Did you play there as a child? Did your granny hang out her washing there? Perhaps a relative worked at Templeton’s carpet factory?

An exhibition that celebrates the Green and all who lived, worked and played there, continues to draw in visitors to the People’s Palace.

On the Green, funded by Glasgow Life and a grant from Museums Galleries Scotland, explores the history of the impressive Doulton Fountain and former James Templeton and Co carpet factory.

It gives visitors the chance to discover the history of Glasgow Green as the park evolved from Glasgow’s common land and extends the time period covered by the museum by including objects from the Iron Age and medieval period.

It includes 25 pieces from the city’s social history, art, archaeology and textiles collection including Glasgow Fair, the previously long-lost oil painting by Paisley-born artist John Knox, which has moved from Kelvingrove.

The popular artwork which depicts life on the Green in the early 1800s will now permanently reside there.

The Doulton Fountain is the world’s largest terracotta fountain, originally designed as Doulton’s principal exhibit for the 1888 International Exhibition at Kelvingrove Park.  Afterwards it was given to the city by Sir Henry Doulton and was relocated to Glasgow Green.

By the early 1990s, it had fallen into disrepair and the water no longer flowed. A £4 million refurbishment programme began in 2002 and the Doulton Fountain was moved to its present location two years later.

The People’s Palace is the city’s museum of popular history with the impressive Winter Gardens at the rear.  The building was opened in 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery at a ceremony attended by an estimated 3500 ticket holders. It is one of the city’s finest old buildings, built in the French Renaissance style, from red sandstone and designed by the architect Alexander Beith McDonald, the City Engineer.  The shape of the Winter Gardens conservatory is said to be based on the upturned hull of Lord Nelson’s flagship, Victory – which might explain the close proximity of the first monument in the United Kingdom erected to him, Nelson’s Column, nearby on the Green.

Other historical artefacts included in the exhibition include a Doulton stoneware vase from 1888, decorated in front of Queen Victoria during a private tour, and a souvenir jug that features a rhyme about Glasgow’s coat of arms.

Among the more unusual pieces to go on display is a horn from 1700, used by Glasgow’s last town herd John Anderson.

Other items include silver coins dating back to when the land was originally gifted to Bishop Turnbull and the people of Glasgow by King James II in 1450, and a hand mill believed to be from about 100BC-100AD.

The Green sparks many memories of more recent history, of course, particularly at the clothes poles near Templeton’s.

In 1450 Glasgow became a Burgh of Regality and Bishop Turnbull ratified public use of Glasgow Green by gifting Glasgow Green to the people for common grazing land.  It was used for washing, drying, bleaching linen, salmon fishing and swimming.  Located east of the Winter Gardens, near to the original washhouse ‘steamie’, the drying green has been retained and upgraded – and the people of Glasgow still have the right to use the clothes poles to hang up their washing.

If you have memories of Glasgow Green, share them with us – email ann.fotheringham@heraldandtimes.co.uk