Glasgow gay scene

By the midpoint of the 19^th century successful businesses wished to build offices that reflected their optimism, growing wealth and confidence, especially at a second when Glasgow was cementing its position as the second city of the Empire. One such organisation, which emerged during the early part of the century was The National Bank of Scotland (NBS) (established in 1825) and after a failure to acquire the Glasgow and Ship Bank, the NBS undertook to open their first Glasgow branch in 1843.  Occupying temporary accommodation in the first instance the bank launched a public competition to layout a more suitable building. A young London architect, John Gibson (1817-92), then working under Charles Barry, entered the competition and his plan was unanimously chosen as the winner. On Gibson’s first official trip to the capital he was treated to a public dinner given by the ‘principal gentlemen of Glasgow’ and commented that ‘I was much gratified by the generosity shown to me in Glasgow, and surprised to see so many universal monuments, and all by the best sculptors’. After the final plans were approved construction of the new building, in Queen Street, began that winter and was compl