The Tenement House in Glasgow is a time capsule into the past and gives us an idea of what it would have been like to live in a typical middle-class Glasgow tenement. The home has been preserved and it is managed by the National Trust for Scotland.
The tenement house was once the home of Agness Toward. She lived there all of her life (1911-1965). In her early years, she had the companionship of her mother. When her mother passed away Agness kept the home and lived out the rest of her life there.
Agnes Toward did not change with the times. She was happy with what she had and looked after her possessions. She kept a record of her life through her correspondence, letters and postcards. In doing so she in effect told her story through her house and it’s contents. Even when Agness passed away her home was still fitted with gas lighting.
She did not have a television. Her kitchen was dominated by a large stove that would not only have been used for cooking it would have been the original source of heat within the home. The main sitting room was well appointed with horse hair chairs and a warm fireplace. Traces of her past can be found all throughout the house in pictures and letters.
Many people who visit tenement house may remember being in similar housing either through their parents or grandparents. The Tenement house is thought of as being a typical middle-class Glasgow tenement.
The Tenement House and its contents are going to become more significant as the years go by. For this reason, it is important that The Tenement house is preserved now so it will be available for generations to come to experience and enjoy.
Video of the Tenement House…