William Burrell
(1861—1 958)

Shipping magnate and art collector

Glasgow-born William Burrell was a lifelong art collector, ultimately retiring at 56 from the family shipping business to spend his time to amassing a collection of over 8,500 art objects and spending up to £80,000 a year on his hobby. The collection was bequeathed to Glasgow, opening in 1983 in a magnificent new gallery. The Burrell Collection has been one of the top Scottish tourist attractions ever since.