Records of A R Brown Macfarlane & Co Ltd, merchants and engineering agents, Glasgow, Scotland

• Reference:GB 248 UGD 172
• Dates of Creation:1854-1972
• Name of Creator:
  A R Brown, Macfarlane & Co Ltd (merchants and engineering agents: 1900-1990: Glasgow, Scotland)
• Language of Material:English, French, and Japanese
• Physical Description:
  0.8 metres
  There are no physical characteristics that affect the use of this material

• Scope and Content

  • Printed catalogues 1909-1914
  • Memorandum book 1906-1932
  • Press cuttings 1880-1967
  • Photographs 1863-1969
  • Correspondence and reports 1854-1964
  • Technical instruments 20th century
  • Miscellaneous volumes, charters and papers 1869-1972

• Administrative / Biographical History

  Captain A R Brown started in business as an agent for the export of machinery to Japan in 1889  , following his return to Scotland after 21 years in the service of the Japanese Government, responsible for siting and erecting lighthouses. Ten years later, his son joined the firm and, in 1900  , they joined forces with George Macfarlane to form the company A R Brown, Macfarlane & Co Ltd . The company was initially responsible for placing contracts for ships in the United Kingdom for the Japanese Navy and Mercantile Marine. Later, as the Japanese began to build their own ships, the company supplied them with steel, becoming steel stockholders and scrap metal merchants. Subsequently the company began to diversify, importing clay roof tiles and forming a joint venture with the Kaumagraph Co of New York, USA, to manufacture textile transfers for the hosiery industry. In 1915  , the company opened a London office, followed later by offices in Antwerp, Belguim, and New York. From the 1970s  , the company concentrated on its steel stockholding business and in 1983  opened an office in Stoke-on-Trent, England. In 1990  , all its interests in the steel stockholding field were consolidated into a separate subsidiary, known as Brown MacFarlane Ltd. The following year it sold its textile transfer business which it had owned completely since buying out its American partner, Kaumagraph, during the 1950s  . In 2000, the firm remained active in the manufacture of fabricated metal products and trades.

• Arrangement

  This material is arranged into seven series as described in the scope and content note

• Access Information

  Open

• Acquisition Information

  Gift : Brown MacFarlane Ltd : Stoke-on-Trent : 1996 : ACCN258*

• Other Finding Aids

  Digital file level list available in searchroom.

  Manual file level list available at the National Register of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)2533) and London (NRA19908)

• 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 normal procedures

• Custodial History

  Received directly from creators.

• Accruals

  Accruals possible

• Related Material

  No related material

  Material in other repositories: no material associated by provenance

• Bibliography

  Murata, Hanako,Early Photographs of Japan in Scottish Collections - A dissertation submitted to the School of Art History in candidacy for the degree of Master of Philosophy in Museum and Gallery Studies(1997)

• Additional Information

  This material is original

  Updated by Lesley Richmond , Acting Director, 23 March 2000

  Revised by David Powell, Hub Project Archivist, 13 May 2002

• Subjects

  Trade

  Mechanical engineers

• Corporate Names

  A R Brown, Macfarlane & Co Ltd 1900-1990

• Geographical Names

  Glasgow, Scotland

  Japan