AS with all Lord Mayors of London, Sir Harry Twyford had an eventful year in office. In April 1938, for example, he welcomed the first Australian Test Cricket team to dine at the Mansion House since 1880. In October he travelled to Prague to urge the government there not to arrive at too speedy a decision on the fate of thousands of German refugees who had fled to Czecho-Slovakia.

In June, he and his wife and daughter travelled to Glasgow, where they visited Glasgow University and the Kelvingrove Art Galleries and Museum. They took in Knightswood, part of the huge development in that had been transforming in the city, and were shown around two houses in Lincoln Avenue. “I would rather have a nice three-room house like this, “ Lady Twyford said of one of them, “than the Mansion House in London. In a modern house like this kind one could do without servants.” Sir Harry said the houses were very comfortable, and made a light-hearted request that his name be put down on the waiting-list.

Together with Glasgow’s Lord Provost, Sir John Stewart, the couple visited the John Brown shipyard (above) where they inspected No 552 - the Queen Elizabeth, to be launched in three months’ time - and were impressed by the bustle of activity at the yard. Next to the Cunarder was a battleship, HMS Anson. Other works-in-progress seen by Sir Harry included two large destroyers and a cruiser.