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Aberdeen, Spring Garden, Spring Garden Ironworks
Iron Works (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Aberdeen, Spring Garden, Spring Garden Ironworks
Classification Iron Works (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Spring Garden Engineering Works; William Mckinnon & Co. Ltd
Canmore ID 82931
Site Number NJ90NW 288
NGR NJ 9403 0692
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/82931
- Council Aberdeen, City Of
- Parish Aberdeen
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District City Of Aberdeen
- Former County Aberdeenshire
NJ90NW 288 9403 0692
(Location cited as NJ 940 069). Engineering Works, Spring Garden. Founded 1789 by William McKinnon and Co. An interesting group of buildings, with a 2-storey and attic, 4-bay office in French Renaissance style. The main entrances are in a 2-storey and 2-attic, 8-bay block with 2 gables to the street. At the rear are single-storey workshops, including a fine example of a 19th-century foundry, lit at 2 levels. Both of the cupolas have receivers.
J R Hume 1977.
(Location cited as NJ 9402 0690).
NMRS, MS/712/83.
This site has only been partially upgraded for SCRAN. For full information please consult the Architecture Catalogues for Aberdeen.
January 1998
Photographic Survey (9 October 1992)
The site was surveyed prior to its demolition. It was demolished to make way for student self-catering accommodation.
Note (6 August 2024)
NJ90NW 288
NJ 9403 0692
1798 - William McKinnon took over a small iron foundry and set up iron foundry and engineering workshop Windy Wynd/ Spring Garden in Aberdeen
1862 - apprentice who went to London and made contacts with plantation owners. The former apprentice, John Gordon, turned to McKinnon to make plantation machinery.
1873 William McKinnon died
1885 - John McKinnon died
1898 - run by William McKinnon's grandsons
Plantation crops - cocoa, coffee, rice and sugar required a range of machinery with coffee having the most complex process (6 stages requiring specialist machinery for all).
90% of the machinery built in Aberdeen works exported to 100 countries, 65 agents throughout the world.
MS8282
McKinnon's iron and engineering works were closed and demolished in the 1990s.
Information from Heritage Research service, HES (M McDonald), 6 August 2024.
