Who we are

History

The Trades House of Glasgow was created at the time of reform of Glasgow’s local government in 1605. At that time the electorate was essentially divided into two groups: the Merchants and the Craftsmen. The Craft Incorporations were led by the Deacon Convener who was given a council seat which is retained to this day, but no longer has speaking or voting rights.

Trades House was established to help protect and support the Crafts people of the City. Over the centuries it housed the Trades Free School for boys and girls, worked closely with educational establishments within the City to support initiatives when appropriate and used Funds built up following donations from generous benefactors to assist those in need.

Visit the virtual museum for more details.

Today

Trades House is a charity focusing on both Educational Initiatives and supporting people in need. We give donations of more than £750,000 annually to deserving causes and individuals.

To achieve this we have built strong relationships with establishments from nurseries to universities working to motivate and assist those in learning from pre-schoolers to apprentices. We also work closely with third sector groups to ensure the donations and funds we distribute are given to worthwhile causes and the individuals that will benefit the most.

The Trades House still meets in the Trades Hall in Glassford Street, which, apart from the medieval cathedral, is the oldest building in Glasgow used for its original purpose.

The Platform

The Platform is the group of people who shape and direct Trades House from year to year, similar to a company’s ‘Board’ of Directors. The House is the Governing Body and the members of the Platform are elected by that Body.

Seven people sit on the Platform, each carrying out the seven consecutive roles for one year each. A new member is elected onto the Platform each year, which means it benefits from the experience of those that have sat on it for some time but are invigorated with fresh ideas from the new members.

The Platform is headed by the ‘Deacon Convener’, a position which each Platform member holds during the middle of their term on the Platform. The title ‘Deacon Convener’ was coined because s/he ‘convenes’ the House Trustees. The Deacon Convener is supported by the rest of the Platform, in particular the Collector (who originally would have ‘collected’ subscriptions etc).

Members of The Platform

Deacon Convener - Rev Tom Pollock

Tom is a Glaswegian having been born and brought up in the city. He is married to Elaine (a retired GP) and they have two children, Mairi who lives in London, and Neil who lives in Glasgow.

Tom went to school in the west end, Hyndland, the same school as the Alasdair Beaton, then from there to Glasgow College of Technology (now Caledonian University). There he originally wanted to study accountancy but having met many accountants and finding their lives too exciting decided to change to Social Sciences. It was during that time he was called to the ministry of the Church of Scotland. On graduation, he went on to study divinity at Glasgow University. He later went to Edinburgh University to study for a Master’s degree in Theology.

He worked in the Easterhouse area of the city, after being ordained and it there, he reckons, his real education began. Elaine was working at Baillieston which covered parts of Easterhouse so there was an overlap of people they dealt with. It was during this period in the far east end their children were born.

After ten years he moved to Airdrie, living and working there for eleven years. Finally (2003) he came back to Glasgow to work in Pollokshields where he was minister of Sherbrooke-St Gilbert’s Parish Church which in 2019 joined with Mosspark Parish Church.

Tom was heavily involved, in his early days in Easterhouse, the 1980’s, in the many social projects that were going on at the time. During this period he was appointed a Justice of the Peace and sat for a number of years in the old District Court in St Andrew’s Square.

In 2015 he was elected Moderator of the Presbytery of Glasgow becoming the senior minister of the Kirk in the city.

Over his years he has served in many situations and committees both in civic and ecclesiastical society. His hobbies include watching rugby, having been rubbish at it as a schoolboy, choral music, swimming and reading. In retirement he went back to playing tennis having watched the oldies at David Lloyd trying to emulate rockets reaching for the moon.  He believes he couldn’t be any worse. Elaine would disagree

 

 

Collector - Beverly Bergman OBE

Beverly Bergman has been associated with Trades House for nearly 20 years since her Mother Craft, the Incorporation of Cordiners in Glasgow of which she has twice served as Deacon, was successful in changing its Constitution to permit women to be admitted. However she has family connections to Trades House through her late husband’s Melville family going back as far as 1893, now encompassing five generations.

