Thomas Fairbairn's view of the Buck's Head Hotel, built on the corner of Dunlop and Argyle Streets in 1757 by John Murdoch, a leading tobacco merchant and three times a lord provost. It became a hotel in 1790. The building of similar design to the left of the hotel on Argyle Street was built by Colin Dunlop of Carmyle, another tobacco merchant and lord provost.
During the so-called Radical War of April 1820 the Buck's Head was occupied by the City Magistrates and by men of the 7th and 10th Hussars. The cavalry's horses were kept saddled in the courtyard behind the building, ready to carry the troops into action against radical insurgents. However, the "rising" quickly fizzled out and the cavalry did not see action.
Reference: Mitchell Library GC 914.14353 FAI
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
10th Hussars, 7th Hussars, army, Buck's Head Hotel, cavalry, horses and carts, hotels, inns, Lord Provosts, mansions, militia, streetscenes, Tobacco Lords, tobacco merchants