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Alexander Mathieson & Son, Ltd., Saracen Tool Works
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Companies incorporated
into Mathieson's organization |
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Mathieson, Alexander
1822 – 1825
14 Saracen Lane, Glasgow
1826 – 1853
38 Saracen Lane, Glasgow
Mathieson, Alexander & Son (Ltd.)
1854 – 1966
Saracen Tool Works,
11 & 13 East Campbell St, Glasgow
1856-1857
1 Gilmore St, Pauls Work, Edinburgh
1858
– 1862
48 Nicholson St,
Edinburgh
1863
– 1900
21 & 23 Cockburn St,
Edinburgh
1856
– 1870
42 Murraygate, Dundee
1875 – 1910
(6) 8 Church St, Liverpool
1896 – 1924>
41 Byrom St, Liverpool
Aberdeen (Dates and address unknown)
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Manners, John
1792 – 1822
14 Saracen Lane, Glasgow
Manners
seems to have been a master of his trade. A
number of rare plane types including both
three and four-iron moulding planes bearing
his mark provide evidence of Scottish
sophistication in planemaking at this date
and an early attachment to multi-iron
types. The business and the premises
were taken over in 1821 by Alexander
Mathieson, who in later years claimed
establishment in 1792, the date at which
John Manners started in business.
Mathieson T.A. & Co
1849 – 1854
65 Nicholson St, Edinburgh
1854 – 1855
1 Gilmore St, Edinburgh
When Alexander Mathieson took over J
& W Stewart’s business at 65 Nicholson St in 1849 it would
appear that his son Thomas, then aged 23 years, was put
in charge. In 1854 they moved to 1 Gilmore St, the premises of
C&H McPherson who succeeded David Arthur & Sons.
In 1856 the business was reunited with Alex. Mathieson & Son.
Saracen Tool Works,
1854 – 1966
11 & 13 East Campbell St, Glasgow
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Arthur, David
1793 – 1803
Foot of Leith Wynd,
Edinburgh
Arthur & Son
1804 – 1824
1
McDougall St, Leith Wynd, Edinburgh.
(Note
that McDougall St and the Foot of Leith Wynd are the
same place)
Arthur,
David & Sons
1825 – 1844
1
Gilmore St, St Pauls Work, Edinburgh |
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In the
1820’s, David Arthur described himself as both a
planemaker and as a turning lathe manufacturer.
He
manufactured tools for wrights. |
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C&H McPherson
1845
1
Gilmore St, St Pauls Work, Edinburgh |
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C&H McPherson
took over the premises at 1 Gilmore
St. |
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Dryburgh J.
1837 – 1854
42
Murraygate, Dundee
1856 – 1858
Agnes St, Toronto, Canada |
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John Dryburgh gave training and
employment tin the trade of planemaking to his young
nephew James Lumsden following Lumsden’s return
from Canada in 1843 before emigrating himself in 1856.
By 1865 he was farming in North Easthope, Ontario but
his sons, William and John, are recorded as continuing
to make planes in North Easthope and later Bright,
Ontario. Alex Mathieson & Son started trading at
42 Murraygate from 1853/1854. |
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Lumsden James
1871 >
20 South Lindsay St, Dundee
Lumsden James & Son
1920 <
20
South Lindsay St, Dundee |
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James
Lumsden (b. 1826, d. 1918) emigrated to Canada as a
young boy with his father James (i) and mother Janet
(nee Dryburgh), sister of John Dryburgh,
planemaker. Shortly after arriving in Canada, Janet
died and James (i) remarried.
James (ii) did not get on
with his stepmother and returned to Scotland in 1843
aged 17 years. At this point he described himself
as “James Lumsden, Plain (sic) Maker, Narrow Murraygate,
Dundee”. Family records show him working as a
coachmaker at Cupar, Fife.
His uncle, John Dryburgh,
was working as a planemaker in Murraygate, Dundee and it
is most probable that Lumsden learnt his planemaking
skills from his uncle before joining Alex Mathieson
as manager of the Dundee Works from 1867 to 1870.
