Bearsden
Encyclopedia
Bearsden (ˌbɛərzˈdɛn; ) ) is a town in East Dunbartonshire
, Scotland
. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow
, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) from the City Centre
, and is effectively a suburb
, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name (Bearsden station
was named after a nearby cottage).
The Roman
Antonine Wall
runs through the town and the remains of a military Bath House
can be seen near the town centre. In 1649, the first New Kilpatrick
parish church was built, and became the centre of administration for the area. The town's official Gaelic
name Cille Phàdraig Ùr reflects the name of the parish. By the early 20th century, a town had grown up with large town houses, primarily occupied by wealthy businessmen.
Further development of more affordable housing has increased the population of the town to approximately 28,000 and the town remains affluent. Formerly a Burgh
, local government of the town is now the responsibility of East Dumbartonshire Council, which has some departmental offices at Boclair House.
fort in the second century AD
. Between 142 and 144 AD, under Emperor
Antoninus Pius
, the Romans built a stone and turf fortification, called the Antonine Wall
, between the Firth of Clyde
and the Firth of Forth
. They also built the Military Way, a road that ran parallel to the south of the wall. They built the aforementioned fort at the intersection of the Military Way, and the north-south road from Glasgow
to Loch Lomond
. In 164 AD, after only 20 years, the Romans withdrew to Hadrian's Wall
.
Little of the fort remains to be seen today. However, close to the fort was a Roman bath-house
, built in approximately 142–143 AD. The bath-house's remains were discovered by builders digging foundations for a housing development in 1973. The site was donated to the government, and today the remains lie well-preserved 150 metres from the town centre.
Two further stretches of the Antonine Wall's stone base can be seen in the New Kilpatrick cemetery on Boclair Road.
covering Dunbarton and areas of west Dunbartonshire, such as Clydebank. The remaining part was named East or New Kilpatrick
, and covered a much greater area than Bearsden, from the River Clyde
at Whiteinch
and Yoker
to Duntocher
, Strathblane
and Baldernock
. Modern Bearsden began in an agricultural area as a small hamlet called New Kirk (or perhaps Chapelton) close to New Kilpatrick Parish Church, which was first built in 1649. Close landmarks included Canniesburn Toll, and a water mill at Garscube. The present-day church was built in 1807.
The New Kirk settlement grew in the middle of the nineteenth century when Glaswegian businessmen built houses at a commutable distance from the city. In 1863, the Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Railway opened, with a station near New Kirk called Bearsden. This was soon adopted as the name of the community. The opening of the railway led to considerable development of Bearsden, with many large Victorian
houses built in what is now known as Old Bearsden Conservation Area.
The Glasgow Reformatory for Girls at East Chapelton (also known as East Chapelton Home and Hillfoot Residential School) moved from Rottenrow
to Bearsden in the late 1860s. Managed by Glasgow Corporation, the countryside location moved the girls away from any malign influences to be found in the city and allowed the institution to be self-supporting with livestock and a vegetable garden. The girls washed their own clothes and those of local residents in the Reformatory's large laundry. In addition to girls who had fallen foul of the courts, others with problems such as malnourishment and learning difficulties were also housed at Chapelton. In 1949, around 360 girls passed through the school annually and were taken to New Kilpatrick Parish church on Sundays. The school closed in the early 1970s and after a brief period as a hall of residence for the Nautical College
, the building was demolished to make way for a shopping centre with an Asda
supermarket.
Buchanan Retreat was built in 1890 by the Buchanan sisters of Bellfield, near Kilmarnock
, in Ayrshire
. It was taken over by Bearsden Burgh in 1962 and used as council offices (pictured below under Administration). Still used by East Dunbartonshire council today, it is known as Boclair House. The Schaw Home (pictured) was built in 1895 by Miss Marjory Shanks Schaw in memory of her brother and gifted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The building has now been split into private residential apartments.
In 1906, many buildings were built at Bearsden Cross by Mathew Henderson (he also tried, unsuccessfully, to develop another commuter suburb at Drumchapel
). Westerton Garden suburb was built around 1913 and is also now a conservation area near Westerton station. Near this is the site of the former Canniesburn Hospital, which has many Art Deco
buildings and where pioneering plastic surgery
was performed, notably on the Boy David who was featured on many television programmes and was adopted by one of the doctors there. The hospital site has now been developed into flats, but much of the character has been retained and copied. A further station in Bearsden is at Hillfoot.
Bearsden continued to expand in the twentieth century as residents built large independently-designed villas, estates of bungalow
s, and other types of houses. Few sites are now left unoccupied.
In 1958, Bearsden became a Burgh. Then, in 1975, it became part of Bearsden & Milngavie District Council. Since 1996, it is one of the five towns of East Dunbartonshire Council.
) was ever called "New Kilpatrick" by locals (by the mid 19th century the houses near to the church had come to be called New Kirk) but nevertheless, the name appears over the village on old maps (see image below) and the town's official Gaelic
name is Cille Phàdraig Ùr.
The current name Bearsden originated from the railway station
built in 1863, but the origin of the name itself is unresolved. The station was named after a house near the station site (to avoid confusion with Old Kilpatrick station), but it may have been a name for the immediate area.
The meaning behind the name "Bearsden" may be one of the following:
Indeed, as Dr James McCardel pointed out in his book "The Parish of New Kilpatrick", captive bears do not live in dens, but in pits, and "the wisest course is frankly to admit that the derivation [of the name of Bearsden] is unknown".
The Scots
motto on the Bearsden coat of arms is "Bear the Gree" (a phrase occurring frequently in Scots literature from about 1420, including in Robert Burns
' A Man's a Man for A' That) which means 'to hold or win first place'.
