Cashing in the empties and the 'Corpy' buses - Glasgow in the 70s

This is Glasgow in the 1970s, a time when ordinary Glaswegians went about their daily life as their city changed around them.

These fantastic photographs are the work of Partick Camera Club’s 1970s Photographic Surveys, held now in Glasgow Museums’ collection.

They were turned into a book in 2011, called 1970s Glasgow: Through the Lens, a fascinating snapshot of the city at a time when it was rapidly evolving.

Under the leadership of Malcolm R Hill, Partick Camera Club’s first photographic survey covered Partick in 1975. Inspired by the work of local photographer Oscar Marzaroli, Hill wanted to move away from the more standard camera club fare of still-life competitions, to use the camera as a tool to document social change, and to catch the immediacy and emotional impact of the moment.

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An exhibition at the local library brought the photographs to the attention of Elspeth King, Curator at the People’s Palace, and the partnership with Glasgow Museums was born.

The collection includes Hill’s Children at Window, from 1975. Exploring derelict tenements and demolition sites provided endless hours of entertainment for children living in areas which were designated for redevelopment. These children are pictured at the window of an empty tenement in Gullane Street.

Stuart McCredie’s Dumbarton Road, also from 1975, captures the once iconic Commer van passing Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Authority bus with its ‘GG’ logo and green and orange livery. GGPTA took over the city’s public transport system on 1 June 1973 from Glasgow Corporation but for many these were still ‘Corpy’ buses. Passengers got on and off the bus at the rear of the vehicle.

Hill’s Cashing in the Empties, from 1976, is a photograph of children in Arcadia Street, Calton, showing off the empty ginger beer bottles they have collected. The pennies made – five pence per bottle back then – were a useful source of pocket money.

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Fiona Hayes, Curator of Social History, Glasgow Museums said: “This collection of photographs from the 70s provides us with a fascinating glimpse into daily life at the time. The camera club photographers have left us a rich legacy.”

Do these images spark memories for you? Get in touch to share your stories and photos.