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In Scotland, the making of agricultural implements and machines developed into an important business during the second half of the nineteenth century with some firms becoming nationally and even internationally known. Their businesses ranged from small family run ones to large enterprises with branches throughout the Empire and activities were also wide ranging, comprising a variety of trades, including engineering, ironfounding, steam engine making and millwrighting.

This paper looks at challenges and opportunities arising from developing a directory of Scottish agricultural implement and machine makers between 1843 and 1914. This includes consideration of the sources of evidence recording the makers; the nature and character of the makers and their activity; the documentation of their activities; relations between makers; and application of the methodology of the directory other parts of Britain.

About The Lecturer

Dr Heather Holmes is an independent researcher. She received her doctorate from the University of Edinburgh in 1997. From a farming background at Balerno, Midlothian, she has an interest in the material culture of Scottish agriculture including agricultural implements, machines, newspapers and books. Her books include “As good as a holiday”: Potato harvesting in the Lothians from 1870 to the present (2000), Tattie howkers: Irish potato workers in Ayrshire (2005) and Scottish agricultural implement and machine makers 1843 to 1914: a directory (Scottish Record Society, 2020).

She runs the associated website and facebook pages of Scottish agricultural implement makers and has been published in a range of journals including The Agricultural History Review, Folk Life: Journal of Ethnological Studies and Journal of the Edinburgh Bibliographical Society.