In 1919 the club reformed and played for the first time on their present ground at Thorn Park.
The club won the Scottish Amateur Cup
in 1961-62
, beating Pencaitland 1-0 at Hampden Park
. Presently they participate in the Caledonian Amateur Football League
.
The Glasgow Golf Club is one of the world's oldest, founded in 1787. In 1904 the club moved premises to Killermont House and its surrounding estate, built in 1805 for the Colquhoun family. The club is unusual in having a links course (at Gailes, near Irvine
) in addition to its home course.
suburb
, with its residents travelling into Glasgow each day to work or study. The majority of its housing stock is detached. According to the 2001 census
of Scotland, the area comprises 10,417 households, with a total population of 27,967. This is an increase of 0.6% (or 161 people) since 1991, when the population stood at 27,806 (there are an average of 2.64 people per household). Of these, 8,306 are over 55 years old, 17,700 are in social class
ABC1
, and 6,052 are in social class C2DE. 73% of working residents surveyed travel to work by car, 16% by train
or bus
, 5% by other methods, and 6% work mainly at home. Many of the west of Scotland's most expensive houses are in the Old Bearsden Outstanding Conservation Area
- Bearsden's postcode (G61) was ranked 7th richest in the UK by a 2005 survey, with an estimated 176 millionaires living there.
The graphic (shown on right) is a summary of maps of the area from 1832 onwards. These demonstrate the growth of the town to its current extent from a large number of disconnected dwellings to a large settlement spreading from the New Kirk area. The relative size of houses (and corresponding affluence of households) tends to increase with increasing age, but this is not a strict rule.
There are two senior schools in the town, Bearsden Academy
and Boclair Academy
which both enjoy a strong reputation for excellence. The High School of Glasgow
has a primary school section in the town - this is the result of a merger between the school and the former Drewsteignton Home School, founded in 1922.
system.
Ward 2 - Bearsden North
Bearsden North is part of the Clydebank and Milngavie
constituency in the Scottish Parliament
. The MSP is Gil Paterson
(SNP); elected on 5 May 2011.
Ward 3 - Bearsden South
Bearsden South is part of the Strathkelvin and Bearsden
constituency in the Scottish Parliament. The MSP is Fiona McLeod
(SNP); elected on 5 May 2011.
Both consituencies form part of the West of Scotland regional list
in the Scottish Parliament. The town is also part of the East Dunbartonshire
constituency in the UK Parliament
at Westminster. The current MP is Jo Swinson
(Liberal Democrat).
, Westerton
or Hillfoot
stations.
It can also be accessed by road, of which the main routes are:
Bus routes running through Bearsden are (as of November 2010):
The town centre is located at the intersection of the A809 (Drymen Road) and A808 (Roman Road). It is known as Bearsden Cross, and, as of December 2005, its surrounding roads were being upgraded by East Dunbartonshire council. Bearsden Primary School, the Burgh Hall, Bearsden Cross Parish Church, at present using the former Bearsden South Church building, and All Saints Episcopal Church are all located immediately next to the town centre. A quarter of a mile east along the A808 (Roman Road), there is a Roman bath-house, across from which is the Scout Hall of the 24th Glasgow Scout Group. North, along the A809 (Drymen Road), there is New Kilpatrick Parish Church, Brookwood Library, and Bearsden Ski Club.
Baljaffray has had a Primary School since 1974, (Baljaffray Primary School) and is within the catchment area for Bearsden Academy. The symbol of Baljaffray Primary is a mine wheel, reflecting the mining history of the area. There is a small shopping precinct near the school.
s in Bearsden.
The 24th Glasgow (Bearsden) Scout Group, was formed in January 1908 and is one of the largest Groups in the UK with four Beaver Colonies, four Cub Packs
, two Scout Troops and an Explorer Unit, as well as providing a meeting place for Scout Network
. There is a published history of the group. The group is known for its many international camps, including a biennial visit to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre
since 1949 and currently has over 600 members.
The 183rd Glasgow Scout Group, was formed in 1947 by the Home Guard and has two Beaver Colonies, two Cub Packs, one Scout Troop and an Explorer Unit. It currently has over 130 members.
Both Groups are part of the Clyde Region of the Scout Association
.
Girlguiding is also active in Bearsden, with units based at Killermont Parish Church and at the Guide Hut in Pendicle Road. The local units are members of the Girlguiding Dunbartonshire.
Companies. The 1st Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade, Founded in 1898. The Company has three sections - Anchor Boys, Junior Section and Company Section. The 2nd Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade, attached to the Westerton Parish Church which was established in 1957, but the BB Company can trace its history back to before that date. The 3rd Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade is attached to the Killermont Parish Church.
East Dunbartonshire
This article is about the East Dunbartonshire council area of Scotland. See also East Dunbartonshire .East Dunbartonshire is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders onto the north-west of the City of Glasgow. It contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow as well as containing many of...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It lies on the northwestern fringe of Greater Glasgow
Greater Glasgow
Greater Glasgow is an urban settlement in Scotland consisting of all localities which are physically attached to the city of Glasgow, forming with it a single contiguous urban area...
, approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) from the City Centre
Glasgow city centre
Glasgow city centre is the central business district of Glasgow, Scotland. Is bounded by the High Street to the east, the River Clyde to the south and the M8 motorway to the west and north which was built through the Townhead, Charing Cross, Cowcaddens and Anderston areas in the 1960s...
, and is effectively a suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
, with housing development coinciding with the introduction of a railway line in 1863, and from where the town gets its name (Bearsden station
Bearsden railway station
Bearsden railway station is a railway station in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire near Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line and North Clyde Lines....
was named after a nearby cottage).
