Thistle started the new year exactly where they had left off, recording a 7-2 Scottish Cup victory, over St Bernard’s at Firhill. The timeless phrase “could this be our year” was probably discussed in many of the countless Hostelries in the Burgh – Maryhill was said to have had one pub for every 59 inhabitants!
The Scottish Exhibition of National History, Art and Industry was held in Glasgow in 1911. It was the third of 4 international exhibitions held in Glasgow during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The University's tower overlooking the site of the exhibition
The exhibition followed two previous exhibitions, The Glaswegian Exhibition (1888)and Glasgow International Exhibition (1901). It took place at Kelvingrove Park, and ran from 2 May to 4 November 1911 and recorded over 9.3 million visits. The fair was held close to the River Kelvin structured around the Stewart Memorial and included a Palace of History (based on the Falkland Palace, a Palace of industry, a Concert Hall and an Aviation Building. Entertainments included boat trips, an aerial railway and a Highland Village (from which a cairn marking the village remains).
Meanwhile, a short distance away Thistle were providing entertainment of another kind, in “the beautiful game”. The Jags replicated their form of the pre-Christmas period and finished the season unbeaten at Firhill. The reward was a heady 4th place in the league behind champions Rangers, Aberdeen and Falkirk, only Dundee had managed to match their number of home wins, Celtic trailed in behind us in fifth place – which still brings a smile. A rare Firhill defeat was handed to the Jags by that same Dundee Team in the next round of the Scottish Cup (0-3). “Ach well, there’s always next year”.