Templeton On The Green
Encyclopedia
Templeton On The Green, also known as Templeton Business Centre, is a distinctive building near the People's Palace
, in Glasgow
, Scotland
.
The building was designed and built as a carpet
factory
for James Templeton and Son
.
After repeated design proposals had been rejected by Glasgow Corporation, James Templeton hired the architect William Leiper
to produce a design that would be so grand it could not possibly be rejected, so Leiper modelled the building on the Doge's Palace in Venice
.
It was said that the wealthy citizens living in nearby Monteith Row did not wish to overlook a factory and it was decided the building should be of appropriate design for such a prominent location in the city.
On 1 November 1889, during construction, the factory façade collapsed due to insecure fixings and 29 women were killed in adjacent weaving sheds. (The story of the disaster is carved in a section of stone beneath the base of Templeton Gate, installed during refurbishment work to the area in 2005.) The building was completed in 1892 for the manufacture of spool Axminster carpets, at a cost of £20,000 but restoration of the collapsed facade and weaving sheds added £3000 to the building costs. A fire in the factory in 1900 resulted in more deaths.
In 1983, James Templeton & Co merged with A F Stoddard and Henry Widnell & Stewart to form Stoddard Carpets. The building was converted by the Scottish Development Agency and became a business centre in 1984.
In 2005, the 1930s extension was demolished to make way for 143 new flats, part of a £22 million regeneration project which saw the owners, Scottish Enterprise
, sell the Templeton Carpet Factory for £6.7 million.
In 2008, Glasgow band Desolation Yes! released a song about the building called "Templeton (Shine like a star)".
People's Palace
The People's Palace and Winter Gardens in Glasgow, Scotland is a museum and glasshouse situated in Glasgow Green, and was opened on 22 January, 1898 by the Earl of Rosebery....
, in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
Carpet
A carpet is a textile floor covering consisting of an upper layer of "pile" attached to a backing. The pile is generally either made from wool or a manmade fibre such as polypropylene,nylon or polyester and usually consists of twisted tufts which are often heat-treated to maintain their...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
for James Templeton and Son
James Templeton & Co
The Glasgow based textile company James Templeton & Co was one of the leading carpet manufacturers in Britain during the 19th and 20th centuries. The firm was established in Bridgeton in 1839 by James Templeton 1802-1883. At its peak, its Bridgeton factory employed 3000 people before closing in 1979...
.
After repeated design proposals had been rejected by Glasgow Corporation, James Templeton hired the architect William Leiper
William Leiper
William Leiper FRIBA RSA was a British architect notable particularly for his work in the west central Lowlands of Scotland.-Career:...
to produce a design that would be so grand it could not possibly be rejected, so Leiper modelled the building on the Doge's Palace in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
.
It was said that the wealthy citizens living in nearby Monteith Row did not wish to overlook a factory and it was decided the building should be of appropriate design for such a prominent location in the city.
On 1 November 1889, during construction, the factory façade collapsed due to insecure fixings and 29 women were killed in adjacent weaving sheds. (The story of the disaster is carved in a section of stone beneath the base of Templeton Gate, installed during refurbishment work to the area in 2005.) The building was completed in 1892 for the manufacture of spool Axminster carpets, at a cost of £20,000 but restoration of the collapsed facade and weaving sheds added £3000 to the building costs. A fire in the factory in 1900 resulted in more deaths.
In 1983, James Templeton & Co merged with A F Stoddard and Henry Widnell & Stewart to form Stoddard Carpets. The building was converted by the Scottish Development Agency and became a business centre in 1984.
In 2005, the 1930s extension was demolished to make way for 143 new flats, part of a £22 million regeneration project which saw the owners, Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise
Scottish Enterprise is a sponsored non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government which encourages economic development, enterprise, innovation and investment in business...
, sell the Templeton Carpet Factory for £6.7 million.
In 2008, Glasgow band Desolation Yes! released a song about the building called "Templeton (Shine like a star)".