The Roman
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
Antonine Wall
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 39 miles and was about ten feet ...
runs through the town and the remains of a military Bath House
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
can be seen near the town centre. In 1649, the first New Kilpatrick
New Kilpatrick
New Kilpatrick, is an ecclesiastical Parish and former Civil Parish in Dunbartonshire. It was formed in 1649 from the eastern half of the parish of Kilpatrick , the western half forming Old Kilpatrick...
parish church was built, and became the centre of administration for the area. The town's official Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
name Cille Phàdraig Ùr reflects the name of the parish. By the early 20th century, a town had grown up with large town houses, primarily occupied by wealthy businessmen.
Further development of more affordable housing has increased the population of the town to approximately 28,000 and the town remains affluent. Formerly a Burgh
Burgh
A burgh was an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland and Northern England, usually a town. This type of administrative division existed from the 12th century, when King David I created the first royal burghs. Burgh status was broadly analogous to borough status, found in the rest of the United...
, local government of the town is now the responsibility of East Dumbartonshire Council, which has some departmental offices at Boclair House.
Roman
The first known settlement on the site of present-day Bearsden was a 2.5 acre (10,000 m²) RomanRoman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
fort in the second century AD
Anno Domini
and Before Christ are designations used to label or number years used with the Julian and Gregorian calendars....
. Between 142 and 144 AD, under Emperor
Roman Emperor
The Roman emperor was the ruler of the Roman State during the imperial period . The Romans had no single term for the office although at any given time, a given title was associated with the emperor...
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius
Antoninus Pius , also known as Antoninus, was Roman Emperor from 138 to 161. He was a member of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty and the Aurelii. He did not possess the sobriquet "Pius" until after his accession to the throne...
, the Romans built a stone and turf fortification, called the Antonine Wall
Antonine Wall
The Antonine Wall is a stone and turf fortification built by the Romans across what is now the Central Belt of Scotland, between the Firth of Forth and the Firth of Clyde. Representing the northernmost frontier barrier of the Roman Empire, it spanned approximately 39 miles and was about ten feet ...
, between the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
and the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
. They also built the Military Way, a road that ran parallel to the south of the wall. They built the aforementioned fort at the intersection of the Military Way, and the north-south road from Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
to Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
. In 164 AD, after only 20 years, the Romans withdrew to Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall
Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification in Roman Britain. Begun in AD 122, during the rule of emperor Hadrian, it was the first of two fortifications built across Great Britain, the second being the Antonine Wall, lesser known of the two because its physical remains are less evident today.The...
.
Little of the fort remains to be seen today. However, close to the fort was a Roman bath-house
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
, built in approximately 142–143 AD. The bath-house's remains were discovered by builders digging foundations for a housing development in 1973. The site was donated to the government, and today the remains lie well-preserved 150 metres from the town centre.
Two further stretches of the Antonine Wall's stone base can be seen in the New Kilpatrick cemetery on Boclair Road.
Modern
Prior to 1649 the area formed part of a larger parish called Kilpatrick, one part then being called West or Old KilpatrickOld Kilpatrick
Old Kilpatrick is a village in West Dunbartonshire, Scotland.The village is on the north bank of the River Clyde immediately to the north of the Forth and Clyde Canal, three miles from Clydebank on the road to Dumbarton. The Great Western Road runs through Old Kilpatrick, and the next village to...
covering Dunbarton and areas of west Dunbartonshire, such as Clydebank. The remaining part was named East or New Kilpatrick
New Kilpatrick
New Kilpatrick, is an ecclesiastical Parish and former Civil Parish in Dunbartonshire. It was formed in 1649 from the eastern half of the parish of Kilpatrick , the western half forming Old Kilpatrick...
, and covered a much greater area than Bearsden, from the River Clyde
River Clyde
The River Clyde is a major river in Scotland. It is the ninth longest river in the United Kingdom, and the third longest in Scotland. Flowing through the major city of Glasgow, it was an important river for shipbuilding and trade in the British Empire....
at Whiteinch
Whiteinch
Whiteinch is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated north of the River Clyde between the Partick and Scotstoun areas of the city...
and Yoker
Yoker
Yoker is a western district of Glasgow, in Scotland, UK, lying on the northern bank of the Clyde to the east of Clydebank. It is located approximately 5 miles west of the City Centre. From the fourteenth century a ferry has linked Yoker with the burgh of Renfrew on the south bank...
to Duntocher
Duntocher
Duntocher is a village in Dunbartonshire, Scotland.Although it is a far older settlement and still considered a village in its own right, it is administratively part of nearby Clydebank along with the neighbouring village of Hardgate and is now part of the West Dunbartonshire local authority area...
, Strathblane
Strathblane
Strathblane is a village and parish in the registration county of Stirlingshire, situated in the southwestern part of the Stirling council area, in central Scotland. It lies at the foothills of the Campsie Fells and the Kilpatrick Hills on the Blane Water, north of Glasgow, east-southeast of...
and Baldernock
Baldernock
Baldernock is a small parish in East Dunbartonshire , Scotland, ten miles to the north of Glasgow's city centre.-Geography:...
. Modern Bearsden began in an agricultural area as a small hamlet called New Kirk (or perhaps Chapelton) close to New Kilpatrick Parish Church, which was first built in 1649. Close landmarks included Canniesburn Toll, and a water mill at Garscube. The present-day church was built in 1807.
The New Kirk settlement grew in the middle of the nineteenth century when Glaswegian businessmen built houses at a commutable distance from the city. In 1863, the Glasgow and Milngavie Junction Railway opened, with a station near New Kirk called Bearsden. This was soon adopted as the name of the community. The opening of the railway led to considerable development of Bearsden, with many large Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
houses built in what is now known as Old Bearsden Conservation Area.
