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Glasgow Times
an hour ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Copies of world's first comic found in Barras donated to Glasgow
It might never have happened at all were it not for a lucky find at the Barras, explains the man who has generously donated his volume of The Glasgow Looking Glass to the Mitchell Library. Businessman Dr John Watson, former managing director of famous city printing firm John Watson & Co, is a direct descendant of the John Watson who printed the first editions of this famous comic. Dr Watson with the Glasgow Looking Glass (Image: Amy McLaughlin's Photography) After reading the Glasgow Times story about the 200th anniversary of the publication, he decided to donate the bound volume of issues to the city. John explains: 'The significance of the Glasgow Looking Glass cannot be underestimated. 'It was, of course, the first mass market satirical publication to use illustrations to tell stories and therefore has a unique place in the history of comics.' He adds: 'And it was seemingly lost in time, lying as it was among dusty folios at The Barras market.' READ NEXT: The Glasgow care home where residents with dementia are learning Italian It was discovered by Iain Milne, retired rugby internationalist and former sales director of Sun Chemicals, which supplied John Watson & Co with ink over many years. Startled by the find, Iain called John and handed it over to him for safekeeping. John adds: 'I was delighted to receive it and I'm very grateful to Iain for finding it. I'm even more delighted to be donating it to the city in this most special year, as Glasgow celebrates its 850th anniversary.' (Image: Amy McLaughlin's Photography) John, who recalls his father talking about premises in George Street, where Glasgow Looking Glass was originally printed, sold the business in 2013. Since his retirement, he focuses on helping charities through The Watson Foundation. He adds: 'This priceless publication remains a treasured possession - now in the safe keeping of the city - and it can be enjoyed by a modern-day audience who would like a comic glimpse into the past.' (Image: Amy McLaughlin's Photography) As part of the 200th anniversary of the publication of The Glasgow Looking Glass, John handed over his compendium to Susan Taylor, Special Collections librarian. Susan Taylor with The Glasgow Looking Glass (Image: Colin Mearns/Newsquest) Susan said: 'The Mitchell Library is delighted to accept this generous donation, with its unique provenance, that is, being donated by a direct descendant of the editor and printer of the Glasgow Looking Glass. 'We look forward to sharing it more widely with current and future generations.' The hand-over was part of Glasgow through the Looking Glass, a celebration to mark the anniversary, which also included talks by Dr Irene' O'Brien, senior archivist at Glasgow City Archives, Professor Laurence Grove of the University of Glasgow and Colin Maxwell of Maximised Comics, who presented the 'new' Glasgow Looking Glass for 2025, a publication full of the same irreverence as the original. (Image: Amy McLaughlin's Photography) Professor Grove said: 'Who would have believed that it's 200 years since comics were invented and they were invented in Glasgow? 'Maybe we should be giving that a little bit more attention as part of our world history. We're celebrating the 850 years of Glasgow; well, comics will last for more than 850 years to come.' The day ended with a comic-drawing workshop run by Glasgow Life assistant Jamie Miller, after which some of the budding comic artists kindly donated their drawings to the Special Collections department.
Glasgow Times
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
The 2025 Glasgow Community Champion Awards are on their way
For almost two decades, the Glasgow Times has been celebrating their achievements with our annual awards extravaganza. The Glasgow Community Champion Awards will be returning for 2025, so it's time to consider who you want us to include on the shortlist. Our popular event is a highlight on the city's calendar and this year, with a new headline partner and exciting categories across the board, it promises to be even bigger and better than before. Ahead of our official launch, Glasgow Times Editor Stacey Mullen is keen to encourage Glaswegians to think about nominating their neighbours, colleagues, friends or family members. She said: 'It is always a joy to begin the process for our Glasgow Community Champion Awards. 'No other event celebrates Glaswegians quite like we do, and we are very proud to be able to shine a spotlight on the amazing people who are the lifeblood of this city.' READ NEXT: All the 2024 Glasgow Community Champions revealed Ms Mullen added: 'Our awards are a great way to pay tribute to unsung heroes in every corner of Glasgow, and I am looking forward to hearing this year's nominations, and sharing their stories with our readers.' We'll be revealing our full partner line-up and more details about the event soon but the entry form is already open here: READ NEXT: Meet the Glasgow dance instructor inspiring her community - and she is only 12 There are 10 awards up for grabs this year: Community Champion, Champion Team, Sporting Champion, Champion School of the Year, Green Champion, Health and Wellbeing Champion, Arts Champion, Youth Champion for secondary school aged young people, Little Champion of the Year for primary school aged children and Senior Champion for the over-60s. We want to hear about inspirational individuals and great groups in your area - who do you think deserves recognition for fantastic community work? Tell us why they should win and remember to include lots of detail and photographs to support your entry. For more information, call 0141 302 6046.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Sabrina Carpenter releases new cover for Man's Best Friend
