Sir William Bilsland LLD (17 March 1847 – 27 August 1921) was a Scottish baker who owned one of Scotland's largest bakeries, and was Lord Provost of Glasgow. He was an elder of the United Free Church of Scotland and a supporter of the temperance movement.
He was born on 17 March 1847 at Ballat near Balfron, the son of Ann Blair and James Bilsland, a farmer. [1]
He was educated at Dalmanoch school in Bonhill living there with his uncle, Dr Alexander Leckie.
From 1860 to 1869 he worked as a grocer's assistant in Glasgow. In 1869 he opened a shop at 223 Garscube Road. [2] In 1872 he opened a bakery in Greenhill Street and also acquired an existing bakery in Elderslie Street. [3]
In 1877, with his brothers, he bought a large piece of ground on Hydepark Street and on which they built the large Hydepark Bakery, adopting the company name of Bilsland Brothers. [4]
By 1900 they employed 200 people and made 230,000 loaves of bread a week, over 10 million loaves per year. They supplied 1600 retailers. Workers were well-paid, worked a 40-hour maximum week, unusual for the time, and all received free bread. [5]
In 1912 they acquired the rival company of Gray and Dunn (but retained their name as Gray Dunn & Co). [6] The main company was rebranded as Glasgow Bakeries.
The company traded until 1985. The bakery was demolished in 2015. [7]
In 1886 he became a town councillor representing the 13th ward (Anderston) in Glasgow. [3]
In 1905 he was elected Lord Provost, succeeding John Ure Primrose. As Lord Provost, he was the Lord Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow. [8] He served until 1908 during which time he saw many artistic projects, in particular the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. During this period he lived at 28 Park Circus [9] a beautiful, three-storey Georgian circus form, just east of Kelvingrove Park.
In 1907 King Edward VII created him a baronet, as Sir William Bilsland, Baronet of Park Circus, for his services to Glasgow. [10] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Lanarkshire in 1907. [11]
He was a trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland for three 5-year terms from 1907. [12] [13] [14]
He died on 27 August 1921. [15]
In 1885 he married Agnes Anne Steven (d.1935). Together they had two children, Agnes Anne (1896-1970) and Steven Bilsland, who inherited the business on his death. [16]
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Sir William Bilsland LLD (17 March 1847 – 27 August 1921) was a Scottish baker who owned one of Scotland's largest bakeries, and was Lord Provost of Glasgow. He was an elder of the United Free Church of Scotland and a supporter of the temperance movement.
He was born on 17 March 1847 at Ballat near Balfron, the son of Ann Blair and James Bilsland, a farmer. [1]
He was educated at Dalmanoch school in Bonhill living there with his uncle, Dr Alexander Leckie.
From 1860 to 1869 he worked as a grocer's assistant in Glasgow. In 1869 he opened a shop at 223 Garscube Road. [2] In 1872 he opened a bakery in Greenhill Street and also acquired an existing bakery in Elderslie Street. [3]
In 1877, with his brothers, he bought a large piece of ground on Hydepark Street and on which they built the large Hydepark Bakery, adopting the company name of Bilsland Brothers. [4]
By 1900 they employed 200 people and made 230,000 loaves of bread a week, over 10 million loaves per year. They supplied 1600 retailers. Workers were well-paid, worked a 40-hour maximum week, unusual for the time, and all received free bread. [5]
In 1912 they acquired the rival company of Gray and Dunn (but retained their name as Gray Dunn & Co). [6] The main company was rebranded as Glasgow Bakeries.
The company traded until 1985. The bakery was demolished in 2015. [7]
In 1886 he became a town councillor representing the 13th ward (Anderston) in Glasgow. [3]
In 1905 he was elected Lord Provost, succeeding John Ure Primrose. As Lord Provost, he was the Lord Lieutenant for the City of Glasgow. [8] He served until 1908 during which time he saw many artistic projects, in particular the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. During this period he lived at 28 Park Circus [9] a beautiful, three-storey Georgian circus form, just east of Kelvingrove Park.
In 1907 King Edward VII created him a baronet, as Sir William Bilsland, Baronet of Park Circus, for his services to Glasgow. [10] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Lanarkshire in 1907. [11]
He was a trustee of the National Galleries of Scotland for three 5-year terms from 1907. [12] [13] [14]
He died on 27 August 1921. [15]
In 1885 he married Agnes Anne Steven (d.1935). Together they had two children, Agnes Anne (1896-1970) and Steven Bilsland, who inherited the business on his death. [16]
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