Overgate Dundee 1954

A lot of work in this and your other paintings. Always interesting to see work like this. The sunlight, bottom left give it an early morning feel. love the shadows from the people. Hard to imaging all those lovely red brick buildings have gone. Victorian?

Hi CA thank you for your interest. The Overgate was a warren of closes and tenements situated in the city centre for more than 300 years. There were pubs, shops private dwellings and businesses situated here a real hive of activity and also notoriety. The building on the right with the desperate roof above the Sixty Minute cleaner shop was in the 1650's the base for a General Monck who was part of a Cromwellian army which ransacked the city causing mayhem. The site has gone through two major redevelopment cycles in the past 50 years these buildings were knocked down around 1961 and a concrete monstrosity took its place for 30 odd years until the new Overgate Shopping centre resides now. The city council probably meant well but looking back I think it would've been preferable to have refurbished the old historical sites and kept them its lost a lot of character.

That is some history. It is a shame when these wonderful buildings are lost and replaced with - more often than not - monstrosities. Thankyou for taking the time to send such a detailed write- up. Much appreciated.