Glasgow's finest sons and daughters

As with any city of its stature, Glasgow has enjoyed its fair share of great residents. Some of them have literally shaped the streets and buildings that make up the famous old city's historic centre. Here, we look at some of Glasgow's best-loved sons and daughters. Now you'll know who to name check if you want to impress the locals during your stay at our city centre accommodation in Glasgow.

Charles Rennie MacKintosh (1868 - 1928)

What better place to start this list than with the man who was responsible for shaping so much of the city? An art nouveau artist and architect, the man operated in the later part of the 19th century and the first decades of the 20th century. Some of his most notable building designs include the Willow Tearooms in Sauchiehall Street and the Lighthouse, which previously served as the headquarters of the Glasgow Herald. Now a museum, the building offers stunning panoramas of Glasgow city centre from its summit.

MacKintosh developed a reputation as one of Europe's pre-eminent architects with his creation of the Glasgow School of Art Building at the turn of the century.

William Thomson, Baron Kelvin (1824 - 1907)Although born in Ireland, William Thomson, first Baron Kelvin, made his name at Glasgow's prestigious university as one of the pre-eminent physicists of his day. Beginning his studies at the university at the tender age of ten (not as uncommon as it would be today!!), he went on to become the chair of Natural Philosophy (Physics) as a 22-year-old, a post he held for the next 53 years! One of the leading scientists of the 19th-century, Thomson is still revered in the afterlife - he is buried in the plot next to none other than Sir Isaac Newton at Westminster Abbey in London.

Adam Smith (1723 - 1790)
A man who needs little introduction to anyone who ever studied economics at school, Adam Smith is another not technically born in Glasgow. But again, he did much of his best work at the city's university and began his studies there at the ripe old age of 13, so we thought we'd let it go this time!

Most famed as the economist who penned The Wealth of Nations, Smith came up with much of the thinking behind the notion of modern free markets and the rather intriguing sounding "invisible hand of the economy". He even managed to be the first Scot to make it onto an English banknote when he was unveiled on the new £20 note in 2007.

Sir William Burrell (1861 - 1958)
Arguably the most famous shipping magnate to hail from Glasgow, Sir William Burrell was also one of the city's greatest philanthropists and art patrons. After amassing a fortune in ship building with his brothers, Burrell entered into the politics game. He also helped establish the Glasgow International Art Fair in 1901 and his own impressive collection of paintings can still be seen at Pollock Country Park.

Herbert MacNair (1868 - 1955)An artist of international renown, James Herbart MacNair was one of the key contributors to the development of the 'Glasgow Style' of art, which incorporated elements of Celtic revival and the arts and crafts movement. He was a close friend of MacKintosh, the two studying together at the Glasgow School of Art in the late 1800s. MacNair made up one quarter of a collective that came to be known as The Four, together with MacKintosh and their future wives, sisters Frances and Margaret McDonald. Along with the Glasgow Boys and Glasgow Girls, The Four were instrumental in the establishment of the Glasgow Style at the end of the 19th century.

Mary Barbour (1875 - 1958)
One of Scotland's most important political activists, Mary Barbour was a key part of the Red Clydeside movement at the start of the 20th century, going on to be involved in the Glasgow rent strike of 1915. She was later elected to city council, becoming the Labour's first female councilor in the city. Folk singer Alistair Hulett's song Mrs Barbour's Army is about her role in the rent strikes, where she helped organise tenant committees to resist evictions.

Benny Lynch (1913 - 1946)According to Ring Magazine, Bennie Lynch is the greatest boxer that Scotland ever produced. Learning how to fight in the carnival booths that populated depression-era Glasgow, Lynch went on to become the undisputed world flyweight champion in 1936, when he beat Filipino Small Montana in London. He was the first man to knock out England's Peter Kane in 1937, a fight that took place at Shawfield Park in Glasgow and is considered by many to be one of the finest flyweight contests of all time. A year later, the two would draw over 15 rounds in Liverpool.

Tobacco Lords (18th century)
A group of individuals rather than a sole person, the Tobacco Lords were merchants who made great fortunes in the 18th century trading tobacco with Great Britain's colonies in America. Many of the mansions and churches that they had commissioned still stand proud in Glasgow, but the main reason that they made this list is because they, quite literally, left their marks on the city centre - where several streets are named after them. For example, Buchanan Street, Dunlop Street and Ingram Street were named after the 'Virginia Dons' Andrew Buchannan, James Dunlop and Archibald Ingram.

Billy Connolly (1942-)No list would be complete without everyone's favourite Glaswegian, comedian Billy Connolly. Epitomising so much of what the city is about with his irreverent brand of humour, Connolly spent years working as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards before pursuing a career in comedy. The Big Yin ('the big one') as he is affectionately known by the locals, Billy is also a talented musician and actor, having starred in films such as The Last Samurai, The Boondock Saints and, of course, Mrs Brown.

Scrooge McDuck/Groundskeeper Willie
OK, before you say anything, these two made it on to Glasgow City's official list of famous Glaswegians, so blame them not us! While neither may be real, both can claim to among the best-known Glaswegians for the rest of the world. A creation of Disney, Scrooge McDuck somehow found time to swim through his gold-filled vault while also dealing the japes and shenanigans of his nephew Donald Duck and grand-nephews Huey, Duey and Luey. Groundskeeper Willie, as everyone will know, is one of the best-loved characters from hugely popular cartoon The Simpsons and reportedly once claimed to be the "ugliest man in Glasgow".

Mythical wizard Merlin - of King Arthur fame - also made the Glasgow City Council list, but we thought we'd leave it there…

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