Singer Manufacturing Co. Ltd
Biography
Issac Singer started producing sewing machines in the Boston in 1851. The company was initially known as I M Singer and Co In 1863 the company was reformed as Singer Manufacturing Company.The company opened its first overseas manufacturing plant in Glasgow in 1867. In 1872 they opened a larger factory at Bridgeton. Smith and Wellstood and Ure were certainly manufacturing castings for them at their Columbian Stove Works in Bonnybridge soon after this date. In 1870 the volume of work for Singer's was such that George Ure and his family set up the Bonnybridge Foundry with Singer as their main customer. In 1878 Singers opened a purpose built factory adjoining the Bonnybridge Foundry where castings from the foundry were finished, japanned and gilded and then sent elsewhere for assembling. Many women were employed in this factory. It was apparently the case that there was no ground available for further expansion near the Bonnybridge Foundry so Singer had to look elsewhere for a larger site. In 1884 Singer's opened a new factory in Kilbowie at Clydebank. This was the largest sewing machine plant in the world employing 7000 staff. The casting, finishing and assembly of the machines were all to be carried out at this site. Singer's operations in Bonnybridge closed as a consequence. Singer maintained a network of offices and agencies in towns all over Britain. The Kilbowie factory closed in 1980, but the company still manufactures sewing machines to this day.
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Singer Manufacturing Co. Ltd
Objects made by this person
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Accession number:
1978-338-001
Name/title:
sewing machine
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Accession number:
1986-023-002
Name/title:
sewing machine
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Accession number:
1974-011-007
Name/title:
sewing machine
Production date:
Circa 1900
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Accession number:
1983-045-001
Name/title:
sewing machine
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Accession number:
1983-049-001
Name/title:
sewing machine
Production date:
Circa 1900
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Accession number:
1991-062-001
Name/title:
sewing machine; treadle
Production date:
1901
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Accession number:
A1419.133
Record level:
Item
Name/title:
Correspondence between the Singer Manufacturing Co and George Ure & Co
Production date:
1880
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Objects with this person as a subject
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Accession number:
P04979
Name/title:
Kirk Wynd
Production date:
Circa 1910
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Accession number:
P15135
Name/title:
"Callendar Riggs, Falkirk"
Production date:
Circa 1910
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Accession number:
P02597
Name/title:
Fire, North St, Bo'ness
Production date:
11 Oct 1911
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Accession number:
A1419.133
Record level:
Item
Name/title:
Correspondence between the Singer Manufacturing Co and George Ure & Co
Production date:
1880
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Accession number:
P12524
Name/title:
Kirk Wynd
Production date:
Circa 1900
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Accession number:
P12321
Name/title:
Kirk Wynd, looking towards High St
Production date:
Circa 1910
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Objects associated with this person
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Accession number:
A532.001
Record level:
Item
Name/title:
Singer Sewing machine ownership certificate
Production date:
15 May 1901
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Accession number:
1991-062-001
Name/title:
sewing machine; treadle
Production date:
1901
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Accession number:
1985-091-009
Name/title:
core box; "Singer sewing machine"
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Accession number:
1985-091-008
Name/title:
moulding plate; singer sewing machine
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