Record

CollectionGB 0231 University of Aberdeen, Special Collections
LevelFonds
Ref NoMS 2911
TitleRecords of Alexander Pirie & Sons, paper-makers
Date18th century - 20th century
Extent52 boxes, 68 volumes and 24 plans
Administrative HistoryWith very few exceptions the records are those of Alexander Pirie & Sons Ltd., which had its origins in the paper-making business established by John Boyle and Richard Hydo of Aberdeen in 1770. The Pirie connection began in 1778 and the plant at Stoneywood was augmented by the aquisition of the Culter Mills, taken over in 1854 and worked for 10 years before the formation of a separate company there under Pirie auspices: the previous cotton mill at Woodside became the Pirie Woodside works in 1856: and another cotton mill at Poynernook was later taken over to become the Union Works, Aberdeen. The business was converted to a limited liability company in 1882 and has been in association with Messrs. Wiggins Teape Ltd. since 1922.
Custodial HistoryPreviously the record were held in a strongroom at the Stoneywood Mills and they were surveyed in 1971. National Register of Archives (Scotland) survey 732.
SourceDeposited in 1975 with additional papers in the early 1980s and in 2017. Papers gifted in 2017.
DescriptionShare, accounting, production and trade mark records, correspondence, inventories, photographs, etc. Also records relating to the family and to the Rajawella Estate and Raja Coffee company.

General guide to contents -

Patents and Trade marks:
MS 2911/1/1-2

Business papers, agreements, meetings and shares:
MS 2911/10/1-2
MS 2911/15/1-2
MS 2911/18/3
MS 2911/21/1, 3

Financial and estate records:
MS 2911/3/1-2
MS 2911/11/1-2
MS 2911/14/1-7
MS 2911/16/1-2
MS 2911/17
MS 2911/20/2
MS 2911/21/1, 3

Plans, specifications and contracts relating to machinery and buildings:
MS 2911/6/1
MS 2911/8/1
MS 2911/13
MS 2911/19/3
MS 2911/20/3,5,7

Documents relating to dispute over the River Don with Earl of Kintore and others (pollution, fishing and water rights):
MS 2911/4/1-3
MS 2911/12/1
MS 2911/20/1-7

Staff records:
MS 2911/3/2

Social Events:
MS 2911/18/1-2
MS 2911/19/1, 4

Rajawella Estate and Raja Coffee company c.1890s:
MS 2911/9/1-3

Publications:
MS 2911/19/2
MS 2911/21/2

Family papers:
MS 2911/2/1
MS 2911/21/4

Volumes:

1. Directors' meetings agenda book, 1903-1915
2. Capital expenditure book, 1899-1925.
3. Shareholder' address book- 19th century.
4. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
5. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
6. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
7. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
8. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
9. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
10. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
11. Export statistics, 1904-1916.
12. Annual summaries of share capital and shares, 1921
13. Annual summaries of share capital and shares, 1922
14. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1923
15. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1924
16. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1925
17. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1927
18. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1929
19. Annual summaries of share capital and shares ,1930
20. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1931
21. Annual summaries of share capital and shares,1932
22. Mechanical job ledgers, 1922.
23. Mechanical job ledgers, 1923.
24. Mechanical job ledgers, 1924.
25. Mechanical job ledgers, 1925.
26. Mechanical job ledgers, 1926-1929.
27. 'Work' (i.e production) book, including raw material used, 1936-1951 (daily totals)
28. 'Mechanical' ledger (of goods supplied), 1943-1949.
29. Bank payments book, 1930-1949 - Entitled Deparmental changes
30. Detail ledger, 1922-1934.
31. Insurance book ( giving original cost of plant and current value), undated, Called Insurance Specification - Stoneywood.
32. Scrap book, 1921-1928.
33. Goods bought (1841)
34. Private ledger 'No.2', 1852-1866.
35. Ledger. 1868-1886.
36. Journal, 1868-1886 (half-yearly entries)
37. Stock ledgers. 1878-1896.
38. Register of share transfers, 1881-1895. Register of share transfers, (debenture stock), 1882-1895. Register of shareholders, 1881-1895. All in 1 volume.
39. Share and stock ledger, 1882-1898.
40. Private ledger, 1887-1898.
41. Private ledger, 1898-1914.
42. Private Journal, 1887-1898.
43. Private Journal, 1898-1914.
44. Register of transfers of shares and stock, 1895-1897.
45. Alex Pirie & Sons Ltd. Preference Share Ledger. No. 1 , 1898-1904.
46. Alex Pirie & Sons Ltd. Preference Share Ledger. No 2, 1905-1913.
47. Ordinary Share Ledger 'No 1.' 1898-1919.
48. Deferred Share Ledger 'No 1.' 1898-1919.
49. Register of transfers (deferred stock), 1898 - 1920.
50. Register of transfers (preference stock), 1898 - 1920.
51. Journal, 1910-1913.
52. Journal, 1914-1917.
53. Journal, 1918-1921.
54. Journal, 1922-1936.
55. Trade Ledger, 1916-1917.
56. Trade Ledger, 1920-1921.
57. Ledger Balances book, 1922-1934.
58. Private contract book (for work done to plant etc. by outside contractors), 1881-1886.
59. Record of stocks, 1922-1928.
60. Register kept at Main Lodge of goods sent out and received, 1960-1962.
61. 1st Preference Share Ledger No.3, A-M, 1913-1960.
62. 1st Preference Share Ledger No.3, Mc-Z, 1913-1960.
63. 2nd Preference Share Ledger No.1, A-G, 1919-1960.
64. 2nd Preference Share Ledger No.1, H-Q, 1919-1960.
65. 2nd Preference Share Ledger No.1, R-Z, 1919-1960.
66. Photo Album.
67. Press advertising for Wiggins Teape and associated companies, 20th century.
68. Press advertising for Wiggins Teape and associated companies, 20th century.

Plans (mainly in section 5, but also see section 20):
See paper list - plans range in date from mid 18th to early 20th century. All but four bundle refer to the Kintore v Pirie, River Don dispute. c.1900.
Access StatusOpen
Access ConditionsPlease note that this collection is currently being re-catalogued.
Publication NoteThe Records of Alexander Pirie and Sons (1774-1902), Now Wiggins Teape Ltd. Northern Scotland, Volume 1, No. 1 (1972), p.124-25.
Finding AidsA paper catalogue (box list) is available in the Reading Room.
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