Morrison, Dick & McCulloch

Morrison, Dick & McCulloch, Auctioneers and Valuators, 98, Sauchiehall Street.—

    The old-established and representative house named at the head of this sketch dates its history from the year 1847, when it was founded in Virginia Street. Here its operations remained centred for about twenty years, at the end of which period a move was made to 102, Renfield Street, where the firm stayed for ten years. The business was then transferred to its present headquarters, where it has been carried on with great success for the past eleven years. The style of the house originally was John Morrison, the well-known name of its founder. This designation was subsequently altered to that of John and James Morrison, and eventually the present title was assumed, the partners now surviving being Mr. James Morrison and Mr. David Dick.

    Messrs. Morrison, Dick & McCulloch occupy the whole of the first flat of the fine premises in Sauchiehall Street generally known as Crown Halls, which were specially constructed by the firm for an auctioneering trade. A magnificent Scottish coat-of-arms, elaborately carved in stone, from his own designs, by Mr. J. Gr. Mossman, the celebrated Glasgovian sculptor, surmounts the main entrance to the establishment. The staircase leading to the public entrance to the rooms is over twelve feet wide, but the goods entrance is in a lane at the rear, where there are complete hydraulic hoist facilities. In order to obtain four large halls, without obstructive pillars or partitions, it was necessary in erecting Crown Halls to carry the building on huge granite piers upon which rest ponderous and massive girders, and by this well-contrived and well-carried out structural arrangement the fine floor space has been kept perfectly unimpeded. Each of the four halls devoted to Messrs. Morrison, Dick & McCulloch’s business is of noble proportions, measuring 95 feet long by 40 feet wide. The counting-house and the partners’ private rooms are located in the front part of the building near the entrance.

    This firm have also erected two very extensive furniture stores, one at 220, St. George’s Road, the other at 44, Renfrew Street. In these are constantly deposited the furniture and furnishings of several hundred private residences. The two stores cost upwards of £60,000 to build, and were the first of their particular kind and purpose in Scotland. Each store is four flats in height, 180 feet long and 90 feet broad. Some idea of the size of Messrs. Morrison, Dick & McCulloch’s two fine depositories may be gathered from the fact that each store contains about two hundred rooms, some of them of very large dimensions. These stores may be said to constitute the specialite of the firm’s undertakings, and they are most extensively patronised by a large and influential clientele.

    As auctioneers and valuators, Messrs. Morrison, Dick & McCulloch enjoy a very high reputation, and are widely and favourably known for the spirit of integrity and straightforwardness in which all their transactions are carried out. They maintain a most extensive and valuable local connection, and act as auctioneers for the Glasgow Underwriters’ Association and for the Glasgow Salvage Association. By its present proprietary the affairs of this house are conducted in a manner which tends to the full retention of its high position in the public confidence and esteem. Mr. James Morrison, the senior partner — a much respected Glasgovian — was for sixteen years a member of the Town Council. He is an ex-bailie, was at one time the senior magistrate of the city, and has always taken a very active and beneficial interest in public affairs.

Back to Index of Firms (1888)