Buchans & MacIntyre

The Glasgow gasfitters and brassfounders Thomas Buchan & Sons, along with John Macintyre, purchased the long-established ironmongery firm of A. & J. Nisbet in 1884, advertising their 'splendidly assorted stock ... fenders, grates ... lobby lamps ... coal boxes, cutlery ... [for] variety unsurpassed out of London.' 1 From their shop in Union Street, Buchan & Macintyre sold kitchen utensils, baths, 'art tile hearths' and refridgerators, while at their factory in Argyle Street, and later, North Street, they manufactured kitchen ranges and light fittings. Alexander Buchan and Thomas Buchan (Junior) kept their interest in their own firm, which they ran in parallel with Buchans & Macintyre. 2

In 1886, the firm supplied gas fittings to the Glasgow & South Western Railway's new Ayr Station Hotel (Andrew Galloway, Consulting Engineer), as well as selling the patent fire range which won the gold medal at the Edinburgh International Exhibition. 3 Despite Thomas Buchan Junior's early death in 1896, aged only thirty-eight, the firm that year extended and refitted their showrooms. 4 They marked the renovations with a sale of goods, mostly made by themselves, including polished brass and copper ink stands, candlesticks, flower vases, and grates in wrought iron and bronze. They claimed to be 'entrusted by the Principal Architects and leading Families for the execution of their work'. 5

Buchan & Macintyre seem to have worked in most areas of metal fabrication: as blacksmiths, tinsmiths, plumbers and bell-hangers; in domestic and builder's ironmongery; and in the manufacture of 'useful articles suitable for presents'. 6 The surviving partner, John Macintyre, died in 1903, 7 but the business continued as 'Buchan & Donald'.