WHERE PARKHEAD WAS BORN
THE PASSING OF THE SHINTY HA

Few Parkhead people who take an interest in the story of Parkhead of other days can fail to regret that the exigencies of modern life have necessitated the demolition now proceeding of the old landmark THE SHINTY HA was and always has been to The :SHEDDENS: and its populace something more than just a building .To many its had memories hallowed by intimate personal experiences: to all it had the significance of being the last line of demarcation between Parkhead past and present, the last trench in the lines of the old weaving industry in its battle against The Forge and all the changes its coming implied.
That is The Shinty Ha:s chief title to fame It symbolised in stone and lime the passing of an obsolete era; it was at once the monument and the obituary of a phase of life to which the individuality of the Parkead district owed much.
When was The Shinty Ha built? That is more then is fair to ask of the scribe to whom is the task of writing the history of a century in a hour. Roughly and having regard to the fact that death has laid its hand on almost all who can state facts definitely. I should say that Shinty Ha dates from the early days of the nineteenth century shortly before of after 1800.This of course applies merely to the row proper; the cottage on the Tollcross side is separate and distinct and of a much later date. From the first the staple industry of the half dozen or so family who inhabited it was hand loom weaving ,Only a year ago last new year Miss Ferguson who may rightly be regarded as the last of the Parkhead handloom weavers passed away very suddenly,Her parents had also been weavers here. All the families worked to outside employers or at least found a market for their goods with such; most of these purchasers were engaged in the trade in the city
Miss Crawford a well known resident born in The Shinty Ha and still living in Parkhead tells how her father was regularly engaged in weaving a thin white texture which was then sent to Turkey and dyed suitable colours for the draping of the headgear of that country Most of the weavers however wove fine cloths known I believe as dress goods in the trade Miss Crawford still fine examples of Shinty Ha handy craft in her possession.
Two closes of the property at least were owned by a family named Scott at one time who were very widely known as the proprietors of a brewery buisiness in Bridgeton
There were fine gardens attached to the houses originally and old people who can remember tell that the residents in many cases tended these with great care and exercised much taste in there layout so much so The Shinty Ha at the rear was a fine sight.
The public libraries and baths did more than wipe out the ancient landmark. .Browns Land ;
They sadly curtailed several of the best gardens at Shinty Ha and so discouraged the amateur tillers of the soil that the horticultural displays was in almost every case given up up as a thankless task and as but hard work wasted.There can be no doubt that the Shinty Ha from a utilitarian and non-sentimental aspect was ripe for the demolishers attention,
But even then one thinking of the gallant fights and the hardy and truly class conscious fighters of the handloom weaving elements cannot constrain a sigh at the passing of what is truly the last link with that aspect of Parkhead life,

Taken from The Eastern Standard 1925

Came across a wee rhyme about the shinty ha

Doon Salamanca street
Alang the Ravel Ra
Up the Pump Rigs
And intae Shinty Ha

The Pump Rigs was Sorby street