Empire Exhibition 1938

As the weather is dismal today, as Storm Agnes approaches, I thought I would give you a bit of a historical blip.

In 1938, six million visitors attended the Empire Exhibition in Glasgow inc. my long gone Auntie Jenny and Uncle Jim, who you can see here. I find looking at them in this photo a bit weird, as I never  knew them as young people, only as what seemed to me at the time, as old people. I suppose everyone is young at some point! 

The most prominent structure was the Tait Tower (officially the Tower of Empire), 300 feet in its own height which on the hill made it 470 feet (140 m) high. Although it could have remained as a permanent monument after the exhibition, the tower was handed over to the British Army after the exhibition ended and was demolished in June 1939. The rumour that the structure was demolished to avoid it being used as a reference point by German bombers is an urban myth. The nearby Gilmorehill tower at Glasgow University could potentially have been used for the same purpose, but it was not demolished.

It’s a shame this art deco tower did not survive, as it would still be having quite an impact on the Glasgow landscape. The only remaining structure from the exhibition is the Palace of Art.

I hope you are having a good day.