The Trades House of Glasgow Lecture

On 25th June The Trades House Lecture 2019 took place in Glasgow Caledonian

University, with Dr Douglas Dawson of Liberty House Group giving a fantastic talk on green steel, green aluminium and the exciting potential for this manufacturing process in Scotland and the UK.

Over 90 people attended, including the University's Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, members of the House, industry representatives and students.

Dr Dawson said that by harnessing vast underused national resources, we can reverse the trend that currently sees 80% of the 21m tonnes of steel Britain consumes each year coming from abroad.

He said that Liberty aim to:

1. Win back steel by attacking the growing mountain of exported scrap.

2. Encourage investment in green energy, not green taxes.

3. Invest in British engineering, rebuilding downstream industries.

4. Recharge the steel sector, industrial strategy and the economy.

A little bit of history

The Trades House Lecture is a prestigious annual event hosted in rotation by the three universities; Caledonian, Strathclyde and Glasgow. Following the lecture, the Deacon Convener of the Trades of Glasgow hosts a dinner within Trades Hall for the speaker, members of the House and University.

The first Lecture took place on 2 May 1989 at the University of Strathclyde entitled 'Scottish Business - The Challenges' by speaker William Hughes. The Deacon Convener in office was Peter Crichton and the University Principal, Graeme Hills.

Two years later at the University of Glasgow, the second Lecture, 'An historical perspective on the development and state of British Universities' by Roy Jenkins was attended by Deacon Convener Roy Johnson, welcomed by Principal Sir William Fraser.

Finally, in 1998, the Caledonian University hosted its first Trades House Lecture when Her Excellency the High Commissioner of South Africa - Ms Cheryl Carolus was the guest speaker.