The tenements were built quickly and cheaply in the 1840’s and are owned by various landlords. About 40,000 people live in the Gorbals, with up to eight family members sharing a single room 30 residents sharing a toilet and 40 sharing a tap. The population density for this small area is 281 people per acre. Although 850 tenements have been demolished since 1920 the conditions remain appalling and sanitation and crime are persistent problems. The area was cleared in the late 1950’s and the tenements were replaced with modern a tower block complex in the sixties.
