This Is My Glasgow

The former Heckling Shop on Glasgow Vennel in Irvine. Dating from the mid-18th century, this was where flax was dressed, making it ready for spinning, a process known as heckling. It was while working here in 1781 that Robert Burns, Scotland's national poet, decided his future lay not in the flax industry, but as a writer.

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#glasgow #irvine #architecture #robertburns #heckling #scottishhistory

Jul 5, 2024 at 3:41pmWeb
Show threadThis Is My GlasgowJul 5, 2024

On a side note, the phrase to heckle someone comes from Dundonian flax workers, or hecklers as they were also known, who were well renowned for their rowdy and belligerent behaviour.

#glasgow #irvine #architecture #robertburns #heckling #scottishhistory

Show threadPeter L BowdenJul 5, 2024
@thisismyglasgow Back in the day, the Students' Association at the University of Dundee used to hold election meetings called "Hecklings" where candidates for the students' council would make speeches and answer questions. "Rowdy and belligerent behaviour" was often the outcome😄.
Not sure if this continues today.
Show threadAngela MillerJul 5, 2024

@thisismyglasgow
Irvine is also where he very nearly became a cultist...

https://youtu.be/ZQwBOcsQQFU

The Buchanites Part One: The Woman Clothed in Sun

YouTube
Show threadLaurence M 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Jul 5, 2024
@thisismyglasgow I used to work in the ropeworks in Greenock - hemp would come in on bales and we broke the bales up , and put it through a series of machines to tease the rough bundles into flax for sending to the spinners. The machines had long thin tapered teeth like devices called heckle pins!