I would love to hear from anyone who can help me find old childhood friends and neighbours.

Thistle St Gorbals.

William Bell.
Samuel Martin.
John Mcewan.
Eddie Connor.
Sonny Best.
Tommy Irvine.
Christine Bradley.

Also from camden st helen flynn attended hollyrood school about 1960.

All the above relate to about 1950 to 1965. My name is Johnny Gallagher born thistle st 1946 left there about 1965 lived at 227 thistle st.

hi johnny
sorry i dont know any you friends but i was also born in 217 thistle st (darroch) have 2 younger brothers born 1944-1946 my mum worked in reids the bakers in cumberland st and at night in kanns chip shop betwean thistle st and crown st we moved in 1948 to househillwood but mum still worked in the chip shop until late 1950s sorry welcome aboard hope you find your pals

Hello you thistle st folks. I can never remember if my buddy " James Brady".. lived on thistle st or hospital st. If his name rings a bell and you know of his whereabouts i would love to know. He and I worked together installing lifts way back in the early 60s. Lost touch when i came to canada but would love to catch up with him again. Thanks .....andy

Hi
I was born in a room and kitchen at 125 thistle street in 1958
We had a big family mostly at Gorbals cross ballater street

To Steve Birrell, from Colin Portsmouth.
As you were born at 125 Thistle Street, did you know a Samuel Patrick Young,who lived there until his death in 1963.
He was my 1st cousin, and I am keen to learn more about his life.
e.mail: colin@omnis4.plus.com

hi, can someone please help me with info about thistle st gorbals. My father was born at 292 thistle st in 1911. Is this building still there, if not does someone know what is. I live in australia and am visiting glasgow next year, i would love to be able to stand in the approx. area where this was. Also if anyone knows what type of building this was. All i have is his birth certificate. Many thanks.

Hi Rita, Welcome to G.G. Thistle Street was tenement buildings, 292 Thistle Street was at the top end. near the "Gushet," and The Wynd Church. All those tenements were demolished in the 1960's. Were part of the old Gorbals. One of my teenage pals lived at 232 .
New Gorbals is very nice, costs a lot of money to own a house there now.

hi stratson thank you very much for your help. would you mind helping me some more. I dont know what a (Gushet) is. Also did you mean both the gushet and the wynd church have been demolished. If this is the case where would the closest point be for me to stand where 292 thistle st. once was. this info would be much appreciated. rita.

It,s such a down right shame that the gorbals is being wiped out of memory. We lived in 82 and I remember it as a vital and dynamic part of the city Alas such is not the case now. Talk about ethnic cleansing. Glasgow has made a great job of that.

hi my family name is shannon my father was born 1939 thistle st i think he lived with is granny my dad name is francis they moved to buddon street parkhead dose anyone know my family

Hi All, My family name is Hepburn and I lived at 266 Thistle St. and attended Camden St. school. Left around 1957 and moved to Arden. Later attended Shawlands 1960's

Hiya
I'm researching my family tree and I've traced my great-grandparents to 82 Thistle Street in 1915. They were immigrants from Eastern Europe. Can you tell me what kind of property it was? I'm assuming it was a tenement? In which case, how many rooms in each flat? Has the building been flattened? What was the area like?
Cheers.
Elaine

Hi Elaine
Yes it was tenements. My grandparents lived there. My family all came from Lithuania. My mum was born in 1917 so they probably were there at the same time as your family. I have a very old postcard of Thistle Street showing some shops and people standing outside of them.
Joan

Hiya

Anyone out there ever stayed at 295 Thistle Street?

Hi Joan
Thanks for your reply. What a coincidence - my great grandma was Lithuanian - we're not so sure about my great-grandpa as he may have been Ukrainian or Russian. Anyway, my grandma was born in 1910 and so was a little older than your mum - but the families may have known each other, given the Lithuanian connection. I think my great-grandparents moved round the corner to Crown Street in 1916. After that great-grandpa went to the war and never came back. I would love to hear more about the neighbourhood - I hope your mum passed on her memories of her childhood. Sadly my grandma died quite a few years ago, so I never had the chance to ask her more. I think my great grandma had a fish and chip shop at one point and maybe a boarding house but it's all very vague. Cheers. Elaine

I will be visiting Glasow in October. My father Donald Whiston and Family was born and grew up on Thistle Street. Does anyone remember them. How far is Thistle Street from The Glasgow Thistle Hotel where we will be staying?

Don't know if the old Thistle St is still standing...but the area is about 10 to 15 minute taxi ride from the Thistle Hotel in the City.......cold in October!!!..Brrrr!

Hi Elain My Dad was from a family that imigrated to Thistle St' in About 1910-15. Our Family name is Kessler. Any Help?

Sadly, Thistle Street no longer exists. There is a modern hotel there on the site that I think used to be Thistle Street - but not event a street sign is there anymore. The whole area now has modern flats and a nautical college, so nothing remains of the old buildings. Very sad.

Hi Edward

Thanks for your message. Sadly everyone of my grandma's generation has passed away, so I can't ask if the Kessler name rings bells. But I have the impression that the Thistle Street area at that time was a real melting pot of immigrants and, having visited a few months ago, I can understand why. Given its location close to the Clyde, it must have been a hive of activity back in the day. A pity that none of the original buildings remain. At some point between 1915 and 1929, the Berestovskis family moved across the river to Clyde Street - the end nearest The Briggait (Paddy's Market). At this point they shortened their name to Brest. This has got me wondering if my great-grandfather came from Brest-Litovsk in the Ukraine (now Belarus) and took his name from there. I cannot find any other Berestovskis anywhere in the Scottish records even up to present day. Alas, so many unanswered questions!

