David Hodge (Glasgow)


David Hodge was Lord Provost of Glasgow from 1977 to 1980. He was a member of the Scottish Labour Party.
Hodge was born in Glasgow, to David Hodge Sr., an employee at the gasworks, and Sarah Hodge. In his youth he played football for Greenock Morton F.C. before embarking on a career as an insurance agent. In the war he served in RAF Coastal Command.
In 1971, Hodge joined the Glasgow City Council. He later served as chairman of the magistrates committee and then as chairman of the licensing committee in 1974 after a reorganisation of the local government. He served as chairman of Glasgow Constituency Labour Party before becoming Lord Provost of Glasgow from May 1977 to 1980. He was one of the most popular lord provosts and enjoyed a high public profile. He was later credited with helping to lay the foundation for increasing tourism to the city.
During his term of office he was involved in a memorable April Fools' Day prank, when it was reported that he would be singing in the lead in Scottish Opera's next production of Il Rapolfo. He also unveiled a statue "The Concept of Kentigern".
In 1980, Hodge was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the New Year Honours and received an honorary degree of Doctor of Laws from the University of Strathclyde.
Hodge, who was Roman Catholic, was an Officer of the Order of St John. He and his wife Mary, who died in 1989, had three children together. David was previously married in 1939 to Dorothy Quinn. They had a daughter in 1940 and Dorothy died in 1941 from colon cancer. So in total, he had four daughters.