In every corner of Glasgow, there are storytellers who can recall the city’s rich past.

It could be your granny or your next-door-neighbour, your great-uncle or the man who has run the local shop for 40 years.

All of them have memories to share – so we want to hear about them.

Over the next few months, the Evening Times, supported by Glasgow Women's Library and Glasgow Life, will be pitching up in local libraries to hear the stories of Glasgow’s communities.

Kicking off in Bridgeton on Tuesday, September 13, we will be visiting Glasgow Women’s Library between 10am and 12 noon.

If you have lived in Bridgeton all your days and have particular memories of the place and its people, we would love to hear about them.

Local historian Peter Mortimer, who runs Bridgeton History Group, says the area’s history stretches back to its weaving roots.

“Bridgeton was originally called Bridgetown and it was a weaving village,” he explains.

“When industrialisation came, and hand looms were replaced by steam-powered ones, factories sprang up all over the place.

“Some of the street names recall those times. French Street, for example, relates to a little community of French workers, brought over to teach locals about a secret new dyeing process called Turkey Red.”

In more recent history, Peter says, people are likely to remember Bridgeton as a busy, industrial hub, full of tenements and factories.

“Bridgeton became the workhouse of the second city of the Empire,” he says. “The old maps show you it was a melting pot of industry, with busy schools and picture halls, like the Olympia.

“People might remember the old shops – Lipton’s, Cochrane’s, for example, and living in the old, jam-packed tenements where three families might share an outside toilet on the landing.”

Peter adds: “Public transport was fantastic in those days – trains, buses, trams – because it helped workers get to the factories and home again.”

Peter’s love of local history began at primary school. He was born in the Gorbals and later moved to the east end.

“We had to do a project on Glasgow’s tobacco lords and it sparked my interest,” explains the 60-year-old, who works in the construction industry.

“I was the kind of child who was always asking my parents – what used to be here? What’s the history of this place? – whenever we visited anywhere.”

As secretary of the active Bridgeton History Group, Peter helps to run heritage walks and Doors Open Day events, and the society has several publications under its belt.

“It’s fantastic to be able to share local history,” he says. “There are lots of great stories out there, lots of wonderful Glasgow memories.”

Current Evening Times Scotswoman of the Year Adele Patrick, founder of Glasgow Women’s Library – which will host the first event – is delighted to back our new history and heritage project.

“The rate of change in communities across the city is arguably as dramatic in the last decade or so as that experienced during the industrial revolution,” she says.

“The rise of the digital in our everyday lives, the demise of industry and the dramatic changes in the roles of women and men are just three of the ‘revolutions’ that have swept over all our lives.

“It is so important that we don’t lose the memories of the current generation and the history they have inherited from generations past.”

Adele adds: “Each day at the women’s library we have remarkable records handed in; this week, for example, we got a cache of amazing photographs of girl guides from 1905 and we welcome too stories about our building - such as one visitor’s memory of her grandfather being trapped overnight in the former Gentleman’s Reading Room.”

Adele believes memories and records of the past are vitally important to Glasgow and to Scotland.

“The collection of memories is vital if communities are going to build strong identities, inspire confidence in young people about the rich histories of their neighbourhood and be able to understand better where we came from and where we are going," she says.

Councillor Archie Graham, chairman of Glasgow Life, said: “I’m incredibly proud that here in Glasgow our libraries have been at the very heart of communities for more than 150 years. As such we are perfectly placed to support the people of the city to share their memories of the city through the Evening Times Thanks for the Memories programme.

“Creating a welcoming, engaging hub at the heart of the community is paramount to our commitment to local residents and we know that the people of Glasgow are rightly passionate about the history of their local areas and our city as a whole.

“The treasures of our city belong to the people of Glasgow and we look forward to welcoming our citizens in to the libraries to share their stories and memories, and helping to create a wonderful picture of the history of Glasgow and its people for years to come.”

If you remember Bridgeton’s old shops and picture halls, if you grew up in the area or remember listening to family members describing the area to you, we would love to see you at our first drop-in event at Glasgow Women’s Library on Tuesday, September 13, from 10am until 12 noon. If you have photographs or letters, souvenirs or memorabilia from Bridgeton’s past, please share them with us.

Graham Shields, Evening Times editor, said: “Glaswegians are great storytellers, with fantastic insight into our city’s rich heritage. The tales of ordinary people paint a picture of what life was really like for the men, women and children of communities all over Glasgow.

“We are looking forward to hearing those stories and helping to preserve them for generations to come.”

If you can’t make it along to our first Thanks for the Memories event and would like to share your stories and photographs, please email ann.fotheringham@heraldandtimes.co.uk