Photo Gallery

The bank is infamous as the scene of Glasgow's greatest financial disaster of the Victorian era.  In June 1878, the directors reported that there were now 133 branches of the bank and that business was booming with deposits of £8 million and that a dividend of 12 per cent would be paid.  All appeared well and so the City was devastated when on 2nd October of the same year the newspapers reported that the directors had decided to close the bank.  This exhibition features documents recording the demise of the bank.

 

First page of The City of Glasgow Bank's list of shareholders and their holdings as at 17th July, 1878. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/3 p9. Copyright reserved.) The City of Glasgow Bank's Abstract Balance Sheet, as at 5th June 1878, issued by the bank and submitted to the AGM on the 3rd July 1878. Below is the Abstract Balance Sheet, as at 1st October 1878, showing the actual total loss. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/4. Copyright reserved.) Details of the motions placed before the Extraordinary General Meeting of The City of Glasgow Bank held on Tuesday 22nd October 1878 and recorded here by the Clerk to Meeting, Rob. S. Aikman, 23rd October 1878. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/3 p140. Copyright reserved.) Extract from the report on the trial of John Stewart and others (directors of The City of Glasgow Bank) before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, 1879. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/11 p30. Copyright reserved.)    
 
The verdict of the trial announced by the Lord Justice-Clerk before the High Court of Justiciary at Edinburgh, 1st February 1879. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/11 p576. Copyright reserved.) First page of the final report by the Central Relief Committee of The City of Glasgow Bank Shareholder's Relief Fund to the Aggregate Executive Committee and Subscribers, 1885. (GUAS Ref: UGD 108/30 p1. Copyright reserved.)  Blank  Blank  
 
For further information about the collections used for the City of Glasgow Bank exhibition or if you would like permission to use the images and text accompanying this exhibition, please contact us.