Hillhead

Hillhead is a residential and commercial area of Glasgow, Scotland. Situated north of Partick and to the south of Maryhill, Hillhead is located at the heart of Glasgow's "West End".

Related Topics:
Glasgow - Scotland - Partick - Maryhill

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The land was originally the property of the Gibsons of Hillhead. It was an independent Police Burgh from 1869, but as Glasgow grew during the nineteenth century it was first swallowed up physically by the growing city, and then administratively in 1891.

Related Topics:
1869 - Nineteenth century - 1891

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The University of Glasgow is located in the area, having moved from its original site to its current Gilmorehill location in 1870. Consequently a great number of students live in the area. The neoclassical colonnaded Wellington Church is located on University Avenue, directly opposite the University.

Related Topics:
University of Glasgow - 1870 - Neoclassical - Wellington Church

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The area is by and large middle class, certainly more so than neighbouring Partick and Maryhill, but not of the managerial/professional type, with many academics and writers (such as Alasdair Gray) living there. This gives the area a certain bohemian air that other middle-class areas of Glasgow lack.

Related Topics:
Middle class - Alasdair Gray

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Politically there was once a parliamentary constituency entitled "Glasgow Hillhead" which had been held for many years by the Conservatives (indeed, after the 1979 general election it was the only Conservative seat left in Glasgow), but at a by-election in 1982 it was won by the Social Democrats candidate Roy Jenkins. He held onto the seat until the 1987 general election when he was defeated by the Labour candidate George Galloway. This seat formed the basis of the current Glasgow Kelvin constituency. The SDP influence has not totally waned though as the Liberal Democrats won the Hillhead ward on the City of Glasgow Council in 2003.

Related Topics:
Conservatives - 1979 general election - 1982 - Social Democrats - Roy Jenkins - 1987 general election - Labour - George Galloway - Liberal Democrats - City of Glasgow - 2003

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Other features of Hillhead include the nearby Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Hillhead High School, Glasgow Academy (a private school), and the Kelvinbridge, which straddles the River Kelvin which used to form an eastern boundary between Hillhead and Glasgow, until Hillhead's incoporation into the city.

Related Topics:
Glasgow Botanic Gardens - Hillhead High School - Glasgow Academy - Kelvinbridge - River Kelvin

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The area has a station on the Glasgow Subway system.

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