Back in 1914 Barclay, Ross & Tough conducted its business from Balmoral Buildings, 67-71 Green, Aberdeen, and at Craigshaw, Aberdeen. It was two addresses that became closely known with its successor Barclay, Ross & Tough and Barclay, Ross & Hutchison Ltd in 1920.
Early important changes were brought about in 1915 with the retrial of Robert Tough. The business continued to be run by the remaining partners, Robert Ross and Thomas Hutchison. Mr Barclay, the other partner, had been commission agent in Aberdeen from at least 1874 and then a manure, agricultural implement and commission merchant by 1890. By 1898 he was described as “Morrison Barclay, of Barclay, Ross and Tough.
On the retrial of Robert Ross, the business was taken over by Scottish Agricultural Industries Ltd on 1 July 1929. In 1933 it advertised in the North British Agriculturist as Barclay, Ross & Hutchison Ltd, associated with Scottish Agricultural Industries Ltd”. In that year it exhibited at the Highland Show the “S.A.I. chemical dresser for all seeds”.
While B.R.H. was associated with Aberdeen, it also conducted its business outside Aberdeen. In 1930 it had a depot at Perth, followed by another at Milnathort, Montrose, in 1938 and one at Forfar in 1947. In 1955 its depots were at Milnathort, Perth, Forfar, Montrose, Turriff and Aberdeen.
The company undertook a wide range of activities. In 1955 it was an agricultural implement, machinery and equipment dealer, agricultural engineer, machinery and equipment and equipment manufacturer, dairy engineer, dairy farm equipment supplies, electrical engineer and contractor, gate and pen manufacturer, structural and roofing engineer and contractor, tractor and implement agent, dealer and distributor. For a good number of years it was also a millwright.
The company had its royal connections. In 1924 it was “by appointment agricultural implement makers to His Majesty George V” and in 1959 “by appointment to Her Majesty the Queen, Agricultural Engineers”.
The company made and sold a wide range of agricultural implements and machines. It was also an agent for a number of leading makers. In 1949 you could purchase a wide range of implements and machines from a range of makers from the company. They included the following:
Thresher, 4ft 6 in full finishing, portable type “A” in pneumatic wheels
Thresher, 4ft full finishing type “A” barn model
Turnip cutter, horizontal portable type, engine driven
Chemical dresser “Agrossan” BRH type
Sprayer, low volume 14 in spray bar, tractor coupled
Manure distributor, 9ft roller type with tractor hitch
Manure distributor, Tullos-Wilmo, tractor transporter, 17ft 4 in, on pneumatics, Tullos Ltd, Aberdeen
Tractor, Fowler, diesel crawler, Mark VF, made by John Fowler & Co. Ltd, Leeds
Tractor, Field Marshall Mark I, diesel 9mph; made by Marshall, Sons & Co. Ltd, Gainsborough
Tractor “Cropmaster” 65, 25×28 pneumatic,made by David Brown (Tractors) Ltd, Meltham
Mower, 5ft semi-direct tractor power drive, made by Tullos Ltd, Aberdeen
Combine harvester no 726, 8ft 6 in cut, self-propelled, made by Massey Harris Ltd
Combine harvester “Grain Marshall” model 568, 5ft 6 in cut, made by Marshall, Sons & Co. Ltd, Gainsborough
Potato harvester, self-propelled, made by Victoria Agricultural Machine Co. Ltd
Baler, “New Holland”, pick up, made by Sale Tilney (Agricultural) Ltd
Muck spreader, Wild-Thwaites, on pneumatic tyres, made by M. B. Wild & Co. Ltd, London
Muck Spreader, Wild-Thwaites, made by W. B. Wild & Co. Ltd, London
Engine, 7 1/2bhp, dielse, IVTH, Ruston & Hornsby Ltd, Lincoln
Plough, no. 4, Midtrack, 2 furrow with skim attachments, made by Ransomes, Sims & Jefferies Ltd, Ipswich
Plough, jumbotrack, 2 furrow with skim coulters, made by ransoms, Sims & Jefferies Ltd, Ipswich
Spring safety attachments fitted to Ransomes toolbar frame
Cultivator, rotary, made by Acre Willington Ltd, Derby
Motor scythe, made by John Allan & Sons (Oxford) Ltd
Wash troughs, single, made by Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co
Bucket heater, electric, made by Wolseley Sheep Shearing Machine Co
Milk cooling plant, “Sternette”, made by L. Sterne & Co. Ltd, Glasgow
Steam chest, made by Barford (Agricultural) Ltd, Grantham
Milker, alfa portable, made by Alfa-Laval Co. Ltd, Brentford
Laying cages, battery, made by Innes Walker & Co., Glasgow
Quite a selection of implements, machines and sundries for the agriculturist sold by this eminent company!