Earlier in June, the singer shared the initial cover for her album, Man's Best Friend, which depicted her on all fours in a black minidress, with a man in a suit holding her hair. The image divided opinions, with some accusing it of catering to the male gaze and reinforcing misogynistic stereotypes. READ MORE: Sabrina Carpenter shares love for Glasgow after sold out show On Wednesday, pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter shared two striking black-and-white images on Instagram, showing herself holding the arm of a man in a suit. She captioned the post: "Here is a new alternate cover approved by God." The playful update drew a flurry of reactions from fans and fellow celebrities alike. Among the responders was pop icon Katy Perry, who simply commented: "Gahahahaha." The Glasgow Times reported that Glasgow Women's Aid condemned the artwork, describing it as "regressive." The women's charity, which offers refuge and support to those experiencing domestic abuse, spoke out on social media, suggesting that the image depicted "violence and control" and was a "throwback to tired tropes." They believed it reduced women to "pets, props, and possessions" and accused the singer of "promoting misogynistic stereotypes." In a post shared on Facebook, they wrote: "Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover isn't edgy, it's regressive. "Picturing herself on all fours, with a man pulling her hair and calling it 'Man's Best Friend' isn't subversion. "It's a throwback to tired tropes that reduce women to pets, props, and possessions and promote an element of violence and control. "We've fought too hard for this. "We get Sabrina's brand is packaged up retro glam but we really don't need to go back to the tired stereotypes of women. "Sabrina is pandering to the male gaze and promoting misogynistic stereotypes, which is ironic given the majority of her fans are young women. "Come on Sabrina. You can do better." READ MORE: Glasgow charity slams new Sabrina Carpenter album cover The post attracted a number of comments, with many people raising concerns about the effect such imagery could have on fans, particularly young girls. One person said: "Disappointing for such a role model. "Gives me the boak." A second asked: "I get that Sabrina is doing this for her own subversive/ p**s-taking reasons and that's fine if all her fans were adults but a lot of her fans are young, impressionable girls and how much of this being a very tongue-firmly-in-cheek photograph is completely lost on them?" A third commented: "I really fear for my daughter growing up in this day and age." Others simply wrote comments such as "awful", "appalling" and "grim". However, some disagreed and felt the image was "tongue-in-cheek" and didn't see it as offensive. One person wrote: "Or, hear me out, she's doing what she wants to do instead of pandering to the idea that women can't express their sexuality without it being for the sole benefit of men." Another commented: "Is it not possible that the album cover and Sabrina is expressing exactly this point? "That men treat women like dogs?" A third added: "It's think it's actually a tongue-in-cheek take on men calling women b*****s and almost every song is derogatory towards men." The album, Man's Best Friend, is set to be released on August 29, and fans will have the option to purchase it with either set of artwork.
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
MSP calls for publicly owned bus company in Glasgow
SPT has recently consulted on a plan to introduce a franchising system for buses in the city region. It would involve the authority setting expectations for routes, timetables and fares, which bus operators would then bid to deliver. Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, writing for the Glasgow Times, sets out his position, which would see the city go even further and set up a publicly owned bus firm. Patrick Harvie said: "Glasgow deserves world class public transport, but everyone who uses it can see that it's confusing, expensive and unreliable. "I rely on bike, bus and train to get around, and I see the problems every day. On a recent trip to a Glasgow hospital, figuring out the bus journey was far more stressful than the medical procedure I was there for! "Public transport is vital to connect people with opportunities, jobs and services, friends, family and basic essentials. Yet all too often people in Glasgow simply can't rely on it, making our lives harder and inequality deeper. READ NEXT:Glasgow's new ship hall opened in honour of woman shipbuilding pioneer "People on the sharp end of the cost of living crisis are the most reliant on buses, yet a First Bus local day ticket is now nearly £6 - and that's if they haven't already cut your bus route. "It doesn't have to be this way! We can have bus services that serve passengers instead of profit. Campaigners like Get Glasgow Moving and the STUC have been building the case for change, and that's why I'm bringing a debate on the future of Glasgow's buses to Holyrood. "The Scottish Greens have always made the case for cheaper and better transport, winning free bus travel for under 22s and scrapping peak rail fares, as well as investing to make it safer and easier to walk and cycle. "Free bus travel has had an incredibly positive impact on young people's lives; 94,000 young people in Glasgow have taken just shy of 30 million free bus journeys since it was introduced in 2022. "But bus fares should be cheap or free for everyone, all the time. But without reliable, accessible and integrated buses even free travel won't get you very far. READ NEXT:Susan Aitken says new wave of youth violence needs re-energised response "If we had publicly owned bus companies we'd deliver great results for communities. You just have to look at Lothian buses in Edinburgh - over the last decade, they've paid back a £36 million dividend to the Council that runs them. That's the norm in many parts of Europe, and cities like Manchester have made great progress in recent years too. "So why can't we run our buses ourselves here in Glasgow too? "SPT is already looking at how Glasgow could either commission or run bus services. But the Scottish Government must back this plan if it's going to work. "First, we need to give councils the power to plan the routes they need and cap fares. But that's only the first step - from there we need to properly support new publicly owned bus operators. "If we get this right, Glasgow and the wider region can achieve better buses for everyone - cheaper, more reliable, and greener. Glasgow deserves nothing less."
