Thomas Glover was born 1838- appropriately for a merchant - at 15 Commerce Street, Fraserburgh, Aberdeenshire in north east Scotland, moving to Bridge of Don, near Aberdeen six years later.

In 1859 Glover crossed from Shanghai to Nagasaki and worked initially for Jardine Matheson buying Japanese green tea. Two years later he founded his own firm, Glover Trading Co. (Guraba- Shokai). His first major success was as a merchant for ships, guns and gunpowder sold to the rebellious Satsuma, Choshu and Tosa clans in Japan during the 1860s. His business was based in Nagasaki and it was here that he had constructed his home, the first western style building in Japan.In 1863 Glover helped the Choshu Five get to London on Jardine Matheson ships. He was also responsible in 1865 for bringing the first steam railway locomotive called "Iron Duke" to Japan which he demonstrated on a short track at Oura in Nagasaki.

Glover assisted in toppling the Tokugawa Shogunate during the Meiji Restoration and as such, had cordial relations with the new government. These links lead to him being responsible for commissioning the first iron-clad warship in the Imperial Japanese Navy (the Jho Sho Maru) which was built in Aberdeen.In 1868 Glover made a contract with the Hizen (Saga) clan and began to develop Japan's first coal mine at Takashima. He also brought the first dry dock to Japan.

Glover was a key figure in the industrialization of Japan, founding a shipbuilding company, which was later to become the Mitsubishi Corporation of Japan. He also helped found the major Kirin Brewery Company, Ltd..

In recognition of these achievements, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun (second class), the first non-Japanese to receive such an honor.

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