In 1868 Annan was commissioned to record the old closes and streets of Glasgow prior to their demolition. Light hardly ever stole into the narrow closes, whereas here the photographer has the benefit of a bird's eye view. The broad avenue, washed clean by recent rain, appears far more presentable than the squalid courts hiding behind the facades of the tall buildings. This is deceptive: a closer look reveals how run-down the buildings are and the washing sitting out on windowsills speaks of the overcrowded conditions in which the inhabitants live.