It was a year book-ended by extreme sadness as a result of the Ibrox and Clarkston disasters; one being a deadly football stadium crush on January 2, the latter earning the dubious distinction as Scotland’s worst peace-time explosion on October 21.
Fifty years on, these twin tragedies, which claimed almost 90 lives, are still mourned, debated, and discussed in fine detail.
Meanwhile, there were other seismic events in Glasgow that were making headlines far beyond the dear green place.
In June 1971, the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders consortium went into receivership as a result of a policy by the then Conservative government to cease offering further support to so-called “lame duck" industries.
In an effort to keep the yard open, union representatives at the shipyard, led by figures including the late great Jimmy Reid, decided to stage a “work-in”, completing the yard’s orders and hopefully dispel the notion that the workers were work-shy.
The government relented to the demands of the workers in February 1972, creating two new firms: Govan Shipbuilders and Scotstoun Marine Ltd.
Prominent financial backers of Reid’s campaign included ex-Beatle John Lennon, who contributed £5,000.
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![Upper Clyde Shipbuilders shop steward Jimmy Reid addresses a mass meeting of UCS workers at Govan shipyard Glasgow in September 1971.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjZlNTEzODAzLWZiYWQtNDZkMC05ZjZmLWE3NWQ1MGU4ZTY3NDpiYmI1MTc4OS1jM2JkLTQ5MGQtYjc1MS1hZjlmMWIyNzNlNjA=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
1. UCS workers mass meeting 1971
Upper Clyde Shipbuilders shop steward Jimmy Reid addresses a mass meeting of UCS workers at Govan shipyard Glasgow in September 1971. Photo: Allan Milligan
![Hillhead High School twins Chrissie McMeekin & Evelyn McMeekin after the 100m final of the Glasgow Corporation Championships, held at Scotstoun in May 1971.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjcwMTRkNzQ0LTcyYmYtNDhiNi04N2M4LTk3OTFjNzI4ZjFhMTo2ZTM5OGEzYi1jYzU4LTRlMjItOTI0OS1lNzEyOTQwNjE1YmY=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
2. Glasgow athlete twins
Hillhead High School twins Chrissie McMeekin & Evelyn McMeekin after the 100m final of the Glasgow Corporation Championships, held at Scotstoun in May 1971. Photo: Gordon Rule
![Christmas shopping at Paddy's Market in Glasgow, December 1971.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjViYjk4NmZjLTY4NjktNDAzNy1hMmQzLTJkNzcxNjYyZDc5MzplN2NhMTM5Ny1mOTM3LTRhYWItYTI4ZC1iYTc4Njc5YjRmNDg=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
3. Christmas shopping at Paddy's Market
Christmas shopping at Paddy's Market in Glasgow, December 1971. Photo: Allan Milligan
![Shipyard workers eat their lunch in the sunshine outside the gates of the Govan division of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in June 1971.](https://www.thestar.co.uk/webimg/b25lY21zOjE0YzMwYzM5LTZjMzEtNDY0OS05Y2M1LTM2OTY4ZjA2OTA5ZjozYzA2ZjcwMi04ZjQxLTRkYWItODM2Yi1lMGEzMWY4MmIwNDk=.jpg?crop=3:2&width=800)
4. Shipyard workers outside Govan UCS gates
Shipyard workers eat their lunch in the sunshine outside the gates of the Govan division of the Upper Clyde Shipbuilders in June 1971. Photo: Joe Steele