The history book on the shelf, is always repeating itself...

18th June.

Time for Glasgow "The Day" to go into full school teacher mode.
Who in the class can tell me the significance of 18th June 1815?

Anyone, someone, anyone?

You at the back. Watson. No the other one.

Yes, the Battle of Waterloo took place 194 years ago today.

Now the Battle of Waterloo probably had more attention on it than any other battle in history. In this battle Napoleon's French army was defeated by the armies of the Seventh Coalition, including a Prussian army under the command of Blucher and an British/Dutch/German army under the command of the Duke of Wellington near the Belgian town of Waterloo.

So what has all this to do with Glasgow "The Day"?

Well over the last few weeks been job hunting from the Penna office down in Cadogan Street I have realised what an influence this battle, and really the wars of this period, has had on this area of Glasgow.
Well thought I would mark the anniversary by having a wee tour around this area pointing out some of the sights that are connected to these wars. It was a wee tour for a few reasons. Firstly I had a lead to follow up on and secondly the rain was coming down like someone had a hose on. Now I have said I love rainy days but there are rainy days and there are "come on gee us a break" rainy days. This was the latter.

Maybe the weather was appropriate because there was similar weather on the night of 17th and morning of 18th June at Waterloo 194 years ago. A miserable night for the troops. But it also made the ground sodden and difficult for the French cavalry and artillery to attack and contributed to helping the Allies win the battle.

Anyway, firstly the Street names :

The obvious ones at first.
There is where Wellington meets his Waterloo. Or at least Wellington Street meets Waterloo Street.

The corner of Wellington and Waterloo is also the sight of this building that I have taken a photo of before. The Clydesdale Bank building. (See the rain starting to come down ?)

But what of the other names in the area :

Hope Street ? Named after Bob? No. Named after Sir John Hope, the 4th Earl of Hopetoun, for his bravery in the Peninsular War (as the war in Spain against Napoleon was called).

St. Vincent Street? Although not technically the war against Napoleon. It was named after the naval battle of the same period (1797) near Cape St. Vincent against the Spanish fleet.

Cadogan Street itself is named after Henry Cadogan, the commander of the 71st Light Infantry during the same Peninsular War. He died leading his troops at the Battle of Vittoria in 1813 and there is a monumental tablet to him in Glasgow Cathedral. We will come back to the 71st Light Infantry in a minute...

Pubs. Couple of pubs in the area influenced by these wars.



The Waterloo at the corner of Wellington Street and Argyll Street. This is also Glasgow's oldest gay pub.

And just around the corner The Sir John Moore. Sir John was a Glaswegian who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General in the British Army. He was responsible for creating some real innovations in the training of light infantry troops. He died bravely commanding the British army in Spain against the French at the Battle of Corunna in 1809. There is also a statue of him in George Square. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Moore_(British_soldier)
And you can now see in the photo just how wet a day it was.

Ok. I said we would get back to the 71st Light Infantry. Commonly called "The Glasgow Regiment" which was stationed at the Gallowgate barracks.
Well the 71st was one of the regiments that formed the Royal Highland Fusiliers who's museum is up in Sauchiehall Street. The 71st Regiment fought throughout the war against Napoleon including Waterloo.









Didn't manage to get up there today but I took a wee photo of it and dropped in there earlier in the week. When the sun was shining!! This is a lovely building that I have walked past many times without noticing. It is also a lovely wee museum which tells you the history of the regiment but really concentrates on what is was like for the individual soldiers throughout the years right back to the 1700's through to today. Also makes you remember that this regiment is also in service today with tours of duty in Afghanistan. Worth popping in here if you ever up that end of Sauchie.

And finally ... Wellington himself...



On the anniversary of his greatest victory Wellington has a cone on his head again. Now I think the council are missing a trick here. Why not actually decorate Wellington with something appropriate on this day ? Something to mark the occassion!! If you can't beat the people putting cones on his head, why not join them? :)
I hope for the 200th anniversary of Waterloo in 2015 the council do something special.

This is a photo of the side of the plinth that Wellington's horse sits on depicting Wellington in battle. The horse's name is Copenhagen by the way.

And Wellington ... well his name is Arthur Wellesley. The Duke of Wellington is his title.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Wellesley,_1st_Duke_of_Wellington

He is an extraordinary man who, not only had an amazing military career, went onto be Prime Minister.

So next time you pass through Royal Exchange Square make sure you say hello to Arthur and Copenhagen. If we are going to keep putting a cone on his head then should at least give them some respect.

Wellington also gave his name to the Wellington boot which he wore. And today was a day I wish I had followed his example. As Billy Connolly once sang, If it wisnae fur yer wellies where wid ye be? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SguYlpm3ffQ :)

So a bit of a different tour today. Hope you enjoyed it anyway. Has been educational for me over last few weeks even finding out where the street names came from. Every day a school day at Glasgow "The Day".


Be well, be happy!!

And I apologise if spend rest of the day singing Abba's Waterloo. It does get in your head!! :)