He
then established the business of James Lumsden
Planemaker and Tool Dealer (later to become James
Lumsden and Son) at the shop in 20 South Lindsay St,
Dundee where he continued to work before passing the
business to his son Samuel. Samuel carried on until
1920 when failing eyesight forced him to stop. |
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McGlashan J.
1827
High St, Perth
1837 – 1842
50 St John St & 81 High St, Perth
1843 – 1845
72 High St & South Methven St, Perth
1845 – 1849
57 South Methven St, Perth
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John McGlashan
was born in Blairgowrie in 1796 and is recorded as paying
personal stent (local tax) in Perth in 1827. His earnings must
have been quite small as he only paid the minimum amount of one
shilling for the year.
His earliest directory entry was in the
P.O. Directory of 1837 when he used the style “John McGlashan &
Co. Wrights’ Tool Makers”. By 1843 he was trading as John
McGlashan. It is possible that he was associated with Adam
Robertson who was also listed as wrights’ tool maker at 129 High
St, Perth.
The entries between 1837 and 1848 describe him
variously as wrights’ toolmaker, tool cutter, toolmaker,
planemaker and finally tool manufacturer. The Mortality
Register records that he died on 11 June 1849 of typhus fever,
aged 55 years. The business was continued by David Malloch. |
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McPherson, Chas & Hugh
1844 – 1854
1 Gilmore St, St Pauls Work, Edinburgh
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David Arthur and Sons ceased trading from
this address in 1844. When C&H McPherson ceased trading
in 1854 the premises and presumably the business were taken over
by T.A. Mathieson & Co.
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Malloch, David
1850 – 1860
57 South Methven St, Perth
1860 – 1870
25 St John St & Kirkside, Perth
1870 – 1878
50 South St, Perth
Malloch, David & Son
1878 – 1913
50 South St, Perth (The Perth Plane Works)
1914 – 1932>
11 East Campbell St, Glasgow
Subsidiary of Alexander Mathieson,
Glasgow
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When John McGlashan died in June
1849, his business was taken over by David Malloch who
was almost certainly an employee. Malloch also worked for
Stewart in Edinburgh as shown by his mark “MALLOCH LATE OF
STEWART’S EDINH”.
In the 1851 census he is recorded
as employing 5 men. Also recorded are his wife, two daughters
and a son (William) aged two years. Living with the family was
his brother-in-law, William McLaren, aged 18 years and also a
planemaker.
A notice in the Perthshire Courier of
Tuesday 26 April 1870, recorded that “David Malloch, Plane
Manufacturer and Edge Tool Merchant …. has removed from Kirkside
to more commodious premises at 50 South St. …”
It is apparent that the Malloch
business had steadily grown and with the move to South St,
further expansion was possible. These were extensive premises
for a firm that seems to have undertaken little or no other work
than planemaking.
The firm closed in Perth in 1913 but the
name was purchased by Alexander Mathieson of Glasgow.
Presumably the good name of Malloch was a considerable
trading advantage as Mathieson were still listing the firm at 11
East Campbell St, Glasgow up to 1932 and it would seem likely
that planes were still being supplied with the Malloch mark or
there would have been no reason to maintain the directory
listing.
After Mathieson, Malloch was probably the most
prolific Scottish planemaker and his name is common amongst
planes sold by dealers. Model numbers found on some planes are
an indicator that they were made by Mathieson after the
takeover.
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Stewart, John
1774 – 1798
Nicholson St, Edinburgh
Stewart, John & Son
1799 – 1822
65
Nicholson St, Edinburgh
Stewart, James (& Sons)
1823 – 1836
65 Nicholson
St, Edinburgh
Stewart, William
1837 – 1844
65 Nicholson
St, Edinburgh
Stewart, James & William
1845 – 1848
65
Nicholson St, Edinburgh |
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Wrights
tool maker. In 1799 they took Andrew Laurie (son of
William Laurie ??) as an apprentice. One of Stewarts
other employees was David Malloch.
The firm was taken over in
1849 by T.A. Mathieson & Co. During the latter
period of operation Stewarts were prolific makers and
the leading planemakers in Edinburgh. |
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