Records of W & W McOnie, engineers, Glasgow, Scotland

Archive Collection

For more information, email the repository
Advice on accessing these materials
Cite this description
Bookmark:http://archiveshub.jisc.ac.uk/data/gb248-ugd118/4,/118/12

This material is held at
Reference
Dates of Creation
Name of Creator
Physical Description

Scope and Content

Order books 1861-1971
Drawing office order books 1872-1930
Drawing catalogues 1851-1930
Dimension and repair books 1851-1987
Estates order book 1851-1966
Factory books 1928-1938
Letterbook 1889-1911
Mill and vacuum pan numbers book 1851-1964
Sugar machinery drawings [to be identified]

Administrative / Biographical History

P & W McOnie , engineers, was formed in 1840 in Glasgow, Scotland, by Peter McOnie, general engineer, and his brother, William, to repair sugar machinery and supply spares. By 1848 when the partnership was dissolved, the company had turned out 50 engines and 50 sugar mills. In September 1848 , Peter established McOnie & Mirlees which subsequently went on to become the Mirrlees Watson Co Ltd.

In 1851 , W & A McOnie , engineers and millwrights, was formed in Scotland Street, Glasgow, by Andrew McOnie, Peter's younger brother, who was dissapointed in his aim of becoming a partner in McOnie & Mirlees, and William, Peter's former partner. Between 1851 and 1876 the company built 820 steam engines, 1650 sugar mills, 1200 steam boilers, 117 waterwheels, and 169 evaporating pans, mainly for Mauritius, Brazil and Java. The company often sub-contracted items such as boilers, stills, and specialised brass castings required in the execution of sugar factory contracts.

They were also responsible for introducing the Glasgow engineering firm of A & W Smith & Co Ltd to the sugar industry though subcontracting the manufacture of cattle-driven sugar mills to them. This firm went on to become the last surviving sugar machinery makers in Scotland.

In 1886 , the firm became known as W & W McOnie and was under the control of William McOnie, jnr, William's son. William, jnrs, premature death in 1887 brought his father out of retirement and he formed a new partnership with Robert Harvey though a merger with Robert Harvey & Co, sugar machinery manufacturers, Glasgow, to form McOnie, Harvey & Co . In 1892 , the firm was incorporated as McOnie, Harvey & Co Ltd , changing its name again in 1904 to Harvey Engineering Co Ltd . In 1930 , Harvey Engineering Co Ltd was liquidated and its good will acquired by Blairs Ltd , coppersmiths, Glasgow, who continued to use the McOnie name. In 1945 the ordinary share capital of Blairs Ltd was acquired by The Mirrlees Watson Co Ltd , sugar machinery manufacturers, but the two companies continued to trade independently.

Source: A Slaven & S Checkland, , vol 1Dictionary of Scottish Business Biography: 1860-1960(Aberdeen, 1986) and Michael Moss and John Hume, Workshop of the British Empire: Engineering and Shipbuilding in the West of Scotland(London, 1977)

Arrangement

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