After reading Charlie's post I wondered if there was indeed a Perth in
Scotland (land of many of my forebears). And (before I saw Adam's reply) I
found this, at 50 South Street in Perth: https://www.google.com/maps/pl
ace/50+South+St,+Perth+PH2+8PD,+UK/@56.3951396,-3.4286161,
3a,15y,157.61h,110.43t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1soV_vR1xzW2alPDwG
NA2f2w!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!4m5!3m4!1s0x48863b1113bf5c73:0x6c0
ff5178238a71e!8m2!3d56.3950068!4d-3.4284782 You can still see the building
to which they moved in this shot, with the lovely architectural
ornamentation showing an axe, a saw, and other tools on the building's
façade. It was *this* that got me going down the rabbit hole to find out
more about David Malloch and his planemaking in Perth.
Apparently there was a wealth of information on Wiktor's site under the
Mathieson history...but no more. I gathered info from a number of found
posts, but did a lot of digging in primary sources: the Scottish Post
Office Directories. https://digital.nls.uk/directo
ries/browse/archive/91049054 These mostly confirmed the information in
other posts, but I did glean some new information.
The basic outline is as according to this Worthpoint seller (
https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/early-1800s-scottish
-infill-plane-513188107), that John McGlashan was a Perth planemaker in the
first half of the 1800s whose business passed to David Malloch on John's
death in 1849, and ran it until 1913 under various guises.
In more detail, Malloch looks to have taken over McGlashan's business and
his home (with McGlashan's wife, a milliner, moving next door, until she
apparently passed away, or left Perth, in 1857) on South Methven Street in
1850. Malloch made planes from a location down the street from his house
as "David Malloch" until about 1854, when he moved the business to the
center of town, opposite the main church ("Kirkside"), at 25 St. John's
Street ("Above Working Men's Coffee-Room"). Interestingly, all the
advertisements listing 25 St. John's Street have a statement "(Successor to
John M'Glashan)" that implies he still needed to trade on McGlashan's name.
By 1854 he was making "Joiners' and Cabinetmakers' Tools of every
description. Saws, Chisels, Braces, Bits, and Augers, of all sizes." He
ran the same basic ad through the 1866 directory.
He used the same manufactory until 1870, when he moved the business to 50
South Street, which is only about three blocks away from Kirkside. While
there are no directories provided between 1866 and 1872 to say when the
move was undertaken, according to a comment at the bottom of this post:
https://automobilrevue.net/v/Q2l5bXNMNWFQVUU "A notice in the Perthshire
Courier of Tuesday 26 April 1870, recorded that “David Malloch, Plane
Manufacturer and Edge Tool Merchant …. has removed from Kirkside to more
commodious premises at 50 South St. …” The author speculates "It is
apparent that the Malloch business had steadily grown and with the move to
South St, further expansion was possible. These were extensive premises
for a firm that seems to have undertaken little or no other work than
planemaking." Expand they did, and by 1881 the firm had 9 employees. I
think the author of that comment was actually incorrect, in that they were
making everything a joiner or cabinetmaker could need, and so goes against
the idea of "little or no other work than planemaking."
And now here's where things get a little awry. Goodman's lists the Perth
Plane Works under David Malloch & Son from 1878-1913. The
automobilrevue.net link shows David Malloch & Son (1878-1913) separately
from The Perth Plane works, but the latter with no dates. Based on what I
could glean from the Scottish Post Office Directories, David Malloch & Son
indeed was *mentioned* in 1878, but in the years 1880-1891 was still David
Malloch, planemaker. There is no trace of William in the Perth directories
until the 1891 directory, when he's shown living at Croft Park with his
mother; David appears to have passed away. William was born in 1849,
according to Britain's 1881 census; perhaps when he was 29 his father
encouraged him to join the planemaking enterprise, when David would have
been 60. Perhaps to no avail. The firm continued to be listed as David
Malloch through 1891; after that, through its purchase by Mathieson in 1913
it was listed as David Malloch & Son. The additional sobriquet "The Perth
Plane Works" was only listed starting with the 1903 directory, though
indeed could have been added any time after 1899's directory was published.
