Moses Speirs & Son
Plumbers
Moses Speirs (c. 1815–1887) founded his firm of plumbers and gasfitters in Anderston, Glasgow, around 1861. 1 At that time, his son John (c. 1842–1898) was also working as a plumber, and son James (c. 1847–1887) as a plumber’s clerk, both probably employed by their father. In the late 1860s, the firm opened a branch off Great Western Road, and in 1871, were employing eight men and eight boys. 2 The firm had adopted the style ‘& Sons’ by 1874, reflecting John’s increasing involvement. 3
By 1880, Moses had prospered sufficiently to retire to ‘Bothwell Cottage’ at Peaton on Loch Long (the firm's offices were Bothwell Place, Hillhead and Bothwell Street, Glasgow) . 4 Moses and James both died in 1887, and employee William Mackie subsequently became a partner. 5 In 1896, the business split. John Speirs Junior (c. 1875–1912), along with his brother, Thomas Dun Speirs, who joined the firm c. 1900, formed ‘Speirs & Frame’ with his father-in-law and were based in the affluent West End of Glasgow. 6 Mackie retained the original name, and premises in Bothwell Street and Mount Florida. 7
Early on the firm undertook the plumberwork for St Ninian’s Episcopal Church in Pollokshields (David Thomson, 1873). 8 Mackie, still trading as Moses Speirs & Sons, ‘gasfitters, sanitary, heating, ventilating and electric engineers', later won the plumbing contract for the lavishly-appointed Marr College, Troon (John Arthur, 1927–30). 9
Notes:
1: Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1861–2, p. 276; census information, www.ancestry.co.uk [accessed 15 November 2012].
2: Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1867–8, p. 325; census information, www.ancestry.co.uk [accessed 15 November 2012].
3: Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1874–5, p. 401.
4: Glasgow Herald, 13 October 1880, p. 1; census information, www.ancestry.co.uk [accessed 15 November 2012]; Helensburgh Directory 1899, Helensburgh: MacNeur & Bryden, 1899, p. 229.
5: McKie, employee, Glasgow Post Office Directory. 1888–9, p. 409; existing partner, Edinburgh Gazette, 21 February 1896, p. 174.
6: Edinburgh Gazette, 21 April 1899, p. 405; Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1900–01, pp. 223, 569; 1910–11, p. 623.
7: Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1910–11, p. 624; 1920–1, p. 618.
8: Glasgow Herald, 5 June 1873, p. 3.
9: Glasgow Post Office Directory, 1930–1, p. 637.; Scotsman, 27 June 1934, p. 12; 'History', Our School, Marr College Website, www.marr.sayr.sch.uk [accessed 20 November 2012]; 'Marr College', Dictionary of Scottish Architects, 1840–1980, www.scottisharchitects.org.uk [accessed 20 November 2012].
