The city council is appealing for old photos of Glasgow’s leaning fountain to help with its refurbishment.
The Cameron Memorial Fountain at Charing Cross has been fenced off as a precaution in recent months after some tiles fell off.
Glasgow City Council is currently assessing the condition of the fountain and necessary repairs with a conservation architect.
And it is understood the structure's lean may also get fixed if experts say it can be done.
The terracotta memorial was erected 127 years ago in honour of the newspaper editor and politician Sir Charles Cameron (1841-1925).
Politician
Sir Charles was the editor of the North British Daily Mail in Glasgow, a successful Liberal politician, and one of the leaders of the Temperance Movement involved in the reform of Scottish Liquor Laws.
Cameron was a popular politician and was present at the inauguration of the fountain with his wife Lady Cameron on 24 October 1896.
The fountain is well-known for its lean, which was first noted nearly 100 years ago in 1926 when the West End News & Partick Advertiser wrote that the tilt had been reported to the Master of Works at Glasgow Corporation, as the fountain was “leaning and could fall down”.
Checks were made then and at regular intervals until the onset of war in 1939.
Further measurements and checks are understood to have taken place in 1974 and in 1995, when a cost was also established to straighten the fountain.
Glasgow City Council would be interested to see any historic photographs that the public may have of the fountain.
Glasgow City Council
In an exuberant Baroque style, the Category B listed terracotta fountain was designed by the Architect Robert Bryden of Clarke and Bell and Mr Lightbody of Doulton & Co.
The fountain is located in Woodside Crescent, and would have sat in front of the Grand Hotel which was demolished in 1969 along with many other buildings in Charing Cross to make way for the new M8 construction works.
A council spokesman said: “Glasgow City Council is currently assessing the condition of the fountain and necessary repairs with the conservation architect Fiona Sinclair.
“The fountain has recently suffered from loss of tiles to the roof structure and the surrounding area was fenced off as a precaution.
“Glasgow City Council would be interested to see any historic photographs that the public may have of the fountain.”
- Photographs can be emailed to ListedBuildings@glasgow.gov.uk and the email subject box should read CMF or Cameron Memorial Fountain.
