In association with         

The Entrepreneurs who made Nineteenth Century Glasgow

Entrepreneurial micro-businesses once dominated the streetscapes of Britain’s towns and cities and were considered central to their success. We know that entrepreneurship has always been a driver of employment, skills, and innovation, as well as providing an income to diverse, and often marginalized, groups in society. However, what is missing from our understanding of entrepreneurship is a study of the dynamics of business formation in a 19th century city.

This project focuses on the space, place and people of Glasgow during a critical period of its expansion. It is a period when the city was arguably at its peak of its influence, and was considered an industrial giant. New professional and commercial activities transformed Glasgow and reflected its population’s diversity in gender, age and nationality. We take some of the factors that are key to understanding city centres in the 21st century and apply them to Glasgow's historical data in order to build a more holistic understanding of the 19th century city. In doing so we will present a detailed study of Glasgow's spatial, economic and social development during this period.