Standing Building Recording

Date 2 October 2015 - 11 January 2017

Event ID 1036397

Category Recording

Type Standing Building Recording

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1036397

A standing building survey was carried out at the former Broadford Works primarily of buildings to be demolished prior to the conversion of the site to an urban village. Broadford Works was originally constructed by Fenton Murray and Wood of Leeds in 1808 for Scott Brown and Co of Angus, it went bankrupt in 1811 and sold to Sir John Maberly MP, entrepreneur, speculator and introducer of jute to the UK. Maberley rapidly developed Broadford Works, adopting the first gas lighting of an industrial complex in Scotland, by Boulton and Watt in 1814-15, and Scotland's second power loom linen weaving factory in Scotland in 1824. Maberly was himself bankrupt and in 1834 the works passed to Richards and Co, who had a bleachworks at Rubislaw and branches at Montrose and produced canvas tarpaulins and as a particular specialism, fire hoses. In the 1830s the business was taken over by John Baker Richards, a London merchant. Under his ownership and name the company expanded through the 19th century. By the 1880s eight steam engines drove the plant and some 3,000 millhands were employed, once the largest employer in Aberdeen. The company manufactured linen sheeting, towelling sail canvas, tent cloth and hose web.

Information from Oasis (camerona1-275259) 17 February 2017