Elizabeth, his widow, continued to operate both theatres, aided by her son William Glover and Charles G. Houghton as manager and treasurer.

[3][4] In January 1863, on the final night of the pantomime Blue Beard, the Dunlop Street Theatre Royal was damaged by fire.

As well as his artistic skills, William Glover "was an enthusiastic devotee" of both fencing and boxing and instilled a love of these sports onto his young protégé ("who proved no dullard").

As Brunton progressed at fencing "the two scene painters – master and pupil – to show their skill to an admiring world, gave the famous broadsword combat in Rob Roy in public during a revival of that play".

This appearance was such a success that soon afterwards they played the Corsican Brothers at a benefit performance, "when the great duel scene was made their special effort".

[5][6] Glover had a custom whereby each year he took his apprentices "to some selected spot in the Western Highlands, where they encamped for a few weeks, living a delightfully Bohemian existence".

He formed a partnership with George Francis, and they leased a theatre in Hope Street, Glasgow, for ten years from James Baylis.

They produced successful pantomimes and introduced the citizens of Newcastle to early works of Arthur Sullivan and W. S. Gilbert, with Richard D'Oyly Carte as stage manager.

[8] In about 1880 Glover established his own scene-painting workshops and studio in the Glasgow suburb of Port Dundas and continued as the top scenic designer in Scotland.

[3] Glover's wife Emily died in May 1882 at Kilmun, a spa town on the north shore of Holy Loch, opposite Glasgow (across the Firth of Clyde).