Jimmy Campbell's father was the Foreman of the carriageworks, James Campbell. They lived inside the works, above William Kinross's office, in Port Mill House. He remembers padlocking the pair of eighteen foot high, criss-crossed steel sliding gates in the lane leading to the yard every night. William Kinross gave strict instructions to turn off the electricity at night in case of fire, probably because the wiring was suspect.
William Kinross | Works Manager Willie Kinross inherited the works with his three surviving brothers from his father James in 1931. He had the responsibility of buying out his younger brother's shares, putting the firm in debt to the bank, but he was always proud that he never had to lay a worker off even if that meant he did not always get paid himself. |
Douglas Kinross | Coachbuilder Willie's youngest brother Dougie served as a Staff Serjeant in the Army Service Corps during WWI and, on his return, he liked a drink in the pub from 11am with his adjutant, Nicholson, a trainee solicitor. He married Betty Syme the office secretary in 1924 and died aged 49 in 1939. |
James Campbell | Works Foreman A very skilled coach builder who lived on site, in Port Mill House. He was still working well into his eighties. |
John Morrison John McLean |
Coach and Spray Painters Very skilled spray painters, signwriters and appliers of gold leaf. John McLean is reputed to have won £4,000 on the football pools and retired! |
Jimmy Cochrane | Blacksmith Known as The Black. The ironwork on Kinross carriages was hand wrought. |
John McLure Peter Maclare Lorne McCulloch |
Coach Spray Painters They left for other firms. Peter Maclare became foreman painter at Morrison's, Whins of Milton and Lorne (Flint) McCulloch went to Appleyard and Heron. |
John Booth Senior John Booth Junior |
Coachwork Builders Father and son. John Booth senior joined the firm in 1923 having come from Aberdeen and was still working there in the 1930s, when he was well into his eighties. His son John also worked on into his eighties and was a similar age to James Campbell the foreman. They were both very highly skilled coachwork builders. |
John Rankine | Coachworker He came from Aberdeen, like John Booth senior, in the 1920s and they were photographed together outside the works. He probably retired in the 1930s. |
Hugh Richardson Jimmy McCritchey |
Motor Mechanics and Garage Men There was a motor car garage workshop just inside the entrance gates on the left. |
John Martin | Panel Beater and Car Body Repairer The works also sprayed and repaired motor cars in the later years. |
Finlay Wright Willie Wright |
Panel Beaters The Wrights were brothers who left Wm. Kinross & Sons to work elsewhere. |
Watson Bain | Chauffeur and Motor Mechanic William Kinross was the agent for Standard Cars and always ran the latest model. |
George Miller Willie Hendry |
General Workers They served petrol and washed cars. |
Miss McCue | Upholsterer She made all the carriage cushions and interior upholstery, working alone with with a fearsome sewing machine. |
Chrissie Watts | Secretary She was the office secretary and probably took over from Betty Syme. |
The Ostler The Irishman |
Ostler and Groom They may not have been direct employees, but they had stables and looked after the horses. |
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