Glasgow Botanic Gardens Book Fair
Welcome to Calderglen Country
Park
Beginnings
The book fair is held in the Hopkirk building.
Through the initiative of Thomas Hopkirk the Botanic Gardens were
founded in 1817 and run by the Royal Botanic Institute of Glasgow. The
core of the plants were donated from Hopkirks private collection.
The gardens were originally used for concerts and other events, and in
1891 the gardens were incorporated in to the Parks and Gardens of the
Glasgow Corporation.
The Kibble Palace
Part of the building was originally part of a
conservatory at John Kibble’s home at Coulport, Loch Long. Kibble
began dismantling his glasshouse in 1872 and it was taken up the Clyde
by barge and by cart to the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow’s West End
where it was re-assembled and enlarged.
In October 2004 it was closed for a 7 million pound refurbishment and
reopened to the public on 30 November 2006
The Railway Station
Glasgow Central Railways opened a station at
the Botanic Gardens in August 1896. The buildings were within the
grounds of the garden but the station was underground. Permanently
closed to passengers in February 1939 the buildings were converted and
contained popular venues such as The Silver Slipper cafe, Sgt Peppers
nightclub and Mortons the plumbers.
The buildings were destroyed in March 1970 by fire but the platform can
still be seen through the air vents.
