Records of Robinson Dunn & Co Ltd, timber importers and sawmills, Glasgow, Scotland

Reference
- GB 248 UGD 203
Dates of Creation
- 1839-2001
Name of Creator
- Robinson Dunn & Co Ltd (timber importers and sawmillers: 1842-1999: Glasgow, Scotland)
Physical Description
- 8.5 metres
  Many of the items are oversized and copying of material may therefore be restricted

Scope and Content

Sales ledgers 1839-1954
Purchase ledgers 1934-1962
Journals 1932-1970
Purchase journals 1935-1950
Purchase day books 1950-1964
Cash books 1862-1979
Home grown cash books 1960-1974
Minutes 1909-1974
Letterbooks 1876-1932
Wage books 1840-1933
Private ledgers 1842-1966
Pprivate ledgers and journals 1880-1909
Private journals 1839-1871, 1937-1966
Calanese Chemical Co ledgers 1956-1964
Mill books 1839-1841
Stock book 1917-1961
Timber ledgers 1840-1875
Memorandum book 1839-1940
Bankers book 1839-1841
Cartage book 1841-1842
Nominal ledger 1874-1878
Bills received book 1874-1879
Sawing and work book 1889-1917
Personal ledger 1899-1900
Register of members and shares ledger 1909-1928
Cheque book 1913
Specifications and reports 1919
Correspondence reference dispute with P & W McLellan Ltd
Newspaper cutting 2001

Administrative / Biographical History

Inchbank Saw Mills was established in 1838 by the brothers, Thomas and James Dunn, and Samuel Wilson in Glasgow, Scotland. The firm assumed the name of Robinson Dunn & Co in 1842 when it was reconstituted by Samuel Wilson, Robertson Robinson (Wilson's son-in-law) and Thomas Dunn. The company operated as a public saw millers and was founded to meet the need for log converting machinery to deal with logs then arriving in considerable bulk from Canada. From 1850 the company also acted as a timber merchants.

Robinson Dunn & Co Ltd was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1909 to acquire the business of Robinson, Dunn & Co and to carry on the business of timber merchants and importers, timber growers and timber preservers and saw millers at Partick, Glasgow, and Temple Saw Mills, Anniesland, Glasgow. Marcus Robinson, previously a partner in the old firm, was chairman of the new company and direction of the company remained in the Robinson family.

In addition to importing softwoods and hardwoods, the Temple Saw Mils handled plywoods and wallboards and timber preserving was carried out with creosote and celcure (water soluble salts) by the vacuum-pressure process. Total timber consumption fell by 20 per cent between 1925 and 1960 but the company continued to handle the same quantities as in good years between the World Wars. The firm had close dealings with the Glasgow shipyards and would often suffer the same set-backs as the yards. In 1933 , the Partick mill closed due to lack of work. The company supplied many of the leading Glasgow shipbuilders with timber as well as other Glasgow companies such as Wylie & Lockhead funeral directors, the brewers W J & R Tennent, as well as boxmakers, engineers, builders and many more.

Following the slumps of the 1930s, the company managed to build itself up again with its works at Port Dundas, Glasgow, near the Forth & Clyde Canal and was soon employing over 250 men. The company also had established timber receiving yards at Bo'ness, Falkirk, Scotland following its acquisition of Thomas & Balfour Ltd , founded in 1870, of the Victoria Saw Mills. The company moved their operations to Bo'ness in the mid-1980s before closing in the 1990s, finally being dissolved in 1999 .

Arrangement

The material is arranged into series as shown in the scope and content note. Within series, items are generally arranged chronologically.

Access Information

Open

Acquisition Information

Deposit : Robinson Dunn & Co Ltd (via Falkirk Museums) : 1980s

Deposit : Central Training Services Ltd : Bo'ness : March 2001

Other Finding Aids

Digital file level list available in searchroom

Manual file level list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)294) and London (NRA10844)

Alternative Form Available

No known copies

Conditions Governing Use

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

Reproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use & condition of documents

Appraisal Information

This material has been appraised in line with standard GB 248 procedures

Custodial History

Held by the company. Some records transferred to offices of Thomson & Balfour Ltd, Victoria Saw Mills, Bo'ness in 1980s. Left in premesis when the company moved out and discovered by new owners, Central Training Services Ltd in 2002 who transferred the records to Falkirk Museums.