I've created the following timeline from my research, and that of the
others mentioned:
MCGLASHAN, John PERTH
50 St. John St. <1837-ca.1845
66 South Methven St. ca.1845-1849
MALLOCH, David PERTH
57 South Methven St. 1850-ca.1854
25 St. John St. ca.1854-1870
50 South St. 1870-1890,
excepting 1878
MALLOCH David & Son (William) PERTH
50 South St. 1878,
1891-ca.1899
50 South St. (The Perth Plane Works) ca.1899-1913
(11 East Campbell St., Glasgow 1914-1932
subsidiary of Alex. Mathieson, Glasgow)
I do note that William is listed as retired in the 1911 Post Office
Directory, so I wonder even about the 1913 date for Mathieson's acquisition
(though that seems to be the date everyone knows).
Compare this with Goodman's (W.L. Goodman's _British Planemakers from
1700_, Third Edition, c. 1993) quoted from the old thread by Don McConnell:
MALLOCH, David & Son PERTH
50 South St. (The Perth Plane Works) 1878-1913
11 East Campbell St., Glasgow 1914-1932
(Subsidiary of Alex. Mathieson, Glasgow)
Here's the full timeline I assembled (all sources not listed are from the
Scottish Post Office Directories):
1895, John McGlashan born (from an expired WK Tools article; I could just
read the preview).
1818, David Malloch born (1881 British Census)
1837, John McGlashan & Co., wright's tool makers; 50 St. John Street. No
advertisement.
1845, John McGlashan, 66 South Methven Street (tool-maker); South Methven
Street (plane-maker); house at 2 York Place. No advertisement.
1848, John McGlashan, 66 South Methven Street (tool-maker); South Methven
Street (tool manufacturer); unknown house. No advertisement.
1849, John McGlashan dies. His wife lived as a milliner at 65 South
Methven Street until 1857. William Malloch born
(Worthpoint/Automobilrevue.net/1881 British Census)
1850, David Malloch, 57 South Methven Street; house at 66 South Methven
Street. No advertisement. No entry for John McGlashan.
1852, David Malloch, 57 South Methven Street; house at 66 South Methven
Street. No advertisement. Helen Malloch born (1881 British Census)
1854, David Malloch, 57 South Methven Street; house at 66 South Methven
Street. Advertised at 25 St. John's Street as a "wright's tool
manufacturer" (https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/archive/85747120)
1856, David Malloch, Kirkside; assume house at 66 South Methven Street.
Advertised at 25 St. John Street as a "wright's tool manufacturer" (
https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/archive/85669664). Mary Malloch
born (1881 British Census)
1858, David Malloch, planemaker, Kirkside; assume house at 66 South Methven
Street. Advertised at 25 St. John Street as a "wright's tool manufaturer" (
https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/archive/86534577). Sarah Malloch
born (1881 British Census)
1861, John Malloch born. Family of David Malloch now numbers 6 (1881
British Census)
1862, David Malloch, planemaker, Kirkside; house at 41 South Street.
Advertised at 25 St. John Street as a"wright's tool manufacturer" (
https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/archive/85673485)
1863, James Malloch born (1881 British Census)
1865, David Malloch, planemaker, Kirkside; house at 71 Prince's Street. No
advertisement. George Malloch born (1881 British Census)
1866, David Malloch, planemaker, Kirkside; house at 28 St. John Street.
Advertised at 25 St. John Street as a "wright's tool manufacturer" (
https://digital.nls.uk/directories/browse/archive/85680359)
1870, David Malloch, Plane Manufacturer and Edge Tool Merchant, 50 South
Street; assume house at 28 St. John Street (Perthshire Courier)
1872, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at 28 St. John
Street. No advertisement.
1874, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at 28 St. John
Street. No advertisement.
