Whispers of history cling to the very stones of Glasgow Kelvin College West End Campus. This unassuming building on Hotspur Street holds secrets. It wasn’t always a college. It began life in 1905 as Garrioch School. A grand school for the Maryhill School Board. The building boasted a dramatic central columned window. A striking feature that still stands today.
Imagine the children who once filled these halls. Their laughter echoing through the corridors. They learned and played on the grounds. These grounds once served a very different purpose. They were part of the Kelvinside Racecourse. A short-lived but exciting piece of Glasgow’s past. A grandstand once stood here. Now only memories and the open land of North Kelvin Meadow remain.
Glasgow Kelvin College West End Campus became part of Stow College in 2000. It remained a part of Stow until the merger in 2013. The merger formed the current college. This merger brought together three colleges. John Wheatley North Glasgow and Stow colleges united to create Glasgow Kelvin College.
The West End Campus now plays a smaller role. It only offers a small percentage of the college’s overall curriculum. The college is considering consolidating its teaching. A decision is yet to be made. But the building itself remains. A testament to the changing face of education in Glasgow.
A building with a rich history. It stands as a silent observer of Glasgow’s past. It continues to shape its future one student at a time. It’s a place of learning. A place of growth. And a place with a story to tell. A story you’ve just begun to uncover.