The Glasgow Reformatory for Girls at East Chapelton (also known as East Chapelton Home and Hillfoot Residential School) moved from Rottenrow
Rottenrow
Rottenrow is a famous street in the city of Glasgow in Scotland. It is located at Townhead, in the northern periphery of the city centre.Rottenrow dates back to the city's medieval beginnings, and once connected the historic High Street to the northern reaches of what is now the Cowcaddens area. ...
to Bearsden in the late 1860s. Managed by Glasgow Corporation, the countryside location moved the girls away from any malign influences to be found in the city and allowed the institution to be self-supporting with livestock and a vegetable garden. The girls washed their own clothes and those of local residents in the Reformatory's large laundry. In addition to girls who had fallen foul of the courts, others with problems such as malnourishment and learning difficulties were also housed at Chapelton. In 1949, around 360 girls passed through the school annually and were taken to New Kilpatrick Parish church on Sundays. The school closed in the early 1970s and after a brief period as a hall of residence for the Nautical College
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies
Glasgow College of Nautical Studies was a further education college of nautical and maritime studies, and a provider of marine and offshore training courses. It merged with Central College and Glasgow Metropolitan College in 2010 to form City of Glasgow College...
, the building was demolished to make way for a shopping centre with an Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
supermarket.
Buchanan Retreat was built in 1890 by the Buchanan sisters of Bellfield, near Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
, in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
. It was taken over by Bearsden Burgh in 1962 and used as council offices (pictured below under Administration). Still used by East Dunbartonshire council today, it is known as Boclair House. The Schaw Home (pictured) was built in 1895 by Miss Marjory Shanks Schaw in memory of her brother and gifted to Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The building has now been split into private residential apartments.
In 1906, many buildings were built at Bearsden Cross by Mathew Henderson (he also tried, unsuccessfully, to develop another commuter suburb at Drumchapel
Drumchapel
Drumchapel , known to locals and residents as 'The Drum', is part of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, having been annexed from Dunbartonshire in 1938. It borders Bearsden to the east and Clydebank to the west . The area is bordered by Knightswood and Yoker in Glasgow. The name derives from the...
). Westerton Garden suburb was built around 1913 and is also now a conservation area near Westerton station. Near this is the site of the former Canniesburn Hospital, which has many Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
buildings and where pioneering plastic surgery
Plastic surgery
Plastic surgery is a medical specialty concerned with the correction or restoration of form and function. Though cosmetic or aesthetic surgery is the best-known kind of plastic surgery, most plastic surgery is not cosmetic: plastic surgery includes many types of reconstructive surgery, hand...
was performed, notably on the Boy David who was featured on many television programmes and was adopted by one of the doctors there. The hospital site has now been developed into flats, but much of the character has been retained and copied. A further station in Bearsden is at Hillfoot.
Bearsden continued to expand in the twentieth century as residents built large independently-designed villas, estates of bungalow
Bungalow
A bungalow is a type of house, with varying meanings across the world. Common features to many of these definitions include being detached, low-rise , and the use of verandahs...
s, and other types of houses. Few sites are now left unoccupied.
In 1958, Bearsden became a Burgh. Then, in 1975, it became part of Bearsden & Milngavie District Council. Since 1996, it is one of the five towns of East Dunbartonshire Council.
Toponymy
Bearsden was first known as Kirktoun(e) or New/Easter Kilpatrick village, all of which relate to the parish church situated in the centre of the town. There is no evidence that the village itself (rather than the parishNew Kilpatrick
New Kilpatrick, is an ecclesiastical Parish and former Civil Parish in Dunbartonshire. It was formed in 1649 from the eastern half of the parish of Kilpatrick , the western half forming Old Kilpatrick...
) was ever called "New Kilpatrick" by locals (by the mid 19th century the houses near to the church had come to be called New Kirk) but nevertheless, the name appears over the village on old maps (see image below) and the town's official Gaelic
Scottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
name is Cille Phàdraig Ùr.
The current name Bearsden originated from the railway station
Bearsden railway station
Bearsden railway station is a railway station in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire near Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line and North Clyde Lines....
built in 1863, but the origin of the name itself is unresolved. The station was named after a house near the station site (to avoid confusion with Old Kilpatrick station), but it may have been a name for the immediate area.
The meaning behind the name "Bearsden" may be one of the following:
- A nickname given to the area of the Manse Burn by a Garscube heir
- It relates to the barley (bear) that grew in the glen (dene)
- It could be related to Gaelic, meaning "entrenchments of the fort"
- The most common explanation is that the sons of a local laird once kept a pet bear in a den there, but there is no evidence to support this.
Indeed, as Dr James McCardel pointed out in his book "The Parish of New Kilpatrick", captive bears do not live in dens, but in pits, and "the wisest course is frankly to admit that the derivation [of the name of Bearsden] is unknown".
The Scots
Scots language
Scots is the Germanic language variety spoken in Lowland Scotland and parts of Ulster . It is sometimes called Lowland Scots to distinguish it from Scottish Gaelic, the Celtic language variety spoken in most of the western Highlands and in the Hebrides.Since there are no universally accepted...
motto on the Bearsden coat of arms is "Bear the Gree" (a phrase occurring frequently in Scots literature from about 1420, including in Robert Burns
Robert Burns
Robert Burns was a Scottish poet and a lyricist. He is widely regarded as the national poet of Scotland, and is celebrated worldwide...
' A Man's a Man for A' That) which means 'to hold or win first place'.
