The Myth, the legend, the real story...
The Gorbals Vampire has always been something of a talking point in parts of Glasgow, some have no idea about it, others actual heard rumors and it, and some were actually there.
No matter your stance on it I can shed some light on it and fill you in.
In September 1954 in Gorbals, Glasgow, rumours had spread among the school children of a terrible, 7 foot tall vampire with iron teeth running around kidnapping children. Rumour had it that this vampire had murdered two young boys and feasted on their corpses. Despite the adults and the police trying to put a hold on the beginnings of mayhem, the children decided upon themselves to take matters into their own hands. The Vampire must be brought to justice.
The air was smokey and heavy possibly from nearby factories or Dixons Blazes and on a Sept day and night it may have been a change in the air.
The school bell rang and that was the cue to bear arm and start the hunt. Hundreds of school kids and younger aging from around 2 - 14/15 armed themselves to the teeth like a military operation with blades, crosses, stakes and dogs and start out to the upon to the cities Southern Necropolis.
The Victorian Cemetary was the place where the Vampire was 'seen' last but the spooky place was not match for the grit and determination of the kids.
No tree or headstone was left unchecked, no shadowy silhouette or shape was left with getting shouted at. The day turned to night and the children all started to go home along with a rain shower. Now normally a bit of rain in Scotland wouldn't put any kid big or small off (it is Scotland of course) but, in those days, going home in wet school clothes would have caused alot of grief from their mothers. So off they went home but...
They came back the next night and the night after that, again hundreds of kids patrolling and shouting and running around and even the Police who were in attendance couldn't believe what was going on.
Three nights it went on for and the headmaster of the school told them to stop and parents supported this idea, however it did raise the issue with parents about a man running around maybe kidnapping children.
The issue hit the headlines in the newspapers...it even was spoken about in Parliament and the use of American horror stories influencing children on their imaginations.
For the brave kids that day and night all that didn't matter, what mattered was they were on an adventure and they stood together in a common cause. They took the situation into their own hands
Fast forward a few decades and there has been books, plays have been written and its such a story of myth and wonderous tale.
The kids are all grown up now (above)
If you want to check out the area of it all happening, please go and checkout and click the image below where I took at full tour of the Southern Necropolis in Glasgow
Thanks for reading and watching my tour
Hope this didn't give you nightmares
Until the next adventure thanks again
Scotts Land