A 17th century sculptured tablet from the Merchants' House in West George Street, believed to depict three inmates of the old Hutchesons' Hospital.
Hutchesons' Hospital was a hospice for "poore aiget decrippit men". It was founded with an endowment from the brothers Thomas and George Hutcheson and the original building was erected on Trongate, 1641-1660. The Hospital inmates were provided with grey cloaks trimmed with green collars and sleeves and were required to wear them to church services at the Tron Kirk, twice each day.
The hospital admitted elderly widows and daughters of merchants from 1737, and also contained lodgings and a school for a small number of poor boys - the forerunner of Hutchesons' Grammar School.
Ray MacKenzie writes in Public Sculpture of Glasgow (2002) that it is more likely that the sculpture depicts three aged former merchants who received charity from the Merchants' House. It is known that old and destitute merchants were given shelter in the old Merchants' Hall in Bridgegate during the 17th century.
Reference: GC 941.435 OLD
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
claoks, fashions, hospices, Hutchesons' Hospital, Merchants' House, old age pensioners, old people's homes, sculptures
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