This evening I am posting some images from a recent visit to Paisley.

Focus is on the Coats Observatory on Oakshaw Street. This was a gift from the textile philanthropist, Thomas Coats in 1883 to Paisley's Philosophical Institution which dates from 1808 and included Thomas Coats in its membership.

The Observatory is open Tuesday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm and Sunday 2.00pm to 5.00pm.

The Observatory is located in an area of interesting local architecture.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 12:53 PM  0 comments

This evening I am posting some images of interesting architecture in Paisley, near Glasgow.

Here is a view of the Coats Observatory which dates from 1883; a gift from Thomas Coats, a philanthropist who controlled thread-making factories in the locality.


Oakshaw Trinity Church which dates from 1750.


The Town Hall, finaced by textile magnate George A Clark and his family 1870s.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 1:54 PM  0 comments

This evening, I am presenting some images from a stroll around Paisley yesterday.

Paisley is a fascinating town. A long history with the Abbey dating back to 12th century but best known for the textile industry boom in the 19th century which generated huge wealth and employment opportunities and left a legacy of grand public buildings and redundant mills.

Here is some interesting architecture-the old Liberal Club. 19th century

Statue of John Witherspoon (1723-1794) in front of the University. He preached in Paisley and went to found a medical school in the U.S. and signed the American Declaration of Independence.

Paisley Museum, Art Gallery and Library

Images of the Coats Observatory. This was a gift to Paisley's Philosophical Institution from the industrialist Thomas Coats in 1883 .


Impressive house entrance in Oakshaw Street

Memorial Plaque in grounds of Oakshaw Trinity Church

Aspect of Oakshaw Trinity Church

Steps to Meeting House Lane
Clark Town Hall. Funded by textile money in the 19thC

Art Deco architecture in Causeyside Street, 1931


Victorian architecture-former Co-Op building in Causeyside St

Unusual example of a Paisley tiled close (entrance) in above former Co-Op building.

Paisley Abbey, founded 1163.
Statue near Abbey

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 12:49 PM  0 comments

Thins evening I am presenting an image of a statue of John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister who was born in East Lothian, Scotland (descended from John Knox) and after spells preaching in Scotland, including Paisley, went to America (New Jersey) in 1768, where he founded the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and signed the Declaration of Independence, the only minister of religion to do so. He died in 1794.

Paisley is a fascinating town, although somewhat mixed in terms of economic standing boast much history including the famous Abbey and much industrial history with the notable textile mills.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 3:16 PM  0 comments

This evening I am presenting a feature on a piece of industrial history in the form of Paisley and the textile industry.

During the 19th and 20th centuries Paisley and silks and were Kashmir shawls imported by the East India Company was at the heart of a thriving textile industry with a skilled workforce. The town's hand loom weavers were expert at weaving fine lawns, muslinsthus well positioned to seize the opportunity when the intricately patterned became the height of fashion.

Paisley's output soon dominated the market to the extent that the output of shawls and traditional patterns became known as 'paisleys'.

During the late 19th and early 2oth centuries paisley's prosperity was driven by the great thread mills of the Coats and Clark families which owned mills where thousands of local people produced sewing thread for export all over the world.

Some of the of the mill buildings still remain and the wealthy mill owners gifted to the town a legacy of buildings which include:

• The Museum
• Coats Observatory
• The Clark town Hall
• Thomas Coats Memorial Church

Sadly the textile business has declined to a shadow of its former self with many of the former mill buildings now demolished or converted to other uses, e.g.business parks.

This is an image of a refurbished mill. I have other images but am experiencing difficulty uploading them.


For persons interested in industrial history Paisley is deserving of a visit.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 9:56 AM  0 comments

This evening I am presenting some images taken during recent research for an ancestry tour.

Seedhill Road, Paisley is on old industrial/residential part of Paisley with a former textile mill (Anchor Mill) which has been converted to a business centre.

This is Seedhill Road with the former mill in the middle distance.


Once aspect of the former mill.
This is 19 Seedhill Road where the ancestor of my client lived at one time in the 1800s.
Seedhill Road and the mill.

Overall, I think its fair to say that Paisley is somewhat jaded and need to reinvent itself to re-capture the glory days of the 1800s boom town when the local textile industry reined supreme. Paisley has a great heritage, particularly the magnificent Abbey which is underrated and does not normally feature on the tourist trail.

On each visit I get a different appreciation of Paisley, with its fascinating industrial history, and may set up a dedicated web page in the future.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 1:01 PM  0 comments

This evening I am presenting some images of my visit today to Paisley, near Glasgow.

Paisley was a boom town in the late 1800s and generated wealth on a large-scale textile industry the remains of which are still evident as in street names such as Gauze Street, Cotton Street and Linen Street.

The sun was shining which was good. The downside was that I had only my cellphone camera, so quality of images is not brilliant.

In the foreground of this image is the museum, art galleries and central library. In the background is the Thomas Coats Memorial Church.

Here is an image looking towards Gilmour Street Station


Here is an image of the Town Hall, a magnificent Victoria edifice reflecting the confidence of the era.

Here is the famous Abbey which dates back to 1163. The former priory became an abbey answerable to Rome in 1245. It is possible the William Wallace was educated at the Abbey.

Paisley is a vibrant place with lots of history and well worth a visit

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 12:33 PM  0 comments

This evening I am marshalling some images of historic Paisley Abbey

Paisley Abbey was founded in 1163 by Walter Fitzalan who became High Steward of Scotland. The original priory subsequently became an abbey which was dedicated to St.Mary, St James, St.Martin and St.Milburga. William Wallace of 'Braveheart' fame may have been educated at Paisley Abbey in the 13th century.

Marjory Bruce, daughter of Robert the Bruce died in the Abbey infirmary in 1326 but her unborn son, Robert survived and became the first of the Stewart dynasty from which the British royal family is descended.

The Abbey sits in the center of the historic textile town and is well worth a visit.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 10:13 AM  0 comments

Today, I went to Paisley on a shopping trip. Paisley is a faded industrial town. Was formerly a textile boom town in the 19th century and still has street names evocative of that period, e.g.Cotton Street, Gauze Street, Linen Street.

Here is an image of Clarks Mills. The Mills actually started next to the Hammils which consists of a band of hard volcanic rock running across the river bed and forming a waterfall. The force of water flowing over the Hammils powered two mills, one at each side of the river.

They were established by the Clark Brothers in 1812. These two brothers had discovered that selling cotton thread for domestic sewing could be a profitable business, and had thereby laid the foundations for much of Paisley's fame and prosperity in the late nineteenth century.

View of River Cart with Town Hall on right



Paisley Abbey was founded when Walter Fitzalan signed a charter at Fotheringay in 1163.He was descended from the Norman conquerors and in 1141 was brought to Scotland by King David 1,the son of Malcolm Canmore and Saint Margaret. William Wallace was educated here. The image is of the West Door

View of Paisley Abbey

View of Paisley Town Hall- a reflection of Victorian confidence.

Labels: Paisley

posted by Catswhiskers @ 9:07 AM  0 comments