The name "The Camlachie Wolfe" was picked due to one of the many history lessons from my father about the area of Glasgow that i grew up in. In one of these conversation i mentioned my FIW Project and more so my admiration for Wolfe. My dad then goes on to tell me that he stayed in Camlachie which is the name for the old weaving village that is now Barrowfield and Parkhead in Glasgow where i grew up. Eh was my first response, this guy is having is having a laugh or is drunk. As always the old man was right and i was again shown i shouldn't have doubted him.
It seems that Wolfe was billeted in the Camlachie Mansion in 1749 when Lord George Sackville's regiment arrived under the command of its Lieutenant-Colonel, James Wolfe. He fell to the lot of Mr. Orr, who assigned to him, as quarters, the Camlachie mansion. Wolfe was then only twenty-two, but had seen much service in Flanders, having entered the army at the early age of fifteen, under his father, a Veteran General, and only three years before his arrival in Glasgow, had been at Culloden. A number of Wolfe's letters are preserved, written from this queer old house in Camlachie. In one of these to an intimate brother officer, dated 2nd April, 1749, Wolfe delivers himself of the following piece of high-treason, - "The women here (Glasgow), are coarse, cold, and cunning, for ever inquiring after men's circumstances. They make that the standard of their good breeding. You may imagine it would not be difficult for me to be pretty well received here if I took pains, having some of the advantages necessary to recommend me to their favour . . ."
So that explains the name. Im away to try and take pictures of what i have done so far. Feel free to follow the blog.
Iain
Article about the house.
http://www.glasgowhistory.co.uk/Books/MansionHouses/MansionChapters/Wolfe.htm
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