June 1887: Vacant Ground on Sauchiehall Street to be Covered at Last – Panorama of The Battle of Bannockburn

An article on page four of The Belfast Weekly Telegraph, in the ‘GOSSIP FROM SCOTLAND’

column, on Saturday the 15th October, 1887, reads:

 

“By the time these lines appear Glasgow will have received a mild surprise. The vacant piece of

ground which has for so long disfigured Sauchiehall Street is to be covered at last, and by a

distinct novelty. It may be remembered that some time back the Corporation had a serious

intention of building their picture gallery there. £ s. d. stood in the way of this scheme, and the

Corporation Galleries, with all their art treasures, remain in their old dangerous position. But

pictures, and marvellous ones in their way, will be seen on this waste space. Anyone who has seen

the established panoramas in Paris and Brussels and other continental cities—elaborately built up

things, beautiful as Nature herself and clear as life—must have wondered why we had no such

educational pleasures here. A number of West of Scotland gentlemen have amalgamated to form ‘The

Scottish Panorama Company.’ The shares, I believe, are entirely subscribed for. It is proposed to erect a

suitable building on the site in Sauchiehall Street I have alluded to. The first picture will be a vivid

representation of the ‘Battle of Bannockburn.’ The artist is the well-known Ernest Philip Fleischer,

who has been very successful in this sort of work. As the place will be on the direct road to our

Exhibition, and will have numerous attractions, it seems to me that the affair must be a success.”

 

 

 

The British Newspaper Archive.

 

 

 

George Fairfull-Smith, August 2023.