Records of Hugh Smith & Co (Glasgow) Ltd, machine tool manufacturers, Glasgow, Scotland

Scope and Content

  • Financial records 1875-1967
  • Staff records 1875-1967
  • Production records 1875-1970
  • Plans 1875-1980
  • Administration records 1878-1975

Administrative / Biographical History

Hugh Smith & Co was established in 1875  in Glasgow, Scotland, by Hugh Smith. Initially concerned with the manufacture of weighing machines and wood-cutting machinery, the firm soon moved into the production of hydraulic plant and machine tools for ship building and heavy engineering. In 1903  the partnership was incorporated as a private limited company as Hugh Smith & Co Ltd , but, in 1935  , the Smith family withdrew from the business which consequently was put into voluntary liquidation. At this time, a management team bought out the assets and continued to trade under the new name, Hugh Smith & Co (Possil) Ltd . This was changed to Hugh Smith & Co (Glasgow) Ltd in 1960  and a year later the company became members of the GHP group. In 1977  , this group merged with the Low & Bonar group, but the company continued to trade, later under the name Bonar Hugh Smith Ltd, until 1983  when its Possil Works were closed. The goodwill of the company, then known as Hugh Smith Engineering Ltd, was acquired by Andrew Barclay Sons & Co Ltd , engineers, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland.

Arrangement

This material is arranged into series, which consist of numbers of items related by format and/or function. Within series, the items are generally arranged chronologically

Access Information

No access for legal, business or commercial reasons without the written permission of Hugh Smith Engineering Ltd

Acquisition Information

Permanent loan : Hugh Smith & Co (Glasgow) Ltd : c1966, 1980

Transfer : Edinburgh University Library : 17 April 1980 (Additional deposit)

Permanent loan : Bonar Hugh Smith Ltd : Glasgow : 1982 (Additional deposit)

Permanent loan : private : June 1995 : ACCN233* (Additional deposit)

Other Finding Aids

Digital file level list available in searchroom.

Manual file available searchroom and at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)2608) and London (NRA10853)

Alternative Form Available

No known copies

Conditions Governing Use

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use & condition of documents. In addition the company must be consulted over any reproduction for publication (1982 deposit only)

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University Archivist

Any work based on the use of this material, which is intended for publication, must be submitted to Hugh Smith Engineering Ltd for approval prior to that publication and a copy of the final version lodged with them (1982 deposit only)

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

Custodial History

Material (time books etc 1875-1900) was deposited with the Department of Economic History, Glasgow University, c1966. Management of this material transferred to Glasgow University Archives in 1975. In 1980 more material was transferred from the company to Glasgow University Archives and consequently a small amount of material (journals, office books and ledger 1875-1914) which had previously been held by Edinburgh University Library since July 1967 was also transferred. Since that time there have been two further deposits, one from the company and one from an individual.

Accruals

Accruals expected. Further material is currently being listed by the Ballast Trust, having been received from Andrew Barclay Sons & Co Ltd

Related Material

GB 248 GD 329 Records of Andrew Barclay Sons & Co Ltd

Material in other repositories: no material associated by provenance

Bibliography

Hume, John R, 'Shipbuilding Machine Tools'Butt, John & Ward, JT (eds)Scottish Themes: Essays in honour of Professor SG E Lythe ( 1976 Edinburgh )

Additional Information

This material is original

Revised by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 15 May 2002

Geographical Names