Topographical, statistical, and historical gazetteer of Scotland > Volume 1

GLASGOW.
651
ment, amid the beauty of nature and the refinement
of art, Memory may echo back the long-lost accents
of departed worth, — Imagination may paint with the
tints of vitality the buried form of early affection, —
Reason may preach her consolatory lesson of immor-
tality, and Religion may point to the mercy-seat on
high ! " — Another new and extensive cemetery has
recently been formed in the neighbourhood of
Glasgow, and a joint-stock-company formed under
the designation of the " City Burial-ground Insti-
tution, and Pere la Chaise of Sighthill." Sighthill
is about 1J- mile from the Cross, on the road lead-
ing to Kirkintilloch ; and every facility has been
granted here to the humbler classes for the purchase
of separate lairs The Gorbals cemetery has also
been instituted within the year, on similar prin-
ciples, of moderate charge, which is taken in small
instalments. It is situated on the lands of Little
Govan, at a short distance from the banks of Clyde.*
From this extensive formation of burying-grounds
beyond the bounds of the city, it is extremely pro-
bable that those unsightly mounds of mortality which
are situated in the centre of a crowded population
mil soon cease to be used.
State of Crime.
In a large manufacturing and commercial com-
munity such as Glasgow, the state of crime must
at all times be a subject of vast importance; and
it is fortunate that our report in this case will be a
favourable one as contrasted with many of the
large towns in the empire. At the meeting of
the British Association, held in Glasgow in Sep-
tember, 1840, elaborate statistical papers on this
subject were read by the superintendent of the Glas-
gow police, the superintendent of Gorbals, one of
the magistrates of Calton, and the superintendent of
Anderston. These go to prove that, though the po-
pulation is rapidly on the increase, crime has decreased,
— and that thefts, when committed, are generally in
articles of the most trumpery value ; while robbery,
thefts by housebreaking, and other offences of a grave
nature, are now of rare occurrence. This satisfactory
result can only be traced to the admirable organiza-
tion and superintendence of the police, in which re-
spect Glasgow contrasts favourably with every other
city in the kingdom. The following table and ex-
tracts regarding the royalty of Glasgow will be in-
teresting : —
Table showing the number of cases brought before the Police
court, Glasgow, and the amount of fines recovered each year,
from 1B26 to 1839, both inclusive :—
Number Amonnt of
YEAH. of Cases. Fines.
£ s. d.
1826, . . . 6,971 828 4 9
1827, . . . 6,495 1,417 5 1
1828, . . . 7,123 1,544 13 10
1529, . . . 7.5S7 1,606 2 9
1530, . . . 7,376 1,376 1 8
1831, . . 7,591 1,108 10 4
1832, . . . 7,631 1,037 4 11
1833, . . . 6.11S 813 12 8
1834, . . . 5.126 851 14 4
1S35, . . . 4,627 804 10
1836, . . ■ . 4,247 576 4 11
1837, . . . 3,689 367 18 7
1838, . . . 5.010 559 19 10
1839, . . . 5,047 762 3
* When the purchase of the original seven acres for the
Gorbals or Southern Necropolis was being made, it was men-
tioned to Mr. Gilmour, the proprietor, that three additional
acres would likely be required; upon which that gentleman
said, he had long been thinking of buildiDg a school, and,
therefore, should ten acres in ail be taken — that is, three in
addition to the seven already purchased — he would at once
make over to the committee £2,000 in money, and £500
in ground, iu all £2,500, for the purpose of building a school
and sinking a fund for the payment of the teacher's salary.
The school to be for the free education of the orphan children
o/ the subscribers, and to be, in like manner with the Necro-
polis, under their management. Mr. Gilmour's liberal offer has
been accepted.
The number of persons sent to the Glasgow bridewell from
the Justtce-of-peace court, for offences of every kind, in the
year 1836, was 224; in 1837, 412; in 183S. 101; in 1839,493;
and for the period ending on ISth August. 1840. 535. Of these
offenders, during the two years ending ISrh August, 1840, 137
were sent to bridewell for periods of from 5 to 60 days, for the
non-paymentof fines varying from 5s. to £5. The numberof per-
sons sentenced to be executed in Glasgow from the year 1820 to
1340, both inclusive, was 66 ; of whom 45 were hanged, and 21
had their sentences commuted to transportation for life. Of the
persons executed, 3 were females. There have been only four
executions in Glasgow since 1833: viz. three for murder, and
one for throwing vitriol with intent to murder. The estimated
value of property stolen within the police-bounds, and reported
at the office during the year 1839, including watches and money
taken from the persons of individuals in a state of intoxication,
was £7,653 10s.; the estimated value of property recovered,
£1,260 10s.; the number of attempts at housebreaking dis-
covered by the police, 84; the average number of disorderly
women found on the streets at night, and brought to the office,
50; the number of criminal informations lodged in the course
of the year, 3,725; and the number of cases actually brought
into court, 5,047.
The existence of crime in Glasgow may be traced
in a great measure to intemperance, and the encour-
agement to it presented by no fewer than 2,300
licensed public-houses, or other places for the sale
of exciseable liquors, which exist in the city and
suburbs. A vast number of these are tippling-dens
of the lowest description ; and it is presumed that
they might be greatly thinned with infinite advantage
to the community There are within the city 33
licensed pawnbrokers, and 400 small unlicensed
brokers, in addition to nearly 300 of the latter class
in the suburbs. These ' wee pawns,' as they are
termed, carry on business on a most ruinous system ;
they exact an exorbitant rate of interest, and in very
many instances they become the owners of the goods
unpledged, if the trifle advanced upon them is not
punctually paid. Occasionally, too, they act in the
still more discreditable capacity of resetters. A
remedy, to a certain extent, has been applied to this
system of plundering the poor in Calton, by the in-
troduction of a wholesome police-regulation, render-
ing it imperative upon brokers, before commencing
business, to register in the office of police, and pro-
cure a certificate from a magistrate, as well as keep
a book in which they must enter the name and ad-
dress of the party selling, the price paid, and de-
scription of every article purchased by them in
their business. These small brokers are also regis-
tered in Gorbals. The amalgamation of all the
police-establishments in Glasgow and the suburbs
under one separate head or board has frequently en-
gaged public attention, — that is, of Glasgow proper
with a supposed population of 175,000, and the three
suburbs with a presumed population of 97,000; but
it is not the province of this work to give an opinion
on the subject. At all events, the sufficiency of the
city-establishment has long been amply acknowledged,
particularly by the Lords-of-justiciary, and it is not
hinted that the suburban management is less so.
Notice has, however, been given of a new police bill
for Glasgow, to be introduced in session 1S42, by
which the criminal department of the city and sub-
urbs is proposed to be placed under the manage-
ment of a board separate and independent of the
present commissioners. The police-system of Glas-
gow, under its present management, contrasts most
favourably with the amount of force requisite for
the protection of other large cities of the kingdom.
In London the police-force is supposed to be 4,500,
being as one man to 355 of the inhabitants ; in Liver-
pool the police-force is 600, being as 1 to 442 of the
inhabitants; in Dublin it is 1,170, being as 1 to 256
of the inhabitants ; and in Glasgow the city police-
force is 223, being as 1 to 784 of the inhabitants.
The following very minute and circumstantial
table — which is novel of the kind — with the accom-
panying remarks, has been kindly prepared for this
work, by the superintendent of the Glasgow police :