Lost Glasgow snap finds its way back home after 40 years

THE subway has shoogled and shuttled millions of passengers under the city for over a century.

But for Donald Urquhart, a chance encounter on Glasgow’s subway in March 1975 would see his everyday commute echo across decades.

Donald was heading from the city centre to Govan, where he worked for the Milk Marketing Board.

He was probably trying to ignore the eager American art student snapping photos at the other end of his carriage.

Little did he know one of those photos would resurface four decades later, and make its way from an album in Portland, Oregon, back to Scotland.

It went on display at the Lost Glasgow photography exhibition and by chance was seen by Sheena Glass, who instantly recognised her brother

Then last month, Donald’s great-nephew Andrew contacted Norry Wilson, administrator of the Lost Glasgow site, to request a copy.

Now the photo is hanging on the wall of Donald’s old flat in Drygate, after Andrew moved in earlier this month – bringing the story full circle.

Andrew said: “We didn’t know the photo existed, nor did he, until the first day of the exhibition. Now I’ve moved into the flat he lived in for 30 years, I thought it would be nice to get a copy up on the wall.”

Andrew has fond memories of visiting the flat in his early teens to see his great-uncle, originally from Carntyne in East Glasgow. While Donald looks a little dour in Char’s picture, Andrew said: “He was a caring guy who was eccentric with a dry sense of humour.”

Donald passed away at his home in Drygate in 2009, aged 71. He was chairman of the Ladywell Tenants’ Association built on the site of the historic Northern Prison in Drygate, and he’d campaigned for CCTV cameras to be installed in the scheme.

The photo was taken by American Glasgow School of Art student Char Fitzpatrick when she was just 21.

Then in 2016, she unearthed the photos to share on the Lost Glasgow Facebook page, a site that allows people around the world to share photos and memories of the Dear Green Place.

Char, now 63, was thrilled to hear about the impact of her amateur snap.

“It’s been an absolute treat to share the photos, and to find they strike such a chord with Glaswegians more than four decades on,” she said.

“I’m delighted my snap of Mr Urquhart resides in his old home with his great-nephew.”

To this day, Char has vivid memories of the subway.

“It was like a hidden carnival ride under the streets, your body parts rattled every which way as you careened around the circuit,” she said.

The Lost Glasgow Exhibition returns to Maryhill Burgh Halls this month.

www.facebook.com/lostglasgowofficial