Miss Agnes Russell donated the cash to build the Russell Clinic in memory of her two brothers Robert and Thomas Russell.
The pair worked together in the solicitors firm of R and T Russell but died just a few years apart in 1923 and 1920.
The clinic was to be for the welfare of the children of the County of Renfrew and was opened with great fanfare in March 1927 by Princess Mary, whose visit was described in great detail.
The royal took the regular rail service from Edinburgh to Glasgow’s Queen Street before switching to St Enoch for the trip to Paisley, where her outfit for the event included a “wine coloured coat, trimmed on the collar and cuffs with skunk”.
The event was supported by “women of all classes”, it was reported.
The building itself made history in the West of Scotland, having the first skeleton of reinforced concrete in the area. It was clad in Blaxter Freestone from the Borders on a base of black Aberdeen granite, with windows arranged to give the maximum natural light.
Unfortunately, its sponsor didn’t see it open. Miss Russell died in London in June 1926 nine months before the royal event.
This Barras stallholder had a unique till as he tried to entice customers to part with their cash in 1982.
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