Ann McKechin MP

Labour Member of Parliament for Glasgow North

Glasgow North Constituency

The Glasgow North constituency stretches from Summerston in the North through Maryhill and most of the West End of the city to as far as Woodlands on the edge of the city centre. It includes the areas of Acre, Summerston, Maryhill Park, Gairbraid, Gilshochill, Cadder, Ruchill, North Kelvinside, Maryhill, Wyndford, Kelvindale, Hyndland, Dowanhill, Partick, Hillhead, Firhill, Woodside and Woodlands. It covers the Glasgow City Council wards of Maryhill/Kelvin and Hillhead, as well as the western part of the Partick West ward and the North Kelvinside and Ruchill part of the Canal ward.

It covers part of the Scottish Parliament’s Glasgow Maryhill constituency represented by Patricia Ferguson MSP; part of the Glasgow Kelvin Scottish Parliament constituency represented by Pauline McNeill MSP; and a small part of the Scottish Parliament constituency of Glasgow Anniesland represented by Bill Butler MSP.

Partick was a Police burgh from 1852 until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city of Glasgow. The Kings of Strathclyde had a residence in Partick; the Bishops of Glasgow had a country seat in Partick and it was later the site of Partick Castle.

Maryhill’s name is derived from Mary Hill, who was the owner of the Gairbraid Estate who feud land to the Forth and Clyde Canal Company on condition that her name be given to the area. Maryhill was an independent burgh before it became part of Glasgow in 1891. The famous Maryhill Barracks was demolished in 1961 and became the Wyndford Housing Estate. The guardroom has, however, been retained and is in use as the estate office. The Roman Antonine Wall runs through the Summerston area where there is the site of a Roman camp and fort adjoining the wall.

Firhill Satdium is the home of Partick Thistle Football Club, former Scottish Cup and League Cup winners. The Forth and Clyde Canal runs through the centre of Maryhill. The canal was re-opened as part of the millennium project. The River Kelvin also runs through the constituency from Partick through Hillhead, North Kelvinside and Kelvindale.

Hyndland is a mainly residential area built predominantly in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Kelvindale is a residential area that was begun in the 1930s. Hillhead is built on land that was once the property of the Gibson family. It was an independent Police Burgh from 1869, but as Glasgow grew during the nineteenth century Hillhead merged with its larger neighbour, Glasgow, in 1891. The University of Glasgow is located in the area, having moved from its original site to its current Gilmorehill location in 1870.

The main building of the University of Glasgow at Gilmorehill is probably the most commonly recognised building in the constituency. There are a number of other very architecturally significant buildings in the constituency including the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Queen’s Cross Church, now home to the Charles Rennie Mackintosh Society; another Mackintosh building, Ruchill Church Hall: Alexander 'Greek' Thompson's Sixty Steps in North Kelvinside and Gillespie, Kidd & Coia's St. Charles Parish Church, also in North Kelvinside.

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