Spittal Brothers

Spittal Brothers, wrights and builders, of Glasgow, was founded around 1889 by John (1862–1941) and Henry Harden (1864–1932) Spittal. The firm operated from premises at 93 John Street and 3 Little Hamilton (now Martha) Street, near George Square until at least 1925. Their father, John Senior (c. 1820–1893), had been a partner in the Glasgow builders and timber merchants Thomas Kay & Co. until 1883 and the brothers may have worked for Kay's, whose workshop was in the neighbourhood of their house in the mid-1880s, before commencing work on their own account. 1

Henry was elected as vice-president, and then twice as president, of the Scottish Building Trades Federation from 1915 to 1917. 2 The construction industry had been seriously affected by the First World War, with all but government building work restricted to a minimum, and the Federation negotiated for 'a Scottish mode for the measurement of building works ... and carpenter and joiner work', as well as 'the reinstatement of apprentices serving with the Army after the war'. 3 Henry also stood for election to Glasgow City Council in 1910 but was unsuccessful. 4