Black & Wingate

Black & Wingate, Handkerchief Manufacturers and Printers, Royal Exchange Square.—

    In reviewing historically the various industries and manufactures of this city and district, it is most interesting to meet with a firm of such old standing and extensive connection as that of Messrs. Black & Wingate, handkerchief manufacturers and printers, and to accord to this eminent house that special prominence in these reviews which its influential position in the trade so justly demands. Reverting to the early history of the firm, we find that the business dates back in its foundation nearly one hundred years. Messrs. Robert Black and Alexander Wingate were the original founders, the present partners being Mr. John Birkmyr Wingate and Mr. Robert MacBrayne. The weaving works are situated at Kelvinhaugh.

    Some idea of the magnitude of the operations here carried out may be gathered from the fact that upwards of one thousand hands are regularly employed in the manufacture and hemming of handkerchiefs of all kinds, and at the premises in Queen Street and Royal Exchange Square, about a hundred and fifty more. The warehouse is a large building of three storeys, in which is stored a large and valuable stock of goods, thoroughly representative of the firm’s manufactures. The business is entirely wholesale and export, the firm having a first-class connection extending all over the United Kingdom, and are also well represented in the foreign and colonial markets.

    The mercantile department is conducted in a spacious suite of well-appointed offices and counting-house, a large and efficient staff of clerks and correspondents being employed. Messrs. Black & Wingate have also a branch house in Manchester. The extent of the manufacturing operations, and the importance of the mercantile transactions exercise a considerable influence upon the commercial prosperity of this important industry, and fully justify this firm in its position as one of the largest and most influential, as it certainly is one of the oldest, of the great mercantile houses of the City of Glasgow.

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