Barclays banks on history as streets and buildings named

The names of streets and buildings in a new development on the Clyde riverbank in Glasgow have been revealed.

Barclays unveiled the place names of its Tradeston campus on Tuesday, paying tribute to the industrial heritage of the area.

In the early 1800s, Tradeston was developed as a manufacturing district by Trades House, which was a union of city craftsmen including bakers, tailors, weavers, joiners, coopers, hammermen and maltmen.

Birds eye view of Glasgow from the University of Glasgow Library archive.

The bank’s project team researched as far back as the 1500s to find inspiration and local historical references for the names of the five buildings which form the campus.

They will be called:

Clyde Place House – the B-listed Kingston House, which dates back to 1878, is being restored to its original name.
Tradescroft – developed in the 1790s after Trades House purchased the plot of land which was previously part of the larger area of the Barony of the Gorbals.
Windmillcroft – the area of Windmill Croft dates back to the 1700s, named for its windmill sitting on the banks of the Clyde just to the west of the site.
Wellcroft – likely named after wells or springs in the location which later became the start of the Paisley and Johnstone canal built to support the local coal industry.
Grays Hill – just to the south of the campus site, the area was commonly called “clay holes” thought to be due to the leftover materials used by the local brickworks.

The street crossing the development will be named Clyde Place Lane leading to Clyde Place Square, an outdoor community event space.

Scott Stewart, head of Barclays Scotland, said: “As we move closer to opening the doors to the campus this year, we were keen to involve our colleagues in a meaningful way. Their desire to recognise Glasgow’s heritage was resounding.

“We wanted the names to be both an accurate and sensitive representation of the area’s history which is why we worked closely with the University of Glasgow and Glasgow City Council to achieve this.

“It is really quite fitting that the campus, which will be a state-of-the-art expression of modern industry, pays tribute to Glasgow’s rich industrial past.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who is also the MSP for the Glasgow Southside constituency, said: “The Barclays campus is a fantastic development for my constituency and for Glasgow as a whole and it’s great to see it reach this milestone.

“Glasgow grew out of the River Clyde and it is so important that the city’s history is remembered in our modern developments.

“I’m delighted that Barclays has chosen to draw on the industrial heritage of the area to name the streets and buildings and look forward to seeing the campus opening later this year.”

Councillor Susan Aitken, leader of Glasgow City Council, said: “Glasgow cherishes its heritage. We live with it in our everyday lives.

“The street and building names of Barclays’ Glasgow Campus have been chosen well, reflecting Tradeston’s role in our history and development.

“We can all look forward to the campus contributing to Glasgow’s economic renewal, and becoming a symbol of the regeneration of both Tradeston and the ongoing return of life to the Clyde.”

The Barclays Glasgow Campus will comprise more than 500,000 square feet of office space when complete and will include retail and community amenities.

The development will be able to accommodate up to 5000 people making Barclays one of Glasgow’s largest financial services employers.