History of Sport and Leisure
The Bearsden Amateur Football Club was constituted in 1890 and its founders were drawn mainly from the employees of the staging post, originally situated at Bearsden Cross. Their first ground was in Drymen road, now the site of the public hall and All Saints church and when the ground was re-developed the club moved on to Station Road where they played until the club disbanded on the outbreak of war in 1914.In 1919 the club reformed and played for the first time on their present ground at Thorn Park.
The club won the Scottish Amateur Cup
Scottish Amateur Cup
The Scottish Amateur Cup is a nationwide knockout tournament supported and organised by the Scottish Amateur Football Association. The Scottish Amateur Cup is competed for by hundreds of football clubs every year.- Winners :-External links:*...
in 1961-62
1961-62 in Scottish football
The 1961–62 season was the 65th season of competitive football in Scotland.-Scottish League Division One:Dundee had an excellent start to the season, including a 5–1 win away to Rangers, and having a seemingly invincible lead by Christmas. A poorrun of form in the new year, including a...
, beating Pencaitland 1-0 at Hampden Park
Hampden Park
Hampden Park is a football stadium in the Mount Florida area of Glasgow, Scotland. The 52,063 capacity venue serves as the national stadium of football in Scotland...
. Presently they participate in the Caledonian Amateur Football League
Caledonian Amateur Football League
The Caledonian Amateur Football League is a football league competition for amateur clubs in Scotland. It was formed in 1983 as an attempt to improve facilities for amateur teams, with high standards being set for admittance to the competition...
.
The Glasgow Golf Club is one of the world's oldest, founded in 1787. In 1904 the club moved premises to Killermont House and its surrounding estate, built in 1805 for the Colquhoun family. The club is unusual in having a links course (at Gailes, near Irvine
Irvine, North Ayrshire
Irvine is a new town on the coast of the Firth of Clyde in North Ayrshire, Scotland. According to 2007 population estimates, the town is home to 39,527 inhabitants, making it the biggest settlement in North Ayrshire....
) in addition to its home course.
Demography
Bearsden is primarily a middle-class commuterCommuting
Commuting is regular travel between one's place of residence and place of work or full time study. It sometimes refers to any regular or often repeated traveling between locations when not work related.- History :...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
, with its residents travelling into Glasgow each day to work or study. The majority of its housing stock is detached. According to the 2001 census
United Kingdom Census 2001
A nationwide census, known as Census 2001, was conducted in the United Kingdom on Sunday, 29 April 2001. This was the 20th UK Census and recorded a resident population of 58,789,194....
of Scotland, the area comprises 10,417 households, with a total population of 27,967. This is an increase of 0.6% (or 161 people) since 1991, when the population stood at 27,806 (there are an average of 2.64 people per household). Of these, 8,306 are over 55 years old, 17,700 are in social class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
ABC1
NRS social grade
The NRS social grades are a system of demographic classification used in the United Kingdom. They were originally developed by the National Readership Survey in order to classify readers, but are now used by many other organisations for wider applications and have become a standard for market...
, and 6,052 are in social class C2DE. 73% of working residents surveyed travel to work by car, 16% by train
Train
A train is a connected series of vehicles for rail transport that move along a track to transport cargo or passengers from one place to another place. The track usually consists of two rails, but might also be a monorail or maglev guideway.Propulsion for the train is provided by a separate...
or bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
, 5% by other methods, and 6% work mainly at home. Many of the west of Scotland's most expensive houses are in the Old Bearsden Outstanding Conservation Area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
- Bearsden's postcode (G61) was ranked 7th richest in the UK by a 2005 survey, with an estimated 176 millionaires living there.
The graphic (shown on right) is a summary of maps of the area from 1832 onwards. These demonstrate the growth of the town to its current extent from a large number of disconnected dwellings to a large settlement spreading from the New Kirk area. The relative size of houses (and corresponding affluence of households) tends to increase with increasing age, but this is not a strict rule.
There are two senior schools in the town, Bearsden Academy
Bearsden Academy
Bearsden Academy is a non-denominational, state secondary school in Bearsden, a suburb of Glasgow, Scotland.-History:The school was founded in 1911, sharing a building at Bearsden Cross with Bearsden Primary School. This building is still in use as the current Bearsden Primary site. In 1958, the...
and Boclair Academy
Boclair Academy
Boclair Academy is a co-educational comprehensive secondary school located in the Greater Glasgow suburb of Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The school serves pupils aged 11 – 18 from Southern Bearsden and Torrance...
which both enjoy a strong reputation for excellence. The High School of Glasgow
High School of Glasgow
The High School of Glasgow is an independent, co-educational day school in Glasgow, Scotland. Founded as the Choir School of Glasgow Cathedral in around 1124, it is the oldest school in Scotland, and the twelfth oldest in the United Kingdom. It remained part of the Church as the city's grammar...
has a primary school section in the town - this is the result of a merger between the school and the former Drewsteignton Home School, founded in 1922.
Administration
Bearsden forms two East Dunbartonshire Council wards (there are eight in total), called Bearsden North and Bearsden South. Each Ward has three councillors elected through a single transferable voteSingle transferable vote
The single transferable vote is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through preferential voting. Under STV, an elector's vote is initially allocated to his or her most preferred candidate, and then, after candidates have been either elected or eliminated, any surplus or...
system.
Ward 2 - Bearsden North
- Duncan Cumming (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
- Ian Mackay (Scottish National Party)
- Amanda Stewart (Scottish Conservative & Unionist)
Bearsden North is part of the Clydebank and Milngavie
Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Clydebank and Milngavie is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
constituency in the Scottish Parliament
Scottish Parliament
The Scottish Parliament is the devolved national, unicameral legislature of Scotland, located in the Holyrood area of the capital, Edinburgh. The Parliament, informally referred to as "Holyrood", is a democratically elected body comprising 129 members known as Members of the Scottish Parliament...
