History
The modern history of Calton predates Saint Mary’s Church by about 150 years. Originally the area now called Calton was known as Blackfauld and from 1705 it was developed as a place for weavers to live.
A certain John Walkinshaw (1671-1731) who was a Jacobite sympathiser, owned the land and the development of the weavers accommodation.His involvement in the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion ruined him.
Glasgow Town Council was able to acquire Blackfauld in 1723. It was they who called the area Calton and the name remained even when Glasgow sold Calton to the Orr Family in 1730.
Surrounding area
One of the streets bordering Saint Mary’s is “Orr Street” originating from that family ownership of the lands around the church.
Another street bordering the church is Forbes Street named after the first Parish Priest of Saint Mary’s who died in 1872 after thirty years as Parish Priest and is buried in the chapel crypt.
The street, formerly known as Rose Street, to the south side of the church, was renamed by Glasgow Corporation on 9th June, 1927.
In 1817 Calton became a self-governing burgh of barony with its own provost and council, though this was a somewhat short-lived status as the burgh was annexed to Glasgow in 1846, just four years after the opening of Saint Mary’s.
For Glasgow’s official site see http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/