Rudolph A. Stoffert

Rudolph August Stoffert was a German-born iron and steel merchant, 1 and 'contractor for fireproof structures', who became a naturalised Briton in 1890. 2 Stoffert (c. 1846–1927) 3 was in Glasgow by 1871, working as an iron merchant's clerk, and commission agent. 4 As an iron merchant in the 1880s, he maintained links with his birthplace by supporting various German-themed charitable causes. He attended the 1882 fundraising Calico Ball as 'Faust', 5 donated to Rhineland flood-relief (1883) and cholera sufferers in Hamburg (1892), 6 as well as to the Lusitania maritime disaster fund in 1915. 7

Stoffert's professional development included displaying ironwork to the Glasgow Architectural Association, 8 and producing 'buckled plates' for an Aberdeen gasworks in 1884. 9 He lodged a patent in 1885, for 'improvements to girders', so that 'in combination with joists .. or concrete floors' they would bear their masonry load on their upper or lower T-shaped flanges. 10 More personally, he offered a reward for his 'small tamed bird (Greenfinch or Siskin) which escaped on Sunday last' (its fate is unrecorded). 11

In 1887, Stoffert supplied 'malleable iron' for Hamilton Crescent School, Partick (William Landless), 12 and later, rolled iron beams for Whiteinch School extension (H.B.W. Steel & Balfour, 1892). 13 Stoffert won the contract for 'Fawcett fireproof floors' at Glasgow Athenaeum's new hall (1893), 14 and the ironwork for Greenock New Model Lodging House (1893). 15 When he unsuccessfully sued architect George Bell for the unpaid costs of girders, the 1898 case set precedents for the law of contract between clients, architects and suppliers. 16 From c. 1897 until the 1920s, he also manufactured his own-brand ('Fram') boards for partitions and soundproofing. 17