’s Lordship on Castle Street pictured in March 1976. The building dates back to 1471 and is one of only four medieval buildings left in Glasgow. | Virtual Mitchell
62. Dundas Street bus station
A view of the demolition of Dundas Street bus station in 1976 from Killermont Street. | Virtual Mitchell
63. Sauchiehall Street (1975)
The former ABC cinema pictured on Sauchiehall Street in the mid seventies. | Glasgow City Archives
64. High Court
Glasgow's old High Court at Saltmarket pictured in 1974 | Virtual Mitchell