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Edinburgh's Lyon and Turnbull auction house has five lots of books relating to T & R Annan from the estate of the late Eric Sloane. Amongst the lots is a first edition of Glasgow Improvements Act 1866. Photographs of Streets, Closes, etc. taken 1868-71, with albumen prints (estimate £10,000-15,000). The photographer Thomas Annan, who had a studio in the city and who specialised in architectural photography, was appointed to record, between 1868 and 1871, the character and conditions of the area prior to demolition.A few copies (probably around 4-8 volumes) of 31 albumen prints from Annan's original negatives were collected together for the City Improvement Trust in c. 1871. Bound in green morocco leather, the album bore Glasgow’s coat of arms with the motto ‘Let Glasgow Flourish.’ These copies were probably distributed to members of the delegation, led by Lord Provost Blackie, which included Glasgow’s Medical Officer of Health, Dr William Tennant Gairdner, and John Carrick, which had visited the Continent in early 1866 to see examples of slum clearances and rebuilding in European cities. 

Other lots include: The Old Country Houses of the Old Glasgow Gentry First edition,1870, one of 120 copies only (estimate £400-600), Memorials of the Old College of Glasgow, first edition, 1871 (estimate £400-600), and University of Glasgow Old and New, 1891, one of 50 deluxe copies on large paper (estimate £500-800).

Books & Manuscripts auction
16 June 2026
Lyon and Turnbull, Ediburgh
See: https://www.lyonandturnbull.com/auctions/books-and-manuscripts-905 (search Annan)

The Arts Organisations at Trongate103 in Glasgow's city centre are facing closure due to their leases being terminated by City Property, following a massive and unsustainable rent increase. Seven organisations occupy the Trongate 103 building - including Transmission Gallery, Street Level Photography and Glasgow Print Studio which are facing demands for approximately £700,000 in extra yearly expenditure, representing increases of quadruple previous rent levels.

Street Level Photoworks has been supporting photography since 1989 and is led by Malcolm Dickson. 

A pettition has been launched to save the venue. The organisers state:

'Trongate103 is one of the last visual arts venues remaining in the city, especially after the recent closure of the Centre for Contemporary Arts (CCA). Losing it would be a devastating blow to Glasgow's vibrant cultural scene'

Glasgow has long been celebrated for its rich cultural and artistic heritage. The city is home to dozens of creatives, artists, and communities. Trongate103 has been at the heart of this, offering a space for art, creativity, and expression that has enlivened the city centre and contributed enormously to the local economy. With its closure, we risk obliterating Glasgow's creative cultural legacy.

The decision by City Property to terminate the leases, citing a rent increase that places the arts organisations in an impossible financial situation, undermines Glasgow's identity as a city that supports and cherishes culture. These organisations, which have tirelessly worked to sustain the arts despite financial hardships, deserve our support and our actions to stand with them.

We call upon the Glasgow City Council and City Property to reconsider their decision, revoking the unsustainable rent increase and ensuring that Trongate103 and its associated arts organisations can continue to thrive.

By preserving spaces like Trongate103, we uphold the city's reputation as a leader in the arts and cultural innovation. With your support, we can urge the council to find a sustainable solution that allows these vital arts venues to remain open.

Sign this petition to protect Glasgow's cultural legacy, safeguard the arts community, and ensure that creativity continues to flourish in our city.'

At the time of writing some 22,496 people had signed the petition. 

Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/p/save-trongate103-from-closure  and read about Street Level Photoworks: https://www.streetlevelphotoworks.org/