Records of Loudon Bros Ltd, engineers and machine tool makers, Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland

Scope and Content

  • Minutes 1937-1969
  • Register of directors holdings 1937-1963
  • Financial records 1968-1973
  • Catalogues, 20th century

Administrative / Biographical History

Loudon Bros was founded in 1866  as an engineers and machine tool makers in Johnstone, Renfrewshire, Scotland. The company specialised in making lathes of varying sizes and radial drilling machines. However, the extent of their output is difficult to determine as they acted as agents, ordering machines from many local firms. At some point before 1937  the company was incorporated as Loudon Bros Ltd .

In 1937  , the company came together with 4 other engineering and machine tool makers to form Scottish Machine Tool Corporation Ltd . These companies, namely James Bennie & Sons Ltd, Glasgow; G & A Harvey, Glasgow; Craig & Donald Ltd, Johnstone; and James Allan Senior & Sons Ltd, Glasgow; all retained their separate autonomy, even though they had amalgamated. Joint catalogues were produced under the name Scottish Machines Tools Corporation Ltd yet machines were branded with the name of their own manufacturer. In the late 1960s  , Scottish Machines Tools Corporation Ltd became an associate of Wilkins-Mitchell, forging equipment manufacturers, and in 1982  it went into liquidation.

Source: M Moss & J HumeWorkshop of the British Empire: Engineering & Shipbuilding in the West of Scotland ( London , 1977  )

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

Open

Acquisition Information

Gift : Strathclyde University Department of History : Glasgow 1987 : (Additional deposit)

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)2556) and London (NRA26837)

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

Unknown

Accruals

None expected

Related Material

GB 248 UGD 175/1 Records of Scottish Machine Tools Corporation Ltd

GB 248 UGD 175/2 Records of James Allan Senior & Sons Ltd

GB 248 UGD 175/4 Records of G & A Harvey

GB 248 UGD 175/5 Records of James Bennie & Sons Ltd

GB 248 UGD 175/6 Records of Craig & Donald 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 S G E Lythe(Edinburgh 1976)

Additional Information

Mainly originals, but some microfilm. The location of the originals of these microfilms is unknown.

No revisions made to date

Geographical Names