THIS is Aikenhead House in King's Park, once one of the most popular areas of the park, particularly on afternoons when tea was being served in the tearoom there.
The house, seen here in the early 1920s, had a long history, with the central block designed by the architect David Hamilton and built in 1806 for the West Indies merchant and prominent Glasgow Tory, John Gordon. The wings were also designed by Hamilton and were added in 1823.
The mansion was built on the site of a house that had been built for James Hamilton, the first Earl of Abercorn. He was Provost of Glasgow at different times between 1614 and 1629 and died in 1633 having made his fortune as
a merchant.
In 1710 it became the home of Provost Hamilton's great-grandson James, twice Rector of the University of Glasgow. His son, also James, succeeded him and later sold the estate to Colin Rae of Little Govan.
John Gordon died in 1828 and was succeeded by his son. In 1930 the estate was acquired by Glasgow
Corporation and was opened to the public as King's Park.
The house was converted in 1986 to contain 14 flats.
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