If you were in a farmer or agriculturist in Inverness at the turn of the twentieth century you would have had a choice of implement makers and dealers from which to purchase implements and machines. One of them was Fraser & McColl.
Fraser & McColl described itself as a general ironmonger and glass and china merchant at 20 and 22 East Gate, in 1889. By 1894 the company also had premises to 20 and 22 Petty Street, and later at Hamilton Street. It undertook a wider range of activities, as an agricultural implement maker, agricultural merchant, ironmonger, retail ironmonger, smith and farrier, smith and horse-shoer.
Fraser & McColl exhibited at the Highland Show in Inverness in 1901 and 1911. This was an excellent opportunity for it to exhibit its prominent wares and also its new ones.
In 1901 itsexhibits focused on the manufactures of Walter A. Wood Mowing & Reaping Machine Co., London. They included Wood’s New Century binder, its Admiral mower, and a steel horse rake. Its other exhibits included Auchinachie & Simpson’s Jubilee manure distributor, fanners from Thos Corbett, Shrewsbury, and a anege of ploughs from Geo Sellar & Sons, Huntly. Other exhibits included oilcan bruisers, lime whitewashing machines, potato sorters, lawn mowers, cake mills, butter workers and other dairy appliances and an assortment of specialities of general ironmongers.
Fraser & McColl provided a range of leading implements and machines for the Highland farmer. You might spot the Frser & McColl nameplate when you are round rallies in the Highlands.
