Artists in Residence: West Regent Street

In the nineteenth century, a large number of Glasgow’s artists had addresses, where they lived, or had their studios, on West Regent Street.

 

The 1875-76 Post Office Directory has, under ‘Artists’, on page 631:

Alex. Davidson at No. 65

Enrico Patalano at No. 4

David Murray at No. 1

 

In the 1880-81 Directory, the list starts at page 786, and includes:

Hugh Allan No. 79

Andrew Black No. 113

A. S. Boyd No. 113

Alexander K. Brown No. 113

John Cairney jun. No. 108

Robert McGown Coventry No. 79

H. F. Crighton No. 146

Alex. Davidson No. 65

Thomas Donald No. 79

John Houston No. 65

Thomas Hunt No. 113

James Lillie No. 131

Charles McEwan No. 79

Thomas McEwan No. 113

Duncan McKellar No. 65

David Murray No. 4 (House, 1 Stanley Place, Paisley Road)

Wellwood Rattray No. 79

J. Malcolm Stewart No. 180

John D. Taylor No. 65

James P. Whyte No. 79

William Young No. 2

 

Glasgow’s contemporary journals, such as The Bailie and Quiz, recorded the activities of many of the city’s artists, including: which paintings they exhibited; where they went to paint and sketch; and when they returned to their studios. On the 3rd of November, 1880, ‘Megilp’ commented in The Bailie, page 11:

“Our artist friends have all, or nearly all settled themselves at home for the winter. David Murray came back to town from Tarbert on Saturday; Tom Donald likewise returned on that day from the Trossachs; and A.K. Brown, Wellwood Rattray, and the rest of the Aberfoyle contingent, are now busy at work in West Regent Street. James A. Aitken, who is still at the Trossachs, is likely to turn his face Glasgow wards within the next few days.”