. The MSP is Gil Paterson
Gil Paterson
Gil Paterson, born in Glasgow, 1942 is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the Clydebank and Milngavie constituency, which he gained from Labour on 5 May 2011....
(SNP); elected on 5 May 2011.
Ward 3 - Bearsden South
- Graeme Douglas (Scottish National Party)
- Ashay Ghai (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
- Vaughan Moody (Scottish Liberal Democrats)
Bearsden South is part of the Strathkelvin and Bearsden
Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Scottish Parliament constituency)
Strathkelvin and Bearsden is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament . It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament by the first past the post method of election...
constituency in the Scottish Parliament. The MSP is Fiona McLeod
Fiona McLeod
Fiona McLeod is a Scottish politician. She is the Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for Strathkelvin and Bearsden constituency...
(SNP); elected on 5 May 2011.
Both consituencies form part of the West of Scotland regional list
West of Scotland (Scottish Parliament electoral region)
West of Scotland is one of the eight electoral regions of the Scottish Parliament which were created in 1999. Nine of the parliament's 73 first past the post constituencies are sub-divisions of the region and it elects seven of the 56 additional-member Members of the Scottish Parliament...
in the Scottish Parliament. The town is also part of the East Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)
East Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
constituency in the UK Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
at Westminster. The current MP is Jo Swinson
Jo Swinson
Jo Swinson is a Scottish Liberal Democrat politician and Member of Parliament for East Dunbartonshire constituency, a suburban and semi-rural area to the north of Glasgow in Scotland, and is the Deputy Leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats...
(Liberal Democrat).
Transport links
Bearsden can be accessed by rail from BearsdenBearsden railway station
Bearsden railway station is a railway station in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire near Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line and North Clyde Lines....
, Westerton
Westerton railway station
Westerton railway station is a railway station that serves the Westerton district in the town of Bearsden, Scotland.The station is served by First ScotRail as part of the SPT network...
or Hillfoot
Hillfoot railway station
Hillfoot railway station is a railway station in Bearsden, East Dunbartonshire near Glasgow, Scotland. The station is managed by First ScotRail and lies on the Argyle Line and North Clyde Line.It was opened on 1 May 1900 after the railway was double tracked....
stations.
It can also be accessed by road, of which the main routes are:
| Road | Starting point | Ending point | Common names |
|---|---|---|---|
| A739 | Canniesburn Toll | Craigton | Bearsden Road, Switchback Road |
| A809 | Canniesburn Toll | Drymen | Drymen Road, Stockiemuir Road |
| A808 | Bearsden Cross | Kirkintilloch | Roman Road, Boclair Road |
| A81 | Centre of Glasgow | Callander | Milngavie Road, Maryhill Road |
Bus routes running through Bearsden are (as of November 2010):
| Number | Starting point | Ending point | Route |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | Glasgow | Baljaffray | Via Maryhill-Canniesburn-Bearsden |
| 17 | Glasgow | Duntocher | Via St Georges Cross-Maryhill-Canniesburn |
| 40D | Glasgow | Duntocher | Via Maryhill-Bearsden |
| 85 | Gartnavel (Hospital) | Circular | Via Anniesland-Bearsden-Mosshead |
| 118 | Glasgow | Duntocher | Via Cowcaddens-Garnethill-Kelvinbridge-Kelvinside |
Neighbourhoods
Neighbourhoods in Bearsden, like those in many other towns, do not have clear boundaries; where places like Kessington were once a few houses together surrounded by agricultural land, they now merge with other (once distinct) areas, like Killermont. In general terms, however, the neighbourhoods of Bearsden can be described as follows:- Bearsden Cross lies at the very centre of the town, at the intersection of Roman Road and Drymen Road. It was formerly known as New Kirk, as can be seen on postcards from the early 20th century.
- Old Bearsden describes the area where large houses in Central / West Bearsden (Ledcameroch, St Germains and Lochbrae) have long since been demolished and redeveloped before 1930 into some of the most desirable residential areas of the country with sizeable sandstone villas. The term generally includes Bearsden Cross.
- Westerton is to the Southwest of the town, particularly the conservation area of 1920s buildings, shops, library and church around Maxwell Avenue, having clear boundaries with DrumchapelDrumchapelDrumchapel , known to locals and residents as 'The Drum', is part of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, having been annexed from Dunbartonshire in 1938. It borders Bearsden to the east and Clydebank to the west . The area is bordered by Knightswood and Yoker in Glasgow. The name derives from the...
, KnightswoodKnightswoodKnightswood is a suburban district in Glasgow, containing 4 areas: Knightswood North or High Knightswood, Knightswood South or Low Knightswood, Knightswood Park and Blairdardie. It has a golf course and park, and good transport links with the rest of the city. Garscadden and Scotstounhill railway...
and NethertonNetherton, GlasgowNetherton is a district of Glasgow, in the north of the city, bounded by Temple to the south, Knightswood to the west while Westerton in Bearsden lies to the North and East. Netherton appears in Joan Blaeu's 1662 Atlas of Scotland and many subsequent old maps...
in Glasgow. It has its own train station, Westerton railway stationWesterton railway stationWesterton railway station is a railway station that serves the Westerton district in the town of Bearsden, Scotland.The station is served by First ScotRail as part of the SPT network...
and primary school (Westerton Primary School). - Castlehill/Courthill and Baljaffray lie to the Northwest of the town, and principally compose of post-1970 developments, but the names themselves are considerably older.
- Mosshead lies to the North of the town, having a boundary with Milngavie.
- Hillfoot lies to the East of the town centre, and was once a large house, demolished and built on in the first half of the 20th century.
- Kessington and Killermont cover the remainder of the East of Bearsden, a rough dividing line between the two being from Kessington Hall to Boclair Academy.
