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Paisley - My Pics Of Old Or Unusual Buildings Or Places Of Interest.


Sonny

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No HSS. I have never repeated an image. Often discussions wander off the image in question and other subjects are brought up. I think this particular edifice has been mentioned in this thread but there has not been an image of it posted.

Ok,does he have a chain of pubs?

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Come in very late sonny but Mr Witherspoon needs some direction on running a decent pub

The Rev Witherspoon has no input into running the pub (or the cafe or theatre) unless he he is overseeing it from his cloud while pondering a change to the Second Amendment of the constitution of the USA.

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I'd think he should be easily recognisable to many on here - not only was he an Old Grammarian, but he had a fondness for the birds.

Well Eddy, as you know I always had a fondness for Grammarian birds as well. I have to say though, that in my day it was frequently alleged that a fair number of Grammar boys were not really all that interested in birds. Of any sort. Allegedly. Of course I did have quite a few of my mates who were Grammar boys and they did like birds. The exception that proved the rule?

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Well Eddy, as you know I always had a fondness for Grammarian birds as well. I have to say though, that in my day it was frequently alleged that a fair number of Grammar boys were not really all that interested in birds. Of any sort. Allegedly. Of course I did have quite a few of my mates who were Grammar boys and they did like birds. The exception that proved the rule?

I only ever knew one person who was a Grammarian. She was two years older than me and I would always end up acting daft and weird whenever I got talking to her. She used to always say "your face is brighter than Rudolph's nose" and laugh. Ah, young crushes...

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I only ever knew one person who was a Grammarian. She was two years older than me and I would always end up acting daft and weird whenever I got talking to her. She used to always say "your face is brighter than Rudolph's nose" and laugh. Ah, young crushes...

...now you know two. wink.png

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Coats Memorial is a huge building with a lot of ground. The maintenance must be crippling for such a large and ornate building. As I mentioned somewhere else in this thread the renovation of the the toilet and minister's room cost £100K alone. I would hate to see it fall into disrepair. Cant go to the Carol Concert but will somehow get a donation to them.

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PICTURE 109 is the statue of Alexander Wilson the great ornithologist (who didn't have a chain of pubs named after him). Located in the grounds of the Abbey. Bronze on a granite base. B Listed. I don't know when it was erected or the sculptor.

From Wikipedia:

Wilson was born in Paisley, Scotland, the son of an illiterate distiller. In 1779 he was apprenticed as a weaver. His main interest at this time was in writing poetry (Robert Burns was seven years older than Wilson). Some of Wilson's work - commenting on the unfair treatment of the weavers by their employers - got him into trouble with the authorities. The "golden age of Renfrewshire song" is embodied in the persons of Wilson and Robert Tannahill. Alexander Wilson was born near the Hammils, a broad if not steep waterfall in Paisley where the River Cart skirts Seedhill. It does indeed appear to be the case, as William Motherwell states, that a great amount of literary activity began in Paisley around this time.

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An Illustration from the American Ornithology.

In May 1794 Wilson left Scotland with his nephew to find a better life in America. Wilson obtained employment as a schoolteacher in Milestown, near Philadelphia. In 1801 he left Milestown and found a new teaching post in Gray's Ferry, Pennsylvania; Wilson took up residence in nearby Kingsessing. It was here that he met the famous naturalist William Bartram who developed Wilson's interest in ornithology. In 1802 Wilson decided to publish a book illustrating all the North American birds. With this in mind he traveled widely, watching and painting birds and collecting subscribers for his book. The result was the nine-volume American Ornithology (1808–1814), illustrating 268 species of birds, 26 of which had not previously been described. He died during the writing of the ninth volume, which was completed and published after his death by his friend George Ord. Wilson lies buried next to Ord at Gloria Dei Church cemetery in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alexander Wilson died in 1813 in Philadelphia, where he is buried in the Gloria Dei (Old Swedes) Cemetery.He is honoured in his home town of Paisley with a memorial and a statue. The statue stands in the grounds of Paisley Abbey, and the memorial stands on the banks of the River Cart at the Hammills waterfall in Paisley. It is inscribed "Remember Alexander Wilson 1766-1813. Here was his boyhood playground."

Some more info here ... http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/webcontent/home/services/leisure+and+culture/heritage+and+local+history/els-jh-famouspeoplealexanderwilson

So from one famous Buddie to all you famous Buddies out there - Merry Christmas and thanks for following this thread.

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Edited by Sonny
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I got a few belated Xmas presents today.Amongst them was a Paisley calendar called "Two decades of Paisley".Some brilliant pictures in it including the Barshaw Train,The Cross,George St and my old Primary School,The South.

I will list all the pictures when I have a bit of time.

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I have been charitable all year Bluto :) . Usually its all too easy for the dedicated Band of Buddies who know Paisley pretty well. However I must admit I walked past this building over many years and had no idea of its past or significance until I started taking these photographs. Get you winter coat on and get out and have a look for it :)

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I have been charitable all year Bluto smile.png . Usually its all too easy for the dedicated Band of Buddies who know Paisley pretty well. However I must admit I walked past this building over many years and had no idea of its past or significance until I started taking these photographs. Get you winter coat on and get out and have a look for it smile.png

There is a plaque on the wall which will tell you all about it. Something to do with schools and churches no doubt.

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