1878, David Malloch & Son, planemakers, 50 South Street; house at 28 St.
John Street. No advertisement.
1880, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement.
1881, David Malloch, planemaker employing 9 men; house at Croft Bank, in
the West Church Parish (1881 British Census)
1882, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement. Employed 9 men.
1884, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement.
1885, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement.
1887, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement.
1889, David Malloch, planemaker, 50 South Street; house at Croft Park,
Craigie. No advertisement.
1891, David Malloch & Son, plane manufacturers, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. William Malloch at Croft Park, Craigie (along with Mrs.
David Malloch, no David)
1893, David Malloch & Son, plane manufacturers, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. William Malloch at Croft Park, Craigie (along with Mrs.
David Malloch)
1895, David Malloch & Son, plane manufacturers, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. William Malloch, plane maker (of David Malloch & Son), 48
1/2 South Street.
1897, David Malloch & Son, plane manufacturers, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. William Malloch, plane maker (of David Malloch & Son), 48
1/2 South Street.
1899, David Malloch & Son, plane manufacturers, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. William Malloch, plane maker (of David Malloch & Son), 48
1/2 South Street.
1903, David Malloch & Son, Perth Plane Works, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. Wm. Malloch, plane maker (of D. Malloch & Son), Woodcote,
Pitcullen Crescent.
1905, David Malloch & Son, Perth Plane Works, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. Wm. Malloch, plane maker (of D. Malloch & Son), Woodcote,
17 Pitcullen Crescent.
1907, David Malloch & Son, Perth Plane Works, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. Wm. Malloch, plane maker (of D. Malloch & Son), Woodcote,
17 Pitcullen Crescent.
1911, David Malloch & Son, Perth Plane Works, 50 South Street. No
advertisement. Wm. Malloch, retired, Woodcote, 17 Pitcullen Crescent.
One thing I can't quite figure: David Malloch's death date. Based on the
above, I'd imagine it sometime 1889-91, when David Malloch shows no address
for a house, and William Malloch has moved to Croft Park, and is shown
living with his mother (who looks to have died 1893-94). I haven't been
able to access any histories that speak of David Malloch's death.
Now, in answer to Charlie's original question:
> > On Aug 10, 2018, at 20:19 , Charles Driggs via OldTools <
> oldtools@s...> wrote:
> >
> > #1 — I’m not aware of any place named Perth in the British Isles, so I’m
> wondering if one of our fellow Galoots Down Under may have a reference on
> 19th C Aussie toolmakers that might indicate the period of time when
> Malloch & Sons were operating to define the range of time when the iron
> probably was made. I’m expecting that to be in the period 1840 - 1900.
>
As Adam said, Perth Scotland. That the iron is marked "Malloch & Son" (you
sure there's an S at the end?) means it was made between 1891-1911. It
*could* have been made in 1878 during the first "& Son" incorporation.
Were there no markings on the plane body?
Here's another 90deg. bedded toothing plane by Malloch at Jim Bode's:
https://www.jimbodetools.com/products/2-1-2-x-6-7-8-inch-toothing-
plane-by-malloch-son-perth-
circa-1878-1932-73575">https://www.jimbodetools.com/products/2-1-2-x-6-7-8-inch-
toothing-plane-by-malloch-son-perth-circa-1878-1932-73575
and here at Ontario Antique Tools:
http://ontarioantiquetools.com/shop/planes/david-malloch-sons-perth-
toothing-plane/">http://ontarioantiquetools.com/shop/planes/david-malloch-sons-
perth-toothing-plane/
The latter shows it as an "& Son" plane without the body being marked
"Perth Plane Works" (as I would expect it would be were it made there), so
between 1878-1903.
I don't know if anyone reports non-"& Son" Malloch planes from before 1878.
Sorry for the long post, but that's what going down the rabbit hole gets
ya. Isn't that panel on the front of 50 South Street in Perth inspiring?
Best,
Bill
Felton, CA
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