Play ‘Spot the Watt Plaque’ in Trongate

I always tell people to ‘Look Up!’ (if I can prise their eyes off their phone’s screen), and even those of us who do follow that mantra can get the occasional surprise.

In this case, a plaque mention James Watt, in plain view in Trongate, but which I’d never spotted before.

As you’ll see, it’s not well-placed, being obscured by a large street sign if you try to see it square on, so the best view ends up being a slightly oblique one, from the right.

The colour/patina doesn’t help either, not being in great contrast to the building behind.

James Watt Buchanans Land Trongate Plaque

The small text at bottom left states:

ERECTED BY THE PEN & PENCIL CLUB, 1910.

In answer to your next question:

The Pen and Pencil Club

Foundation date: 16 December 1876
Dissolution date: 2 May 1922

Function: Art society

Policy: The objects of the club shall be to promote friendly intercourse, and to encourage the interchange of ideas between gentleman wholly or partially engaged in the pursuit of, or specially interested in, the Fine Arts, Literature, Science, and the Drama.

In answer to your NEXT question:

Yes, there are allegedly more of these plaques to be found around Glasgow, but I’m not aware of a list, although I have seen pics of others. There should be one in Glassford Street, for the lost Shawfield Mansion, but I don’t haunt there regularly, and will have to make a special trip one day.

Find the Watt plaque here, now that you know where to look.

James Watt Buchanans Land Plaque Trongate

Update

While I may have missed it, a later walk and search along Glassford Street failed to spot any evidence of another ‘Pen and Pencil Club’ plaque.

However, a count of the number of new buildings (from the latter part of the 20th century) now standing in that street suggest the chances are high that if such a plaque was installed there, it fell victim to one of the demolitions which took place prior to those build.

And back then, nobody really bothered to look after such items.

When the building they were attached to went, they’d probably go with it as well.