Street's Ahead: Husband and wife team driving force behind Necropolis clean-up campaign

Which is ironic, given it’s based in a graveyard.

SNAG – Southern Necropolis Action Group – received a £2000 Streets Ahead grant in 2014 and the cash has helped a dedicated bunch of volunteers transform the place.

Once an untidy, overgrown and neglected cemetery, it’s now well on the way to becoming a busy, much-loved and well-respected historical and environmental resource.

Footfall has increased – SNAG estimate it has doubled in the last two years – and 14 Commonwealth War Graves have been reinstated as a result of the improvements.

Colin Mackie, who had the idea for the project, and his wife Elsie, remain the driving force behind SNAG and they are delighted locals – and in particular, schools - are starting to realise the importance of the Southern Necropolis.

“Schools are central to our plans and we are very encouraged so many of them are using the Necropolis, whether it’s for historical projects or environmental topics – this is a great green space, packed with history, so it ticks a lot of boxes,” says Colin, a child development officer, who was inspired to take an interest in the graveyard by one of his high school teachers.

He is now an expert on the place and its inhabitants, who number almost a quarter of a million and include tea millionaire Thomas Lipton, architects Alexander Greek Thomson and Charles Wilson (who designed the gatehouse at the entrance to the 21-acre site), soldiers who fought in the First World War, shipbuilders and even Robert Burns’s nephew.

As well as heritage trails and health walks, SNAG run weekly litter picks and recently installed a number of birdboxes on the site with the help of primary six and seven pupils from St Francis Primary in the Gorbals.

Class teacher Julie Toner explains: “It’s been fascinating for the children to learn who is buried here and they have been excited about taking part in environmental projects like the bird box installation and litter picking.

“We have visited the Necropolis on a couple of occasions as part of our Victorians topic and we have all learned a lot.

“The pupils thought it was strange that Victorian deaths were listed in a whole range of ways that seem strange to us – ‘nostalgia’, for example, was often given as a cause of death when a husband or wife died shortly after his or her spouse!”

She smiles: “We also had a stonemason in the school, talking about his craft, and the different techniques he uses.”

Cole Cameron, 11, who is in primary seven, agrees: “It’s been really interesting learning about the history of the people buried here.

“I’ve been researching a man called George Geddes, who saved people’s lives.”

Matthew Vilakozi, 11, who is also in primary seven, adds: “The different gravestones are made of different materials like granite and marble. The stonemason who came to the school told us all about it.

“It’s been great fun putting up the birdboxes too and hoping lots of birds will come to visit.”

Fellow eleven-year-olds Nasteho Mohammed and Dishan Aloysius took part in the litter pick.

“It’s an important place so it needs to be clean and cleared up,” says Nasteho.

SNAG members are out in force in all weathers, clearing paths, weeding, cutting back the ivy and picking up litter.

Colin and Elsie are now hoping to tackle the gatehouse at the entrance to the site, improving access and lighting and restoring it to its former glory.

Colin adds: “People do have much more respect for the place and we’re really grateful to Glasgow City Council and the Evening Times Streets Ahead campaign for the ongoing support. It makes a big difference.”

He adds: “It’s great to see the enthusiasm kids have for learning about their ancestors – their families may have crossed paths with the people buried here, may even be buried here themselves.

“Everyone is part of the history of Glasgow and the stories cross over each other and reveal a lot about the city through the centuries – as my teacher used to say, this place is like a window on time.”