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On Elizabeth's death, Scotstoun passed to the grandson of her sister, Katherine. Katherine married Robert Haldane of
Airthrie and they had one married daughter, Mrs Haldane Gordon who had one son, James Gordon.
James Gordon assumed the name "Oswald" and was the last owner of the entire Scotstoun estate. Although his decision to feu the estate for
housing during the late 1800s was instrumental in the formation of modern day Scotstoun, Oswald visited the area on only
a handful of occasions — preferring to live in much sunnier climes. Oswald was keen on adult education and gifted a library to the Oswald School.
By 1861 the inexorable progress of shipbuilding industry prompted Oswald to carve up the estate. Parts were feued for
housing, for further industrial development along the Clyde, and to create the sprawling Victoria Park.
Victoria Park was laid out on the Scotstoun estate from 1886 to 1887 — during an unusual shipbuilding depression which had
resulted in mass unemployment — and was formally opened by Partick's Provost, Sir Andrew MacLean on 2 July 1887. The
sum of £4,000 was spent by the burgh authorities to turn Oswald's land into a fine recreational park. For the first ten
years the annual rent amounted to £5 per acre, rising to £10 per acre per annum thereafter in perpetuity.
Extensions to the Park took place between 1894 and 1909 — landscaping work had begun on a disused quarry within
the Balshagray end of the Park (Sandra Malcolm discovered that this was in fact "Quarry Knowe", where whinstone for
repairing roads was quarried), and it was during these
extensions that a "fossil grove" was uncovered.
The fossil grove comprised eleven fossil roots (Lepidodenron) complete with expansive root systems covering
an area of approximately 23m x 10m, dating back over 350 million years.
Also uncovered, stratified in the soil above the fossils, was a Middle Bronze Age cist cemetery. Funerary urns and calcified bones dating back to 1,000BC were
removed and placed into a collection at the People's Palace Museum.
The importance of the site was recognised and work began to uncover the remains and preserve them for the future.
The temporary buildings created for the International Exhibition, Glasgow 1888, were being demolished at Kelvingrove at
the time and brickwork was moved to Whiteinch to construct permanent shelter for the fossil grove.
The shelter was formally opened on New Year's Day, 1890. This building was unfortunately replaced during the 1980s and a modern
edifice now protects the fossil remains.
 
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