A proclamation printed by Glasgow's Town Clerk's department informing the public of the arrangements for the Franchise demonstration on Saturday 6 September 1884. The poster lists the streets which were to be closed to allow marchers to walk from Kelvingrove Park to Glasgow Green, and which areas of the Green were set aside for speakers.
The event was organised by the Glasgow Liberal Association in support of the 1884 Franchise Bill which extended the vote to male householders in county (rural) constituencies. The Association erected eight platforms on Glasgow Green from which speeches were made in favour of the bill. Later in the day, public meetings were held in halls throughout the city.
The Liberal Association estimated that 70,000 people marched on the day, although the (Tory-leaning) Glasgow Herald believed that 35,000 was a more realistic figure.
Reference: Glasgow City Archives, Town Clerk's Department
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
demonstrations, Glasgow Franchise Demonstration, Glasgow Green, Glasgow Herald, Glasgow Liberal Association, Kelvingrove Park, marches, Parliamentary Reform Act, 1884, political activists, posters, proclamations, public meetings, Town Clerk's Department