Council looking to fix leaning fountain 100 years after fault first reported

Glasgow City Council is planning to repair a landmark fountain almost 100 years after its tilt was first reported.

The Council is working with a conservation-accredited architect on a condition survey of the Cameron Memorial Fountain at Charing Cross – a 127-year-old red terracotta structure with a lean which was first flagged to authorities in 1926.

The fountain has recently suffered from loss of tiles to the roof structure and the surrounding area was fenced off as a precaution.

The fountain was built in honour of the newspaper editor and politician Sir Charles Cameron (1841-1925).

Two identical portrait medallions of Cameron by the sculptor George Tinworth are found to the north and south sides. Glasgow City Council

Sir Charles was the editor of the North British Daily Mail in Glasgow and a Liberal politician.

He was one of the leaders of the Temperance Movement, involved in the acts for the reform of Scottish Liquor Laws.

He was a popular politician and was present at the inauguration of the fountain on October 24, 1896.

The fountain is well-known for the tilt, which was first noted nearly 100 years ago in 1926.

The West End News & Partick Advertiser wrote that the tilt had been reported to the master of works at Glasgow Corporation, as the fountain was “leaning and could fall down”.

Charles Cameron Memorial Fountain, Charing Cross Google Maps

Checks were made then and at regular intervals until the onset of war in 1939.

Further measurements and checks are understood to have taken place in 1974 and in 1995, when a cost was also established to straighten the fountain.

In an exuberant Baroque style, the Category B listed terracotta fountain was designed by the Architect Robert Bryden of Clarke and Bell and Mr Lightbody of Doulton & Co.

Two identical portrait medallions of Cameron by the sculptor George Tinworth are found to the north and south sides.

The fountain is located in Woodside Crescent, and would have sat in front of the Grand Hotel which was demolished in 1969 along with many other buildings in Charing Cross to make way for the new M8 construction works.

To help the Council and conservation architect Fiona Sinclair assess the fountain’s condition throughout its existence, members of the public with historic photographs are being asked to submit them.

Anyone with any images can send them to ListedBuildings@glasgow.gov.uk with the subject CMF or Cameron Memorial Fountain.