Wander the cobbled streets of Glasgow’s Merchant City with tour guide Dave, and uncover the stories of rebels, reformers, and revolutionary thinkers who helped shape the city’s future.
From the world's first professional police force to hot air balloon flights, early vlogging, and music legends, this walking tour celebrates the people who dared to dream differently. Learn about David Dale, the philanthropic merchant who built a better working world, and Hugh MacDonald, the pioneering “people’s journalist.” Stand in the footsteps of James Watt as he tinkered with the engine that helped fuel the Industrial Revolution. Explore the complex legacy of the Glasgow Merchants, and discover how some Glaswegians used their wealth and influence not for power, but for progress.
What to Expect:
✨ History to be proud of; how Glasgow led the world
✨Glasgow’s first police force, and the surprising stories behind it
✨ Inventors, industrialists, and early influencers who changed the game
✨ The architecture, ambition, and contradictions of a city built by merchants
Dates & Times: 16th & 17th August 11am & 2pm
Meeting Point: outside Merchant Square, on the corner of Candleriggs and Bell St
Price: £15pp
Also check out other Meetups in Glasgow.
