Glasgow, Renfield Street 1897

Photo ref: 39769A

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Glasgow also took a lead in other aspects of communications. In 1878 Alexander Graham Bell revisited his native land to demonstrate the telephone to the British Association meeting hosted by Lord Kelvin. A few months later the Medical Telephone Exchange was established for the medical profession, and in November 1879 the Scottish Telephone Exchange opened to serve the general public. The National Telephone Company was formed in 1881 and nationalised in 1912, when its operations were handed over to the Post Office. By the closing years of the century Glasgow had grown in power, prestige and wealth out of all recognition. The seal was set on its success by staging the Glasgow International Exhibition in 1888; Queen Victoria herself performed the opening ceremony and conferred a baronetcy on the Lord Provost, James King, the first holder of the office to be thus honoured. Five years later Glasgow was elevated to become the County of the City of Glasgow, and thereafter the Lord Provost became ex officio Her Majesty's Lord Lieutenant, entitled from 1912 onwards to the appellation of The Right Honourable.