January 1855: The Union Bank Telling Room

As mentioned elsewhere, a day-by-day search of Glasgow’s newspapers and journals can provide information

on so many different aspects of the city’s cultural history. In the nineteenth century, numerous publications

recorded details of art collectors, art sales, exhibitions and the art trade, as well as the construction of new

buildings, among other subjects.

 

When I reached the 1855 newspapers, I was so pleased to find several articles about the Union Bank of

Scotland’s new telling-room (often spelt without the hyphen). The description perfectly matched many

of the details, which were recorded in the photograph at the Mitchell Library.

 

An article on page five of The Glasgow Chronicle, on Wednesday the 31st of January, 1855, reads:

 

“THE UNION BANK TELLING ROOM.

 

We had an opportunity the other day of viewing the magnificent telling-room of the Union Bank of

Scotland, which has for some time been under reconstruction, and is now nearly completed. For beauty

of design and tasteful execution we believe it cannot be equalled by any banking establishment in the

kingdom. The style is Roman Corinthian of the Revivalperiod, and the fine coved ceiling rising off the

entablature finishes in a dome 26 feet in diameter. The stained glass in the dome represents emblems of

the arts and sciences. In all coved ceilings, the angle line is known to artists to be disagreeable,

and various methods have been adopted to get quit of that line by ornamentation. In the present case,

Mr Salmon of this city has been eminently successful by the introduction of four figures, the workmanship

of Mr Thomas of London, representing the four quarters of the world. The ceiling is highly decorated, and

the painting chaste and quiet, with only as much gilding as exhibits the hand of art. Four circular panels in

the north wall are to be filled with subjects in painted glass, representing the armorial bearings of Glasgow,

Aberdeen, Greenock, and Paisley, supported by allegorical figures, and the clock is ornamented by a beautiful

bas relief by Mr Mossman, showing ‘Old Time’ oiling the wheels, whilst two thoughtless youths are

endeavouring to force Time’s progress. Corinthian pillars adorn the walls, and on the projections are bas

relief figures with festoons. In the south wall there is a triplet window of stained glass with full-length

figures—Mr Patterson, the founder of Scottish Banking, occupying the centre, and supported by portraits

of Adam Smith and James Watt. The side windows with relieved borders are in one sheet, and the largest,

we are informed, that has been produced in the style. The glass decorations are by Mr Ballantine, of

Edinburgh. Immediately above the triplet window are three groups representing agriculture and commerce

supporting the arts. These are also by Mr Thomas of London, and the introduction of a gold ground behind

has a beautiful effect. We are not aware of any other example of bas relief sculpture in this country with gold

back ground. The lower part of the walls are painted Siena marble, and the floor and entrance lobby are laid

in caustic tyle [sic] by Minton. This is the first introduction of that flooring in Glasgow, and the effect is very

beautiful. The counter top is made of a single plank of teak, and measures about 32 feet. The counter front

and enclosure is of fir, carved, and the bronze railing, furnished by Messrs McConnel, is of tasteful design.

The modelling of all the ornaments, with the exception of the statuary, is by Mr James Steele, of Glasgow;

and the plaster work is perhaps the finest that has been produced in Glasgow. The apartment measures 64

feet by 50 feet, and presents a triumph in the art of design and skill in execution such as Glasgow may well

be proud of.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reproduced courtesy of The Mitchell Library, Glasgow.

 

 

 

 

 

The British Newspaper Archive.

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, August 2023.