Thomas Kay & Co.

Thomas Kay & Co., Wrights, Builders, Packing-case Makers, & Manufacturing Tinsmiths ; Wright Works, 14, Hopetoun Place ; Packing-case & Tin Works, 21, Cathedral Street.—

    The business now carried on under the style of Thomas Kay & Co., and of which Mr. Thomas Kay is the sole principal, was originally founded by one Matthew Reid, in the year 1817. In 1847 the title of the concern was changed to McCraw & Kay, and at a subsequent period it took its present title.

    The business for some time was carried on at North Hanover Street, but the operations of the Underground Railway caused the firm to remove the wright and building department to their present extensive premises, 10, 12, and 14, Hopetoun place, and the packing-case department to their central and commodious premises situate at the corner of Cathedral and Dundas Streets. The firm do a very extensive trade in the several branches of their business, as may be inferred from the fact that altogether they employ about two hundred hands. At Hopetoun Place they do all kinds of joinery work, whilst at Cathedral Street they make all sorts of wood and tin cases for shipping goods, including also tins for preserves, confections, tea, coffee, biscuits, paints, &c.

    The firm do an extensive business in erecting new buildings, carrying out alterations, and executing general property repairs of every description. The workshops and yard at Hopetoun Place cover an area of 1,000 square yards, and the Cathedral Street premises about 500 square yards. Both places are well stocked with timber, tin plates, and other requisites, and the workshops are fitted up with every necessary appurtenance, having the newest and most improved machinery for the proper conduct of the business.

    Mr. Kay is a valuator, or appraiser and assessor of fire losses, in which profession he enjoys considerable practice. The firm’s works are connected with the National Telephone Exchange, their telephone No. being 514. Telegraphic address is Hopetoun, Glasgow.

    As an indication of the esteem in which this firm is held by the leading citizens and public bodies of the city for the care and skill displayed by them, we may mention that for the last twenty-five years the work of collecting and hanging the pictures at most of the fine art exhibitions in Glasgow has been placed in their hands, and they were appointed to collect and place the valuable works of art entrusted to the care of the Executive Council of the Fine Arts Section of the International Exhibition of Glasgow.

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