Glasgow’s Tobacco Trade and Revolution | Glasgow News

When America declared independence, Glasgow’s tobacco merchants took a brutal hit—thanks to enslaved labor and disrupted trade. But the fallout sparked something revolutionary: the 1783 founding of the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, the oldest continuously running chamber in the English-speaking world. Once loyal to King George III, these merchants even funded a British battalion to crush the rebellion. Yet, they soon turned to the new U.S. government for compensation, setting off a tense economic tug-of-war. Led by former tobacco merchant Patrick Colquhoun, the Chamber emerged as a unified voice for commerce—with early focus squarely on rebuilding trade with America. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/0f32c066ad3e6993