The following article was published by Eddie McRorie on 12th August 2024 on the Johnstone History Facebook page and is reproduced here with his kind permission.

Johnstone and the Glasgow Overspill.

Houston to Be a New Town for the Glasgow Overspill?

At the Burgh centenary celebration dinner in 1957, Provost James R. McKay gave his views on the suggestion of creating a new town at Houston. He described the proposal as “utter folly,” arguing that it would be a waste to spend “millions and millions” setting up a new town outside the Burgh boundary. Instead, he maintained that it would be wiser, economically, to expand the boundaries of the Burgh and build on the facilities already established in Johnstone, thereby helping address Glasgow’s overspill problem more effectively.

The Provost highlighted the housing progress made in the post-war years. In addition to the gradual rebuilding of the existing town, a new scheme was underway to construct 1,200 houses in the Johnstone Castle policies. The total assets of the Burgh stood at £3 million, with housing alone accounting for £2.5 million—clear evidence, he said, that they were more than capable of living up to the Burgh motto, Gang Forward, and achieving even greater things.

With the idea of a whole new town at Houston effectively dismissed, the current plan became to house Glasgow’s overspill population within the new development at Johnstone Castle. The Town Council had acquired the old POW camp site, where the Scottish Special Housing Association (SSHA) planned to build 518 houses. Of these, 240 would be in two-storey blocks. Johnstone Town Council would build an additional 106 houses on the remaining site.

By using a mix of different housing block sizes, a density of 30 houses per acre was to be achieved—without sacrificing the benefits of open development. The SSHA section was designated a completely smokeless zone, with all flats running on electricity. Gas services would be available in the rest of the houses.

Space was allocated for 112 lock-up garages and additional outdoor parking, as well as for children’s playgrounds, a football pitch, and open fields.

The first family from Glasgow to be rehoused was allocated No. 1 Yew Place, which was officially opened by Mr. John S. Maclay, the Secretary of State for Scotland. A crowd of local people gathered around a platform erected in the front garden of the three-room terraced house. Provost Nat Hayes was joined by Glasgow’s Lord Provost Myer Galpers, Sir Walter Gay-Stewart (Lord-Lieutenant of Renfrewshire), and Mr. Maclay. In his speech, Mr. Maclay assured the public that no Johnstone resident’s chances of rehousing would be affected by the arrival of newcomers, as the Council would continue building homes as needed.

During the speeches, the young couple receiving the first house—Mr. and Mrs. Wilson—stood on the path waiting for Mr. Maclay to officially hand over the keys. The Wilsons, along with their two young children, had previously lived in a room and kitchen in Oatlands. Mr. Wilson was a maintenance fitter with the Regent Tyre & Rubber Company—the first Glasgow firm to relocate to Johnstone under the overspill agreement. Of the company’s 50 employees, only 12 had initially volunteered to move, but since opening in May, the firm had recruited 70 employees locally.

In a newspaper article written four years later by none other than Magnus Magnusson, the journalist reflected on how the overspill “folk-migration” scheme of modern Scotland had fared. He revealed, with some irony, that the new tenants had reportedly done a “moonlight flitting” early in their tenancy. The house bore a small plaque commemorating the first tenants on that momentous day.

Magnusson spoke with Rev. E.R. Marr, minister of St Andrew’s Trinity Church, who had overseen the building of a new church hall within the Castle scheme. Rev. Marr expressed delight with his new parishioners from Glasgow, saying:

“They are integrating very well on the whole. At first, I think we in Johnstone were a little apprehensive—I suppose we had a suspicion that Glasgow would try to off-load undesirable people onto us. But not a bit of it; they are delightful people.”

Magnusson also noted that the Scottish Secretary had confirmed a compulsory purchase order for 160 acres at Howwood, near the Castle scheme, where the Town Council planned to build around 2,000 more houses.

Discussing the character of Johnstone residents, Magnusson wrote:

“Yes, they are good-hearted people, neighbourly, always ready to help out.”

He singled out Mrs. Sarah McCollum, M.B.E., a 75-year-old pillar of the community, as his favourite symbol of Johnstone’s spirit. She was involved in almost every voluntary activity in town—serving on the Rent Tribunal, as a life member of the Red Cross, a W.V.S. organiser, a street savings group secretary, a past Matron of the Eastern Star, and the social convener of the Townswomen’s Guild. She received her M.B.E. in 1957, the same day as footballer Stanley Matthews—“bless her,” Magnusson added.

He concluded that Mrs. McCollum was far more representative of Johnstone than the ill-chosen first “overspiller” from Glasgow.

Proposed layout of Johnstone Castle housing scheme.

Town Council in Session.

Johnstone Castle from the air

First overspill house was allocated to a family from Oatlands in 1959

The town council urge new industry to come to Johnstone.