William Campbell of Tullichewan

William Campbell (1793––1864) was Scottish draper, businessman and philanthropist. With his brother, James, he formed company called "J. & W. Campbell & Co., GeneralWarehousemen." The company grew over many years and formed an international business. Having made his fortune William bought Tullichewan Castle, and continued to work while giving generously to philanthropic projects.

WilliamCampbellwasthefifthchildofafamilyofnine,andwasbornin1793, on the farm of Inchanoch, nearthePort of Monteith,inPerthshire,wherehisfather, James McOran, wastenantofafarmontheGartmoreestate. The family was known in the district by the name of McOran. They claimed descent from the Campbells of Melfort, and resumed their old name of Campbell on settling in Glasgow. William's mother Helen, was daughter of John Forrester of Frew, near Kippen, a farm tenanted by her family from the Earls of Moray for more than three hundred years. Alltheschooling,strictlysocalled,whichheevergot,hereceivedattheparishschool. William Campbell was a grandson ofJames Campbell, Esq. of Ashentree, Perthshire, a cadet of the Melfort branch of the Argyll Campbells.

In1805,whenhewasaboutelevenortwelveyearsofage,hisfathermovedwithhisfamilytoGlasgow,withtheviewoffindinginthatcentreofindustrysuitableemploymentsforhischildren.Inordertogivehimathoroughpracticalknowledgeofgoods,hewastaughtweaving ;andinduetime,afterhavingthusfarqualifiedhimself,heenteredtheemploymentofMrJohnCraig,whoatthattimecarriedonaScotchclothbusinessintheHighStreet,neartheCross.Hereheremainedforsomeyears,inthecourseofwhichhe securedforhimselfthegood-willandpatronageofseveralinfluentialfriends.Offersofassistanceweremadehimandhe(havingnowattainedtheageoftwenty-two)resolvedtostartinbusinessonhisownaccount.HisfirstplaceofbusinesswassituatedintheSaltmarket,andconsistedofaflat,onestairup,ofanoldtenementinanunfashionablelocality.Thebuilding hassincebeendemolished,inordertomakewayforLondonStreet.Herehewas very successful.Thewarehousewascrowdedfrommorningtillnight.Thetideofprosperityflowingonandincreasing,untilthebusinesshadoutgrowntheabilityofanysingleindividualpersonallytosuperintendit,hisbrother,James Campbell of Stracathro,andsometimeLordProvostofthecity,broughthistalentsandbusinesshabitstohishelp.Apartnershipwasformedbetweenthetwobrothers,andthefirmwas,conductedunderthenameof"J.&W.Campbell&Co.,GeneralWarehousemen."Undertheirjointmanagementthesameextraordinarysuccessasbeforecontinuedtoattendthem,untileveryflatandatticoftheoldtenementbeingturnedtouse,theywerecompelledtocontemplate thenecessityofleavingthetoocontractedpremises,andseekingmorecommodiousaccommodationelsewhere.Inthisneedfulsteptheirpacewasquickenedinconsequenceofthecondemnationbythepublicauthoritiesofseveraloldhouses,amongwhichwas"Campbell'swarehouse intheSaltmarket."Theygotnoticetoquititinfifteenmonths. Thisofcoursesubjectedthemtogreatinconvenienceandanxiety.But,theyinduetimesecuredapropertyinCandleriggs,onwhichtheyundertooktoerectasuitablewarehouse.Andsoconcernedweretheytolosenotime,thatthebuilder,afterthefirstfloorwasbuilt,gavethemaflooraweek,andthefirmspeedilymovedintotheirnewandspaciouspremises.Butinprocessoftimeeventhesebecametoonarrowforthem,andtheywereobligedultimatelytotakerefugeinthepalatialwarehousenowoccupiedbytheminIngramStreet,whichbecame athecentreofanextensivecommercewithallpartsoftheworld.

MrCampbell'ssuccessivefamilyresidences,likethesuccessivewarehouses inwhichhisbusinesswascarriedon,indicatedtheprogressiveimprovementofhistemporalcircumstances,untilultimatelyhebecame theproprietorofTillichewanCastle,withitssurroundinggrounds. Thomas Chalmers was a frequent visitor to Tullichewan and Prince Albert passed through in 1849.

InJune1822,MrCampbellmarriedMargaret,seconddaughterofArchibaldRoxburgh,merchant and had issue-

• James was born on 31 March 1823.
• Archibald
• William
• Alexander
• Adam
• John
• Elizabeth
• Helen

Unlike his brother, James Campbell, William was not specially interested in public life. He was at one time elected as Town Councillor; but as the duties had no fascination for him, he soon retired. As a citizen of Glasgow he has been remembered as a philanthropist by several charitable institutions which he supported.

He assisted to found and continued to support the Night Asylum for the Houseless, and he took especial interest in the Royal Infirmary, the Indigent Gentlewomen's Fund, and the City Improvement Scheme. The Royal Botanic Garden was beyond the power of being enjoyed by the working classes during the Fair week, the very time when the pent-up crowds of Glasgow were able to take advantage of its walks and open spaces, as it was in want of funds. He contributed £500 on condition that it might be open to the public during the great annual holiday.

At the Disruption, William, unlike his brother James, left the Church of Scotland and joined with the Free Church. William, who was an elder in the Free Church, was an intimate friend of Thomas Chalmers. Millburn Free Church and its adjoining place of sepulture, at the north end of Renton, owe their origin to the Disruption of 1843, which rent asunder theChurch of Scotland. In May 1845, William convened a meeting in the Star Hotel in George Square with Free Church Ministers to discuss establishing “an Academic Institution in the City”. As a result of this meeting, The Glasgow Academy was formed. In 1845 William Campbell, laird of Tullichewan, erected at his own expense the elegant small Gothic chapel of Millburn—which was adorned with a fine ornate steeple—and also secured ample burial ground nearby. The church was opened on 14 December 1845. In May, 1846, the church was sanctioned as a separatecharge.