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Some time ago the Directors of the Chamber of Commerce suggested the preparation of a few notes descriptive of the circumstances that gave rise to the Chamber, and of the transactions which, at its formation, formed the chief subject of deliberation and discussion at its meetings. I readily acted upon the suggestion, and found the study one of great interest. It, however, occurred to me, that those curious and complicated details might be rendered much more attractive and interesting if, instead of being presented in a dry historical or statistical form, they could in some way be associated with the lives and labours of the most notable of those men who were the early Directors and Members of the Chamber, and to whom, it is no exaggeration to say, modern Glasgow owes a debt of honour and gratitude she can never pay.
With the view, chiefly, of still further enhancing and perpetuating the memory of the Old Glasgow Commercial Aristocracy, who guided the town through times of great difficulty and depression, these Sketches have been undertaken. I have been very careful to verify the accuracy of the incidents which are woven up with the narratives. If, however, through inadvertence or insufficient information, any mistakes have crept in, I trust this will not lessen the interest of the work, or detract from whatever value it may possess.
I am indebted to various friends for help with the "SHORT BIOGRAPHICAL NOTICES" at the end of the volume, especially with the following:-
| HUMPHREY BARBOUR.
JAMES BLACK. ALEXANDER BROWN. JAMES BROWN. JOHN BUCHANAN. ROBERT, GEORGE, AND ANDREW BUCHANAN. ROBERT COWAN. ROBERT EUING. WALTER EWING. JAMES FINLAY. KlRKMAN FINLAY. JOHN FREELAND. GEORGE SCOTT FREELAND. ARCHIBALD HENDERSON. ANDREW HOUSTON. ROBERT HOUSTON OR HOUSTON-RAE. |
ALEXANDER M'CAUL.
WALTER EWING MACLAE. MATHEW PERSTON. THOMAS SHEDDEN. WILLIAM SHORTRIDGE. ARCHIBALD SMITH. WALTER STIRLING. JOHN TENNANT. DAVID TODD. WILLIAM WARDLAW. DAVID WATSON. WILLIAM WHYT. JOHN YOUNG. MAGISTRATES AND MERCHANTS OF GREENOCK. MAGISTRATES AND MERCHANTS OF PAISLEY. |
I have also to acknowledge my obligations to Mr. W. BOYD ANDERSON for the article on "GLASGOW AT THE UNION," as well as for his labours in preparing the Index and in revising the proofs as the work passed through the press.
GEORGE STEWART.
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
GLASGOW, October, 1881.
View of the city of Glasgow from the south, 1797
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