Sma' Shot Day in Paisley

[cessna152towser]

In the 19th century the intricate patterns of the Paisley weavers' work was held together by an unseen, thin, strong thread known as the sma' (small) shot. This secret stitch held together Paisley's famous shawls. The weavers had to pay for the thread but the fact that the thread was unseen meant that the manufacturers would not pay for the sma' shot. The Paisley weavers went on strike and after a long and bitter dispute, the bosses agreed in 1856 to pay the weavers for the sma' shot. Ever since then the first Saturday in July has been a holiday known as Sma' Shot Day. I was born and brought up in Paisley and three of my four grandparents came from Paisley weaver families. Paisley is a town seven miles west of Glasgow. Glasgow Airport is on the town's northern boundary. More to be added shortly.

[McClef]

Nice pictures and a fascinating story Alex.

[cessna152towser]

The Parade started from Brodie Park in Paisley, led by the Charleston Drum which was traditionally beaten to rally the weavers in times of dispute. Today a replica is beaten, the original is in Paisley Museum.

Kilbarchan Pipe Band





The parade features many children in period costumes, some bearing weavers' banners and others supporting effigies of the mill bosses.
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

The parade continues towards town along Neilston Road.




The parade reaches Paisley's Charleston district. My mother was brought up in Alice Street.




More to follow shortly

[cessna152towser]

Passing Charleston Community Centre



I spy Mrs. Doubtfire.


The parade pauses for a few minutes outside the Wellington Bar while the Charleston Drummer drinks a well earned pint of Tennent's

More to follow, stick with this thread please, some more fun pics are promised.

[cessna152towser]

Some of the children in Causeyside Street

The parade reaches Paisley Cross






The parade enters Abbey Close where it ends outside Paisley Abbey and the afernoon's festivities begin.

More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

The fellow with the vintage wheelbarrow had pushed it all the way in the parade.

We asked him to pose for a photo in front of Paisley Abbey.

Here we noticed that the Abbey docent was wearing a kilt.

A local radio station provided some stage entertainment

Supple young dancer

Some of the crowd

We made our way along to Shuttle Street to visit the Sma' Shot Cottages, a surviving group of eighteenth century weaver's cottages. Entry to the group is via the low white cottage.
More to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

Bedroom of the mid 18th century weaver's cottage

Loom

Out in the back court of the cottage which leads into the rear of another group of cottages

The Ferguslie Mill bell which was moved here after the mill closed during the nineteen nineties.

We entered the next cottage which is furnished as a mid 19th century mill foreman's house.
Appropriately I was wearing my Paisley tartan kilt from Houstons of Paisley. The Paisley tartan was first woven at Paisley's Anchor Mill in 1952 and was adopted by the Town Council as the town tartan and also by the Paisley family as their family tartan.

The Parlour

We returned to the stalls in Abbey Close where by now the crowds had thinned.

Paisley Abbey.
The grand finale would take place in another hour, the burning of the "Cork" or mill owner, pics to follow shortly.

[cessna152towser]

As 5pm chimed on the Town Hall clock there was a short choreography display as a prelude to the burning of the Cork.

The Cork, in his top hat and tails

Burn Cork Burn!









That's all folks.

[BoldHighlander]

Alex,

What a great set of photos & a wonderful bit of history!
Thanks for taking us along with you!

Karen will be uploading a gallery of her pics from today to her website:-
www.karenbrodiephotography.co.uk
Please visit her superb collection of photos from south-west Scotland.

Will do mate!