Archibald Baird & Son

Archibald Baird & Son, Wholesale and Export Ironmongers, manufacturers of Gutta-Percha Furnishings, Crucible Steel Castings, Engineers Tools, etc.—

Showrooms: Central Arcade, 105, Hope Street, Glasgow. Warehouse : Peacock Cross, Hamilton. Works: Clyde Steel and Engineering Works, Hamilton, near Glasgow. (Telegraphic Address : “Excello”, Glasgow. Telephone No. 938). (Hamilton telegraphic address: “Baird,” telephone No. 13).

             Established in the year 1870, the firm of Archibald Baird & Son has now become one of the first of its class in Scotland. Their business is one of an exceedingly comprehensive character, and their trade connection is both large and widespread. The following summary will give our readers some idea of the extensive character of the firm’s operations.

           They are manufacturers of gutta-percha furnishings, of crucible steel castings, engineers' tools, and every description of colliery, mining, railway, quarry, and iron works plant; also of Baird’s asbestine fireproof brattice cloth, and Archangel tarred brattice cloth ; machinery of all kinds; and they supply cylinder oils (amber and dark), and machinery and burning oil of every sort; likewise, grease (waggon, hutch, and cart), almond grease for engine slides, and composition for preserving wire ropes. The firm are the sole manufacturers of A. Baird’s patent sight feed lubricator for all classes of engines ; of Baird’s & Pitcairn’s patent hutch or tub greasing machine; of Adam & Baird’s patent self-recording anemometer, for registering the variations of ventilating fans; of Adam and Baird’s patent pumping engine recorder ; of Henry Aitken’s patent boiler scale preventer; of Smith’s patent pit indicator, which ensures the entrance to the shaft being closed while the cage is in motion; and, finally, they are sole makers of Baird’s improved boring ratchets, hammers, needles, stemmers, picks, brushers, sinkers, &c., &c. They are the sole agents in Scotland for the “Protector Lamp and Light Company, Limited”, Eccles, near Manchester (manufacturers of every kind of safety lamp) ; “Hodgson & Stead”, Salford and Manchester (manufacturers of weighing machinery for all commercial purposes) ; and “Rylands Brothers, Limited”, Warrington (manufacturers of all descriptions of mining ropes) ; also, for “The Harrison Mining Machine” ; King & Humble’s “Patent Detaching Hook” ; Parkin & Robinson’s “Patent Climax Grip Pulley” ; and for the patent and improved machinery and appliances for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and pipes, made by Messrs. John Whitehead & Co., Albert Works, Preston.

             They likewise keep a very extensive stock of general ironmongery in connection with engineer’s, colliery, mining, railway, and ironwork’s plant. It would fill the space of a good-sized pamphlet to ennumerate all the articles either manufactured or dealt in by Messrs. A. Baird & Son, but we have specified, we think, quite sufficient to indicate the scope and magnitude of their gigantic business. We have, however, made one important omission, which we will supply ; the firm are the sole agents for the collieries and iron works in Scotland, for what is termed the “Lucigen” new method of lighting. It produces a light of great brilliancy and diffusive power at an extremely low cost. In fact, it yields a light of 2,000 candle power actual, at a cost of about three pence per hour, and, consequently, is well adapted for industrial purposes, where work has to be carried on by night in the open air or under cover.

            The firm's works are at Hamilton, and are styled “The Clyde Steel and Engineering Works” ; their warehouse is located at Peacock Cross, Hamilton ; and showrooms at the Central Arcade, 105, Hope Street, Glasgow. The manufacture of colliery and iron-works plant, forms a speciality of their business. Their works are on a most extensive scale, and are splendidly equipped, and a very large number of hands are employed on the premises. The warehouse and office staff, too, are considerable. We may state that the firm, in addition to their home trade, do an export business of some magnitude, and in both branches it is steadily increasing.

    The commercial status of the concern is of the highest order, and the whole business is worked upon the most superior lines, and the firm enjoy the confidence and respect of their clients, both at home and abroad. The co-partnership consists of Messrs. Archibald and M. B. Baird.

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