William Burrell
Encyclopedia
Sir William Burrell was a Glaswegian
shipping merchant and philanthropist
. He was born in Glasgow
, Scotland
in 1861. He was the third of nine children in a family, which ran a shipping business.
Burrell joined this business in 1875, at the age of 14, and took over the firm when his father died. Burrell and his brothers were successful in business by ordering ships during economic downturns, and using these modern vessels to full capacity when the economy recovered. Using this method the family managed to become rich. This allowed Burrell to spend his time collecting antiques
, and he managed this by his eye for a bargain.
In 1902 he married Constance Mary Lockhart Mitchell, the daughter of another ship owner. Burrell was knighted in 1927 for services to art and for his public work.
In 1944 Burrell donated his collection to the city of Glasgow, with £250,000 to house it. The conditions of this include the request that the collection should be in a rural setting. This posed a problem until the council acquired Pollok Country Park
. A custom-build museum, the Burrell Collection
, was finally opened in 1983 - even this is large enough to display only a portion of Burrell's collection. Provand's Lordship
in Glasgow displays his collection of 17th century Scottish furniture.
William Burrell died at Hutton Castle
in the Scottish Borders
on 29 March 1958, at the age of 96. He is buried in Largs, where he had a holiday home in Nelson Street, along with his wife Constance who died on 15 August 1961 aged 86.
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
shipping merchant and philanthropist
Philanthropist
A philanthropist is someone who engages in philanthropy; that is, someone who donates his or her time, money, and/or reputation to charitable causes...
. He was born in Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1861. He was the third of nine children in a family, which ran a shipping business.
Burrell joined this business in 1875, at the age of 14, and took over the firm when his father died. Burrell and his brothers were successful in business by ordering ships during economic downturns, and using these modern vessels to full capacity when the economy recovered. Using this method the family managed to become rich. This allowed Burrell to spend his time collecting antiques
Antiques
An antique is an old collectible item. It is collected or desirable because of its age , beauty, rarity, condition, utility, personal emotional connection, and/or other unique features...
, and he managed this by his eye for a bargain.
In 1902 he married Constance Mary Lockhart Mitchell, the daughter of another ship owner. Burrell was knighted in 1927 for services to art and for his public work.
In 1944 Burrell donated his collection to the city of Glasgow, with £250,000 to house it. The conditions of this include the request that the collection should be in a rural setting. This posed a problem until the council acquired Pollok Country Park
Pollok Country Park
Pollok Country Park is a large country park located in Pollok, south Glasgow. Prior to the building of the M77 motorway it was the largest urban green space in Europe. In 2007 it was named the best park in Britain...
. A custom-build museum, the Burrell Collection
Burrell Collection
The Burrell Collection is an art collection in the city of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated in Pollok Country Park on the south side of the city.-History:...
, was finally opened in 1983 - even this is large enough to display only a portion of Burrell's collection. Provand's Lordship
Provand's Lordship
The Provand's Lordship located in Glasgow, Scotland, today stands as a medieval-period historic house museum located at the top of Castle Street in the shadow of the Glasgow Cathedral and Glasgow Royal Infirmary....
in Glasgow displays his collection of 17th century Scottish furniture.
William Burrell died at Hutton Castle
Hutton Castle
Hutton Castle is a castle in the Scottish Borders, overlooking the Whiteadder Water near Berwick-on-Tweed.Originally a property of the Homes of Wedderburn, from 1876 the castle was owned by Dudley Marjoribanks, 1st Baron Tweedmouth. His descendants owned it until it was purchased in 1916 by Sir...
in the Scottish Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
on 29 March 1958, at the age of 96. He is buried in Largs, where he had a holiday home in Nelson Street, along with his wife Constance who died on 15 August 1961 aged 86.