Elaine

Could you email me a copy of the picture?

i was born 1951 at 286 thistle st stayed there for a couple of years and then moved to cally rd where i had a west indian neighbour and then moved to castlemilk, i now live in OZ i was born in a single end and my next door pals were called Leitch

Was born at 75 thistle street 1945, moved to Castlemilk in 1954, I remember everything even at nine years old,those days were very innocent although we did not have much then but the people were very special and good, I remember playing in the back with just broken cups as money to play shops, and we had concerts as entertainment, the people all helped each other, I am now in the USA. Florida, and tell my kids about Glasgow,God bless!

P.S. I remember mammy throwing a piece and jam out the window, lol!

Hi,

My great-grandmother was Lithuanian and we think her husband was either Lithuanian or Latvian. They lived at 40 Crown Street and was at 142 Thistle Street in 1953 according to his death certificate. I think the Crown Street address was from 1908 when they married. We believe they came across to Glasgow around 1904-1906 but again not sure.
My great grandmother's name was Magdalene (Maggie) Letuvniku and my great grandfather was Joseph Zarancha. They married in St. Luke's in 1908. Joseph was apparently a coal miner and died in September 1953. Magdalene died in 1966 in East Kilbride.
Does anyone recognise any of these names ? How about any of their children, Jonas (John) b.1909, Alphonsas b.1910, Alice b.1912, Julie b.1915, Annellia b. 1916, Charles b. 1918, Annie b. 1922. Some of the family started using the name Rankin but not sure when this started.
I'd love to hear from anyone who recognises any of these names. My mum is also very keen to learn a little more of the family history. Likewise anyone who has any photos of Crown Street, Thistle Street or Lawmoor Street, I'd be very keen to hear from.

Many thanks
Nick Carr

My name is Ronald Gray.

I was born 214 Thistle Street on the 11th of January 1950. My sister Joyce was born on the same address in 19th of May 1951. I had two older brothers Gordon and Arthur. My Mothers Name was Sarah and my Father was Thomas.

We moved to Mansewood Glasgow in 1952.

Always interested in getting old photos of our Street, if anyone has any, it would be fantastic to see them.

R.G.

i was born in thistle st.in 1948,my father was a painter and decorator who pushed his barrow around with his paint,sheets ect..my memories of the low down flat in the close of 1room and kitch.outside toilet,was actually playing with rats , there were plenty of them.i also lost my sister,she died of scarlet fever 6years old,her name was anne duffy,father stephen,mother annie and me..we moved to cranhill around 1953ish,i think the boyles also stayed there same time and also moved to cranhill

Hello All,
My family “Fitzpatrick”, Cousins “McGinley”, Cousins “Turk” All lived in and near 112 Thistle Street From about 1899 through to the 1950s My grandmother Mrs Fitz had the Sweetie shop at 112. Until 1940 then some of us Fitzpatrick moved south. I lost all the family photos in a flood. Including some taken in that area.
Now doing Family Research for my grandchildren I would love to get a scanned copy of photo for Thistle street, I was only 2yr old when we left so only remember the street from the photos we had.

Kind Regards to all,
John.

Hi John...Have a look at this site...

Martin......

MEMORIES OF A GORBALS BOY

Hello John

If you go to the 'The Glasgow Story' website, probably via Google, you will get the name of every tenant who lived in Thistle Street in 1913.

Once you get on to this site, scroll down and click on the red writing for the Valuation Roll for 1913-14.

Once you get on to the next page, look for the box 'Where' and type in Thistle Street.

This will open up another page with a list of pages giving the details of the close numbers and the residents. You have to click on 'enlarge view' to be able to read it.

Hope you are succesful in finding your family.

Regards

Danny Harrris

DannyH - You seem to know your way around Glasgow sites. Can I access the 1911 census wothout paying?

Reply to Mat..Glasgow,
Had a look, great photos. Will contact Andy (site owner) also "ozie46" who left comment 112 Thistle st photo.
Thank you Martin,
John Fitzpatrick.


Reply to Danny H,
Found Valuation Rolls as directed. 1913/14 roll only one on site. But a very good start as I found my Grandfather at 112 Thistle St. Will search for others in nearby Streets.
Thank you Danny.
John Fitzpatrick.

cheers danny,will do...

Hello Johnny.
Mu Uncle is called Eddie Connor and he now lives in Dublin. I know he grew up on Thistle Street around that time.
Conor Keogh

Hi Nick Carr
My name is Neil Zarancha my great grandma and grandad is also your great grandma /grandad,my grandad was jonas (john) zarancha my farther is Joseph (joe) Zarancha also known as joe rankin i await any reply. Thanks Neil Zaranch

16 June 2012
I am researching the Philp family for my mother-in-law. James Philp died at his home, 75 Thistle St, on 5th January 1879. I wonder if the building where you were born was the same place. Any photos?My mother-in-law is 96 and is very interested.
I am writing from Australia. Unfortunately, I have never been to Scotland.