William Bilsland

He was born on 17 March 1847 at Ballat near Balfron, the son of Ann Blair and James Bilsland, a farmer.[1]

He was educated at Dalmanoch school in Bonhill living there with his uncle, Dr Alexander Leckie.

From 1860 to 1869 he worked as a grocer's assistant in Glasgow. In 1869 he opened a shop at 223 Garscube Road.[2] In 1872 he opened a bakery in Greenhill Street and also acquired an existing bakery in Elderslie Street.[3]

28 Park Circus, Glasgow

In 1877, with his brothers, he bought a large piece of ground on Hydepark Street and on which they built the large Hydepark Bakery, adopting the company name of Bilsland Brothers.[4]

By 1900 they employed 200 people and made 230,000 loaves of bread a week, over 10 million loaves per year. They supplied 1600 retailers. Workers were well-paid, worked a 40 hour maximum week, unusual for the time, and all received free bread.[5]

In 1912 they acquired the rival company of Gray and Dunn (but retained their name as Gray Dunn & Co).[6] The main company was rebranded as Glasgow Bakeries.

The company traded until 1985. The bakery was demolished in 2015.

In 1886 he became a town councillor representing the 13th ward in Glasgow.[3]

In 1905 he was elected Lord Provost, succeeding John Ure Primrose. He served until 1908 during which time he saw many artistic projects, in particular the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. During this period he lived at 28 Park Circus[7] a beautiful, three-storey Georgian circus form, just east of Kelvingrove Park.

In 1907 King Edward VII created him a baronet, as Sir William Bilsland, Baronet of Park Circus, for his services to Glasgow.[8]

He died on 27 August 1921.[9]

In 1885 he married Agnes Anne Steven (d.1935). Together they had two childrenAgnes Anne (1896-1970) and Steven Bilsland, who inherited the business on his death.[10]

• 1965 documentary Bilsland Bread, National Library of Scotland
• Derelict bakery building prior to demolition