- Chapelton is shown on some of the oldest maps of the area. Originally just a few houses on Drymen Road south of New Kirk, the area could now be said to extend between Milngavie Road, Drymen Road and Roman Road.
- To the South and West of Chapelton is Canniesburn, formerly the site of a tollhouse and smithy, now a huge roundabout. Canniesburn Hospital was demolished in 2007 and premium residences now stand on the site.
Town centre
This aerial photo of Bearsden Cross may be useful when reading the following paragraph. It looks south, and the main road running in the vertical direction is Drymen Road. The single (very straight) road which intersects Drymen Road near the centre of the picture is Roman Road.
The town centre is located at the intersection of the A809 (Drymen Road) and A808 (Roman Road). It is known as Bearsden Cross, and, as of December 2005, its surrounding roads were being upgraded by East Dunbartonshire council. Bearsden Primary School, the Burgh Hall, Bearsden Cross Parish Church, at present using the former Bearsden South Church building, and All Saints Episcopal Church are all located immediately next to the town centre. A quarter of a mile east along the A808 (Roman Road), there is a Roman bath-house, across from which is the Scout Hall of the 24th Glasgow Scout Group. North, along the A809 (Drymen Road), there is New Kilpatrick Parish Church, Brookwood Library, and Bearsden Ski Club.
Baljaffray
Baljaffray is a housing estate in the town. The area now known as "South Baljaffray", encircled by one road, Grampian Way, was the first phase of housing in the early 1970s. In the 1980s, North Baljaffray was built. The two areas are divided by Baljaffray Road. The Manse Burn separates South Baljaffray from an older housing estate, Bonnaughton, to the South, while the east boundary with Mosshead is defined by Stockiemuir Road.Baljaffray has had a Primary School since 1974, (Baljaffray Primary School) and is within the catchment area for Bearsden Academy. The symbol of Baljaffray Primary is a mine wheel, reflecting the mining history of the area. There is a small shopping precinct near the school.
Academia & Arts
- Jessie M. King, Scottish painter and member of the Glasgow GirlsGlasgow Society of Lady ArtistsThe Glasgow Society of Lady Artists was founded in 1882 by eight female students of the Glasgow School of Art with the aim of according due recognition to women in the field of art....
, was born in the New Kilpatrick manse as the daughter of the minister - Edwin Morgan, The Scots Makar and Poet LaureatePoet LaureateA poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
, was resident in Bearsden for many years, and featured the town in some of his works (e.g. the sonnet "Carboniferous")
Community
- Alec J. SpaldingAlec J. SpaldingAlec J. Spalding MBE was a prominent figure in the UK Scout Association, serving in the 24th Glasgow Scout Group for over fifty years. In recognition of his service to Scouting, he received the Silver Wolf and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire...
MBEMBEMBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(9 August 1923 – 2 October 2007), Scout Leader of the 24th Glasgow (Bearsden) Scout Group for over 50 years, recipient of the Silver WolfSilver WolfThe Silver Wolf is the highest award made by The Scout Association "for services of the most exceptional character." It is an unrestricted gift of the Chief Scout...
Politics & Commerce
- Baron Macfarlane of BearsdenNorman Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of BearsdenNorman Somerville Macfarlane, Baron Macfarlane of Bearsden, is a Scottish industrialist and Conservative member of the House of Lords....
, Scottish industrialist and Conservative member of the House of Lords
Sport
- Alan McManusAlan McManusAlan McManus is a Scottish professional snooker player, known for his tactical play and safety shots, giving rise to his nickname "Angles" McManus.-Career:...
, snookerSnookerSnooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player - Alex McLeishAlex McLeishAlexander "Alex" McLeish , is a Scottish former professional footballer and manager, who is currently managing English Premier League club Aston Villa...
, former manager of the Scotland national football teamScotland national football teamThe Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872... - David MoyesDavid MoyesDavid William Moyes is an association football manager and former player, currently managing English Premier League club Everton. He was the 2003, 2005 and 2009 League Managers Association Manager of the Year...
, manager of Everton F.C
Entertainment
- Edwyn CollinsEdwyn CollinsEdwyn Stephen Collins is an Ivor Novello Award winning Scottish musician, playing mostly electric guitar-driven pop. Collins formed the musical group Nu-Sonics in 1976, which later became Orange Juice...
(musician / former member of Orange JuiceOrange JuiceOrange Juice was a Scottish post-punk band founded in the middle class Glasgow suburb of Bearsden as the Nu-Sonics in 1976. Edwyn Collins formed the Nu-Sonics with his school-mate Alan Duncan and was subsequently joined by James Kirk and Steven Daly, who left a band called The Machetes. The band...
) - Tommy CunninghamTommy CunninghamThomas "Tommy" Cunningham is a Scottish musician, best known as the drummer for Wet Wet Wet.Cunningham's father, Tom Sr., bought his son his first drum kit in 1977, "down the Social Club for £15"...
, drummer of Wet Wet WetWet Wet WetWet Wet Wet are a Scottish pop rock band that formed in the 1980s. They scored a number of hits in the British charts and around the world. The band is composed of Marti Pellow , Tommy Cunningham , Graeme Clark and Neil Mitchell... - Darius DaneshDarius DaneshDarius Campbell , also known as Darius Danesh or simply Darius, is a British Iranian platinum-selling singer-songwriter, a West End stage actor, operatic baritone, Sunday Times best-selling author, and an Ambassador for The Prince's Trust.He established himself as a popular West End leading...
