Tenement House, Glasgow

The Tenement House, located on Buccleuch Street in the Garnethill area of Glasgow, is a historic house museum. Operated by the National Trust for Scotland, it stands as a testament to the architectural and social history of tenements in Scotland. Tenements, commonly found across the British Isles, are multi-dwelling buildings with flats or apartments on each floor, sharing a common entrance and stairway. These structures are particularly notable in Scotland, with historic examples in Edinburgh's medieval Old Town, like Gladstone's Land, where each apartment was treated as a separate house stacked atop another.

This particular tenement, situated near Charing Cross railway station and Cowcaddens subway station, dates back to 1892. The museum showcases a flat within this building, meticulously preserved to reflect its state from the early 20th century. Agnes Toward, a shorthand typist, owned and lived in this flat from 1911 until 1965. Her dedication to preserving her belongings and furniture has rendered the Tenement House a veritable time capsule, offering visitors an authentic glimpse into Glasgow's past.

On the exterior, the Tenement House appears as a typical middle-class tenement of the late 19th century. However, stepping inside reveals a world seemingly frozen in time. The four restored rooms showcase the everyday life of an early 20th-century Glaswegian. Agnes Toward's extensive personal archive, comprising various items that many would have discarded, now serves as a valuable historical resource. This collection not only reflects the domestic life of the period but also highlights the life of an 'independent woman' in that era.