Records of Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd, Hydraulic engineers, Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland

• Administrative records 1865-1966
• Financial records 1868-1970
• Staff records 1887-1968
• Production records 1872-1970

Kennedy Patent Water Meter Co Ltd was formed in 1863 from a syndicate of four partners and marketed the water meter patented by Thomas Kennedy, snr, and a local clockmaker. In 1865 the Glenfield Co Ltd was formed to supply castings and undertake general foundry work. The two companies shared a site in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland, the derelict printworks from which Glenfield took its name. In 1899 the two companies merged to form Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd (company number: 4430). The major growth period was between 1871 and 1904, under the direction of Thomas Kennedy (nephew of Thomas Kennedy, snr). 'The Glen' became an important hydraulic engineering concern in Britain, with substantial export orders to most parts of the world. It had several subsidiary companies, including:

Alley & MacLellan Ltd, founded in 1875 in Bridgeton, Glasgow, Scotland, manufactured valves and later compressors, vacuum pumps and steam engines. It was incorporated in 1902 and was acquired by Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd in the 1940s.

British Pitometer Co Ltd, incorporated in 1921 in Kilmarnock by Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd.

Hydrautomat Ltd, later Hydrautomat (1931) Ltd, incorporated in 1924 in London by Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd. Went into voluntary liquidation and reformed in 1931.

Compagnie Francaise d'appareils Glenfield & Kennedy, Paris, France, ceased trading in 1912.

The arrangement of this material reflects the original order in which it was received

Access to records within this collection is open, however an appointment may be required. Please email Archives and Special Collections for advice: library-asc@glasgow.ac.uk

Loan : Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd, Kilmarnock : c1972

Loan : Strathclyde Regional Archives : 24 January 1992 : ACCN*156

See also University of Glasgow Collections

Digital file level list available in searchroom.

Manual file list available at the National Registers of Archives in Edinburgh (NRA(S)1626) and London (NRA16124)

No known copies

Applications for permission to quote should be sent to the University ArchivistReproduction subject to usual conditions: educational use and condition of documents

This material has been appraised in line with normal procedures

The material on loan from Strathclyde Regional Archives was originally deposited there in November 1977, where its reference number was TD500.

None expected

GB 248 DC 376 Papers of R J Livesey

GB 248 UGD 023 Records of Alley & MacLellan (Polmadie) Ltd

This material is original