Glasgow Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Glasgow Times
Toilet designed by Rod Stewart revealed at Glastonbury
WaterAid's Boombox Bog houses a toilet that sits behind the tape deck of a giant blue boombox decorated with leopard print, a pattern often worn by Sir Rod. The Celtic daft rocker, 80, will perform in front of thousands of music fans on Sunday when he plays the coveted tea-time legends slot on the Pyramid Stage, which sits nearby to the toilet. (Image: Yui Mok) READ MORE: Rod Stewart's wife's heartfelt message to rocker in touching post The Maggie May singer said: 'I've spent my life singing to packed arenas and festival crowds, but nothing hits a high note quite like clean water and a decent loo. 'They might not be sexy, but they're life-changing. 'That's why I've teamed up with WaterAid to bring our funky Boombox Bog to Glastonbury Festival and shine a light on the importance of these everyday essentials that millions still live without. 'Together, we're creating change that's gonna last forever.' Festival-goers will be able to hear some of Sir Rod's hits from the Boombox Bog, including Da Ya Think I'm Sexy? and Sailing while also listening to specially recorded water-themed messages from the singer. Jennie York, executive director of communications and fundraising, WaterAid, said: 'We're so grateful to Rod for helping share the amazing power of clean water and a decent toilet with the funkiest loo at Glastonbury Festival. 'It's a fun and engaging way to celebrate the wonderful things that can happen if everyone has these basic needs met. 'Our fantastic volunteers are onsite keeping the water flowing and the toilets gleaming, so Festival-goers can focus on the magic that makes Glastonbury unforgettable. 'But when the music stops, we don't. We're bringing people together to help build a world where everyone has the water they need to stay healthy, learn and thrive. Change really does start with water.' (Image: Yui Mok) READ MORE: Sir Rod Stewart pictured donning Gucci belt at popular Glasgow restaurant Non-profit organisation WaterAid has been a charity partner of Glastonbury since 1994, supporting water and sanitation services on site while also highlighting the work it does across the globe. Thousands of revellers are descending onto Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, which opened its doors on Wednesday, for five days of music and performing arts. Sir Rod's performance will come after the Glasgow Times reported that the singer postponed a string of concerts in the US, due to take place this month, while he recovered from the flu. READ MORE: Sir Rod Stewart pulls out of second gig amid health concerns The singer has teased that he will welcome a number of guests to the stage during his set, including his former Faces bandmate Ronnie Wood. The Glasgow Times reported that Sir Rod is hoping to see a wave of green and white when he takes to the stage. Appearing on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, the music legend chatted about his highly anticipated set at the iconic festival. The BBC radio host asked Sir Rod about his Glastonbury set and, with history showing that fans dress up for the legends slot, she asked if he was expecting to see wigs and leopard print. (Image: Newsquest) READ MORE: Sir Rod Stewart hopes for Celtic FC flags at Glastonbury Sir Rod joked: "My fans usually wear Celtic shirts now. "They're all, you know, in Las Vegas in the front row with their Celtic shirts—most of them don't know what the goalkeeper's name is, but their intention is good. "I do hope there are a few Celtic flags up at Glastonbury." Sir Rod revealed his Glastonbury set will run for 90 minutes after saying to festival bosses that "it wouldn't be fair to his mates in the crowd" to perform for the original hour and fifteen-minute slot.