, pop singer - Alex KapranosAlex KapranosAlexander Paul Kapranos Huntley , commonly known as Alex Kapranos, is a United Kingdom-based musician who is the lead singer and the guitarist of the Glasgow band Franz Ferdinand.-Early life:...
vocalist with the Glaswegian band Franz FerdinandFranz Ferdinand (band)Franz Ferdinand are a Scottish post-punk revival band formed in Glasgow in 2002. The band is composed of Alex Kapranos , Bob Hardy , Nick McCarthy , and Paul Thomson .The band first experienced chart success when their second single, "Take Me Out", reached #3 in... - Moultrie KelsallMoultrie KelsallMoultrie Rowe Kelsall was a Scottish film and television character actor, who began his career in the industry as a radio station director and television producer...
, character actor (b.1901, d.1980) - Johnny McElhoneJohnny McElhoneJohn Francis "Johnny" McElhone is a Scottish guitarist and songwriter.Unusually, he has played with three, otherwise unconnected rock bands, who have all enjoyed a Top 20 presence in the UK Singles Chart. Indeed, two of those groups have repeated that feat in the UK Albums Chart...
, founder member, bass guitarist and songwriter for TexasTexas (band)Texas are a Scottish pop band from Bearsden, near Glasgow, Scotland. They were founded by Johnny McElhone in 1986 and feature Sharleen Spiteri on lead vocals. Texas made their performing debut in March 1988 at Scotland's University of Dundee...
, a blues / rock band - Alan MacNaughtanAlan MacNaughtanAlan MacNaughtan was a Scottish actor, born in Bearsden, Dunbartonshire, Scotland. An experienced Old Vic, West End and Broadway actor, he became active in television and certain films between 1954 and 1999....
, actor (b.1920, d.2002) - Moira ShearerMoira ShearerMoira Shearer, Lady Kennedy , was an internationally famous Scottish ballet dancer and actress.-Early life:She was born Moira Shearer King in Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland, the daughter of actor Harold V. King...
, dancer, actress (The Red Shoes, Tales of Hoffman, etc.) and wife of Ludovic KennedyLudovic KennedySir Ludovic Henry Coverley Kennedy was a British journalist, broadcaster, humanist and author best known for re-examining cases such as the Lindbergh kidnapping and the murder convictions of Timothy Evans and Derek Bentley, and for his role in the abolition of the death penalty in the United...
was educated at Bearsden Academy
Bearsden and Milngavie Highland Games
Highland Games for Bearsden and Milngavie are held annually at the West of Scotland Rugby Ground.Bearsden Ski Club
Bearsden Ski Club was formed circa 1964 by a small band of enthusiasts. The club has a membership of about 1200 skiers, boarders and social members. The club facilities include the Main alpine slope, two nursery slopes, a freestyle slope and a club house. it provides for awide range of activities from skiing cross-country on one of their trips to tubing on the freestyle slope--94.13.32.133 (talk) 22:30, 24 October 2011 (UTC)Bearsden Chess Club
Bearsden have a competitive chess club, with one team from the club winning the Glasgow Division 1 League outright in 2010.Scouting and Girlguiding
There are two Scout GroupScout Group
The Scout Group is the local organisation for Scouting in most countries where it is active. It combines together the different sections into a single body. Scout Groups can consist of any number of sections in the different Age Groups in Scouting and Guiding...
s in Bearsden.
The 24th Glasgow (Bearsden) Scout Group, was formed in January 1908 and is one of the largest Groups in the UK with four Beaver Colonies, four Cub Packs
Cub Scouts (The Scout Association)
Cub Scouts or Cubs are an age-based section of The Scout Association for young boys and girls ages 8 to 10½. This section follows on from the Beaver Scouts and Cubs will move on to Scouts at the age of 10½. The section originally opened as Wolf Cubs in 1916...
, two Scout Troops and an Explorer Unit, as well as providing a meeting place for Scout Network
Scout Network
The Scout Network is the fifth and final section of The Scout Association in the United Kingdom, catering for 18- to 25-year-olds and introduced in 2001, following the review of UK Scouting. It, along with the Explorer Scout section, replaced the Venture Scouts...
. There is a published history of the group. The group is known for its many international camps, including a biennial visit to the Kandersteg International Scout Centre
Kandersteg International Scout Centre
Kandersteg International Scout Centre is an international Scout centre in Kandersteg, Switzerland. The centre provides lodges, chalets and campsites covering 17 hectares of land. It is open to Scouts year round, as well as to non-Scouts for most of the year...
since 1949 and currently has over 600 members.
The 183rd Glasgow Scout Group, was formed in 1947 by the Home Guard and has two Beaver Colonies, two Cub Packs, one Scout Troop and an Explorer Unit. It currently has over 130 members.
Both Groups are part of the Clyde Region of the Scout Association
The Scout Association
The Scout Association is the World Organization of the Scout Movement recognised Scouting association in the United Kingdom. Scouting began in 1907 through the efforts of Robert Baden-Powell. The Scout Association was formed under its previous name, The Boy Scout Association, in 1910 by the grant...
.
Girlguiding is also active in Bearsden, with units based at Killermont Parish Church and at the Guide Hut in Pendicle Road. The local units are members of the Girlguiding Dunbartonshire.
Boys' Brigade
Bearsden has three Boys' BrigadeBoys' Brigade
For the 80s New Wave band from Canada, see Boys Brigade .The Boys' Brigade is an interdenominational Christian youth organisation, conceived by William Alexander Smith to combine drill and fun activities with Christian values...
Companies. The 1st Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade, Founded in 1898. The Company has three sections - Anchor Boys, Junior Section and Company Section. The 2nd Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade, attached to the Westerton Parish Church which was established in 1957, but the BB Company can trace its history back to before that date. The 3rd Bearsden Company of the Boys' Brigade is attached to the Killermont Parish Church.