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About Trades House of Glasgow
Charitable Giving
The Trades House of Glasgow is one of the city’s largest and most respected charitable institutions, which aims to improve the lives of people in Glasgow by tackling areas of significant charitable need. Through its charitable giving, community partnerships, educational support, and care for those in need, the organisation makes a significant contribution to the well-being of the people of Glasgow. Each year, the Trades House provides vital funding and assistance to children, families, students, community organisations, and charities across the city through a range of dedicated charitable funds and grant programmes. These funds support educational attainment, alleviate hardship, create opportunities, and strengthen communities, ensuring that the organisation’s long-standing commitment to public benefit continues to make a meaningful and lasting impact.
The Relief Fund
The Drapers Fund
The Education Fund
The Commonweal Fund
Educational Initiatives
A key commitment of the Trades House has always been to support the education of the young people in our city by way of the below education initiatives which are organised with the support of Glasgow City Councils Education Services, and which culminates in our Education Festival which takes place during the first two weeks in June. This is a unique and unified platform which brings together and showcases the talent of schoolchildren, students and apprentices from Glasgow’s schools and colleges, universities and apprenticeship programmes.
School Crafts Competition
This initiative seeks to encourage, reward and recognise traditional craft work undertaken by pupils as part of the SQA National and Higher Grade craft & design syllabuses. Approximately 250 pupils from between 15 and 20 schools take part annually with entries being received from S1 to Advanced Higher levels. Entries are judged in broad general education, woodwork, metalwork, design and manufacturing, engineering science and graphic communications
Citizenship Awards
Apprenticeship Awards
Since 2006, The Trades House of Glasgow Apprenticeship Awards have celebrated the dedication and hard work of apprentices across Glasgow and the surrounding areas. These awards encourage apprentices to reach their full potential and recognise commitment, skill and personal growth. Over the years, winners and runners-up have come from a wide range of industries, including electrical engineering, joinery, building and construction, hospitality, catering, mechanical engineering, pharmacy and administration. The awards recognise the important contribution apprentices make to Glasgow’s future.
Craftex
Craftex is the flagship education project of the Trades House. It is the ideal platform for emerging new talent in the city to showcase their work in a city centre exhibition, win prizes and gain industry recognition, make contacts and create employment opportunities for themselves. They are exhibiting alongside the best of Glasgow’s colleges’ students, and with over 50 categories ranging from Graphics to Nail Art, Industrial Product Design to DVD Technology and Plasterwork
We have recently collaborated with the V&A in Dundee to showcase some of the excellent award-winning exhibits. This demonstrates the quality of the work from the students and is a testament of their skills.
Our History
The Trades House of Glasgow was created 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. The Deacon Convener is the Third Citizen of Glasgow represents the House at Civic events and council meetings helping to retain the close links between the City and the Trades House.
Trades House was established to help protect and support the Crafts people of the City and for centuries it housed the Trades Free School for boys and girls. After the local government reform in the 1840’s the craft concentrated on their charitable endeavours.
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.
Six people currently sit on the Platform which 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).
The full platform consists of
- Deacon Convener
- Collector
- Late Collector – (also known as Deacon Convener Elect)
- Ex Deacon Convener
- Collector Elect
- Collector Nominate
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 Fourteen Incorporated Crafts
Each of the fourteen Crafts is an independent charity giving assistance, support and funding to their own chosen areas of interest alongside supporting the Trades House. They evolved from the ancient trades that operated in the city from medieval times, ensuring standards were met in each trade, but equally importantly they contributed to the government of the city until the Reform Acts in the 1840’s removed their automatic right to do so.
The Crafts are each led by a Deacon (Visitor for the Incorporation of Maltmen) and a Collector, and they are supported by a Master Court of approximately 12 Craftspeople or ‘Masters’. The Deacon (Visitor) and Collector are elected annually at each Crafts AGM which take place in September on a day referred to as ‘Choosing Day’
The Deacons and Visitor of the Crafts, collectively known as the ‘Chain Gang’, work together throughout their year in office supporting their own individual Craft functions, as well as the Deacon Convener and any charitable endeavors that the House undertakes.
The Crafts meet quarterly when all matters relating to the functions of their Craft and their charity work are considered and discussed
The Crafts are, in no particular order:
- The Hammermen
- The Masons
- The Wrights
- The Gardeners
- The Skinners & Glovers
- The Fleshers
- The Bakers
- The Tailors
- The Maltmen
- The Coopers
- The Bonnetmakers & Dyers
- The Barbers
- The Cordiners
Each Craft holds an annual ‘Choosing Dinner’ following the election of their Deacon (Visitor) and Collector in September. These are usually formal black tie dinners which formally mark the start of the Deacons (Visitors) year in office. They also serve as the launch of the Crafts fundraising for the year. At their Choosing Dinner the Deacon/Visitor be joined by the Deacon Convener and Collector along with their fellow Chain Gang members, Craft members, House Trustees and other guests. Some Crafts have also had members of the Royal Family in attendance.
There are also three associated organisations which are the Association of Deacons, The Grand Antiquities Society and the Trades House Lodge who support
The Trades Hall
The stunning Trades Hall in the heart of the Merchant City, Glasgow, has been home to Trades House since 1794.
Before this the Crafts met in an Almshouse on the corner of Cathedral Street and the High Street, where the Barony Hall of Strathclyde University sits today.
Robert Adam was the architect who won the commission in 1791 but sadly died before it was completed. His younger brothers, James and William Adam, saw the building finished.
The façade of the Trades Hall is one of Adam’s finest designs, originally comprising of a block of five bays with the emphasis on the central entrance way and outer bays. It is the only major Adam work surviving in Glasgow, and the oldest building (apart from the medieval cathedral) still used for its original purpose of a public hall.
Today our clients enjoy this unique venue for a multitude of different events from location filming to high school proms, weddings to college exams, intimate to large gatherings, meetings to celebrations (catered and non-catered, up to 250 guests).
Part of the proceeds from all events held in the Trades Hall goes to help the Trades House with its charitable giving.