She qualified in Medicine from the University of Birmingham in 1976 and served as an Army GP for some 20 years, working as far afield as Hong Kong and Belize as well as serving in Germany and Northern Ireland, before qualifying as a consultant in Public Health and working in health policy at the Ministry of Defence. Her last role in the Army was as Military Medical Liaison Officer to the Scottish Government, before undertaking a PhD in Veterans’ Health at the University of Glasgow, where she now runs the Scottish Veterans Health Research Group as Honorary Clinical Associate Professor. She was awarded an OBE for Services to Veterans in Scotland in the 2021 New Year Honours.

Away from work, her interests include Earth Sciences where she is an active member of the Edinburgh Geological Society, and historical research. She is a past Chairman of the Heraldry Society of Scotland, and is currently President of the Royal Scottish Society of Arts which showcases Scotland’s science, technology and innovation, the name deriving from the “useful arts” of the 19th century

 

 

Late Deacon Convener - Richard Paterson  

Having spent the last 56 years in the Scotch Whisky, it is not surprising whisky almost runs in his blood. In 1933, Richard’s Grandfather established W R Paterson Ltd in Glasgow, specialising in Blending & Bottling and Broking. His Bond in Stockwell Lane, a short distance from the Trades House of Glasgow was taken over by Richard’s father in 1956.

Reflecting on his family’s strong ties to the Scotch Whisky Industry, Richard wanted passionately to make his own mark and therefore embarked on a thirst-quenching mission to learn all about it through The Wine & Spirit Education Trust gaining the Higher Certificate with Distinction and ultimately on the Diploma course too. It was during this period in 1970 having spent 5 years with A Gillies & Co, owners of Glen Scotia Distillery in Campbeltown he joined Whyte & Mackay and within five years became their Master Blender, aged only 26, Richard was reputed at that time to be Scotland’s youngest Master Blender, subsequently earning the title “the Nose”, a mark of distinction that has remained with him ever since. Last year he celebrated 50 years with Whyte & Mackay Limited.  

In view of his long career in the Scotch Whisky Industry it was only natural he wanted where possible to engage and support The Trades House of Glasgow with the result he became Visitor of The Incorporation of Maltmen and then Deacon of the Incorporation of the Coopers of Glasgow as well as being admitted to both Worshipful Company of Distillers and Coopers of London.

Education has always been one of Richard’s greatest priorities both for the young and old and he was able to pursue this passion, having been Past President The Institute of Wines & Spirits of Scotland, The 49 Wine & Spirit Club of Scotland, Spirit Chairman of both The International Wine & Spirits Competition and the International Spirits Challenge, as well as joining the Management Committee for The Keepers of the Quaich. Having been also a past President of The Scottish Licensed Trade of the Benevolent Society he remains actively involved with the work of raising money for their pensioners and respective charities Something he continues to do when it comes to The Trades House of Glasgow. In the Queen’s New Year’s honours for 2021 he was award an OBE for Services to the Scotch Whisky Industry

 

 

Late Collector Alasdair Beaton  

Alasdair has been involved in the Trades House for over 20 years. He served as Deacon of the Incorporation of Coopers in 2007-8, when he worked with Late Convener Richard Paterson to expand the Incorporation’s links with the Cooperages. He sat on various committees of the House and currently, amongst others, is a member of the Commonweal Fund committee which provides grants to many deserving charities around the city.

As Managing Director of a food importing company for over 25 years, now part of the large Japanese Nishimoto Wismettac Group, Alasdair is heavily involved in supplying ambient and frozen food to the major supermarkets, which fuels his love of food and travel. He is an executive board member of the Scottish Food & Drink Federation and on other trade bodies.

Interests include golf, having been a member and Past Captain of Buchanan Castle Golf Club, now a member of Whitecraigs Golf Club but playing all too rarely; rugby, where, as a Past President of Whitecraigs Rugby Club, he followed his passion about getting young people into rugby; and also getting out and about with his wife and two dogs.

Alasdair is married to Sheonagh, past Deacon of the Coopers in 2019-20 and in line to be President of the Deacons’ Association in 2027, with one son Struan, also a member of the Coopers.