GOVAN  , a municipal and

police burgh of Lanarkshire, Scotland . It lies on the south bank of the Clyde in actual contact with Glasgow, and in a parish of the same name which includes a large part of the city on both sides of the river . Pop . (1891) 61,589; (19o1) 76,532 . Govan remained little more than a village till 186o, when the growth of shipbuilding and allied trades gave its development an enormous impetus . Among its public buildings are the municipal chambers, combination fever hospital, Samaritan hospital and reception houses for the poor . Elder Park (40 acres) presented to the burgh in 1885 contains a statue of John Elder (1824-1869), the pioneer shipbuilder, the husband of the donor . A statue of Sir William Pearce (1833-1888), another well-known Govan shipbuilder, once M.P. for the burgh; stands at Govan Cross . The Govan lunacy board opened in 1896 an asylum near Paisley . Govan is supplied with Glasgow gas and water, and its tramways are leased by the Glasgow corporation; but it has an electric light installation of its own, and performs all other municipal functions quite independently of the city, annexation to which it has always strenuously resisted . Prince's Dock lies within its bounds and the ship-building yards have turned out many famous ironclads and liners . Besides shipbuilding its other industries are match-making, silk-weaving, hair-working, copper-working, tube-making, weaving, and the manufacture of locomotives and electrical apparatus .

The

town forms the greater part of the Govan division of Lanarkshire, which returns one member to parliament .