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Tributes paid to the former curator of Glasgow's People's Palace following her death. Dr Elspeth King worked as a curator of the People's Palace Museum between 1974 and 1990. The 'legendary' curator and social historian was known for her drive to preserve the city's working-class history. Not long after taking the job, King sparked controversy when she put Billy Connolly's iconic banana boots on display. The move led to visitors complaining that the comedian's profanity-laced routines were too crude to be celebrated in a public museum. Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme in 2018, she said: "I remember the letters in the Daily Record about how Glasgow museums had been trashed by the addition of Billy Connolys's Banana Boots and didn't this man do sweary words on the television." Under her stewardship, the People's Palace would win European Museum of the Year in 1981 and British Museum of the Year two years later. Following her death, tributes have flooded in for the pioneering curator. Paul Sweeney MSP wrote: "My friend Dr Elspeth King has died. Pioneering curator of the People's Palace, 1974-1990. "She worked tenaciously to collect the city's working-class social history, despite being dismissed as a 'midden raker' by the fine art snobs at Kelvingrove. We are grateful that she did it." Niall Murphy, Director of Glasgow City Heritage Trust, added: "Just wanted to say how sorry I was to hear about the death of Dr Elspeth King over the weekend. "Via her work at the People’s Palace Dr King had an enormous impact on Glasgow’s culture. What she achieved there was impressive, particularly in the face of the museum possibly being swept away for Glasgow’s motorway expansion and relentless urban renewal and how she was unfairly treated by the Glasgow Museum’s hierarchy. "To bravely hire Alasdair Gray for the Continuous Glasgow Show and to retrieve artworks and material from condemned buildings during the Comprehensive Development Area, in the face of questioning, deserves respect especially for how this added to Glasgow’s civic collection. "For the People’s Palace to be European Museum of the Year in 1981 and then British Museum of the Year in 1983 is a huge achievement. I hope that is reflected in the refurbishment of the People’s Palace and her key role is acknowledged as it deserves to be." The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum wrote: "It is with much sadness that we have learned of the passing of our former director Dr Elspeth King. "Elspeth was at the heart of The Smith for a long period of time and did a great deal for Stirling, for which she will be fondly remembered." Sign up to our daily Glasgow Live newsletter here to receive news and features direct to your inbox Join Glasgow Live's Whatsapp Community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.
