9 fantastic photos of Glasgow Fair weekend in the 90s

Glasgow Times

19-07-2025

The traditional Fair Fortnight holiday marked the two weeks in July when the whole city closed down for a summer break.
In the days before foreign travel was as prevalent, city families headed to the coast – Ayr, Prestwick, Troon and Saltcoats – or the islands – Arran, Cumbrae and Bute.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
They also made the most of entertainment on their doorstep – mainly the fairground rides and shows at Glasgow Green.
Photographer Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert captured a collection of images of the Glasgow Fair back in 1991, which he has now published in the latest of his series of zines.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
Jeremy, who grew up on the Southside of the city, travels the world on a variety of high profile commissions and his archive – almost a million photos – was recently acquired by the University of St Andrews. He was official photographer for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games Queen's Baton Relay.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
'Printing these zines of my archival work is one way of giving back the images to the people in them, to give the photos new life, and bring them to new audiences,' he explains.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
So far, he has published 10 zines, all available from his website.
Jeremy took the Fair photos on Glasgow Green and at Ayr beach in 1991, when he was just starting out in his freelance career after his studies at Glasgow College of Building and Printing.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
'I was really just learning my craft then, and it was the start of a career which has taken me around the world,' he explains.
'I find it interesting to look back on these photos and see how things have changed. In one picture we can see the Queen Elizabeth Square flats in the Gorbals that were demolished in 1993.
'The kids seem to be having simple fun, making their own amusement, or being amused by simpler things, perhaps."
He adds, smiling: 'Or perhaps that is a sign of my aging …'
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
Some photos are a reminder of the politics of the time - the Hall of Magic Mirrors on the Green, for example, has Margaret Thatcher and Neil Kinnock as paintings on the exterior.
'Perhaps that shows us that back then politicians were around for a lot longer, and were household names and easily recognised, instead of the revolving doors of the Prime Minister's office and Government in recent years,' adds Jeremy.
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
'It's interesting to see the pony rides on Ayr beach, which you may not see so often now, and a young boy on a payphone on a British Telecom mobile phone facility. That's fascinating, especially as now everyone has a smartphone in their pocket.'
(Image: Jeremy Sutton-Hibbert)
Jeremy adds: 'I love that photos like these capture the times, things we take for granted which years, or decades later, become fascinating.
'That's what I love about photography, and why I feel it is important to photograph the common, everyday around us, so that in years to come we can see the changes.'
Jeremy is currently focussing on 'photographing Glasgow and Scotland, documenting and capturing the everyday' he explains.
'It's been great to hear from people who recognise themselves in the images, or find relatives and colleagues in the photos,' he adds.
'I hear some lovely comments from people. These aren't just photos - they are people's lives and memories, and as such it's great to give them new life, have them published again.
"I can only do what I do with the help and collaboration of the people in the images.'
Send us your Glasgow Fair memories - email [e-mail] or write to Ann Fotheringham, Glasgow Times, 125 Fullarton Drive, Glasgow G32 8FG.