Robert Gourlay

MR. ROBERT GOURLAY, Engineer, Iron Founder, and Manufacturer of Semi-Prismatic and other Lights for Pavements, 192, St. Vincent Street, Glasgow. Works: Bishopbriggs.

    Lux in tenebra seems to be the motto of Mr. Robert Gourlay, of St. Vincent Street and Bishopbriggs, Glasgow, for, though he is engaged in business as a general engineer and iron founder, he makes a speciality of certain varieties of illuminators, in respect of which, by reason of their manifest superiority to all others devised for similar purposes, he enjoys a practical monopoly. His business connections, therefore, extend all over Scotland and the north of England.

    Notable amongst these are his semi-prismatic and other pavement lights, tile and lens lights. These are made of the very best flint glass of the highest refractive powder, and transmit the light most effectively to sunk flats and areas. These lights have practically superseded the systems of lighting previously in vogue, and, considering, that in large cities the tendency is to utilise sunk flats, which are snug and of more equable temperature than those above ground, for restaurants and a great variety of other purposes, there seems a future for lights such as those manufactured by Mr. Gourlay.

    If Mr. Gourlay were to turn his attention to Manchester, where this tendency is, perhaps, more marked than anywhere else, it might be to his advantage. In Glasgow, however, the tendency referred to is now manifest in a very considerable degree, and he has executed some very important commissions there, notably at the Municipal Buildings, New Glasgow Stock Exchange, at the Merchants’ House, the new Post Office, St. Enoch’s Station of the City Union Railway, and most of the best properties in Glasgow. His various arrangements for the illumination of sunk flats, of offices and warehouses, into which, owing to the altitude of adjacent buildings, natural light does not adequately penetrate, are as effective as they are ingenious, and they have proved of enormous advantage as regards the health of the inmates, who were previously compelled, in some cases, to burn gas in the daytime. His experience and success in this department of enterprise have enabled him to devise important improvements in another — namely, in respect of ships’ deck lights, whether on the prismatic or the bull’s-eye principle, whereby the maximum of light is afforded. So manifest is the superiority of these over those formerly in use, that Mr. Gourlay now supplies nearly all the leading Clyde shipbuilders, and consequently every vessel which leaves the yards of such shipbuilders constitutes an advertisement for him.

    It says much for Mr. Gourlay’s skill and ingenuity that, though he only began business sixteen years ago in this particular branch, and had formidable rivalry to encounter, he should so soon have taken a prominent position in the trade and that his output should be now so considerable as it is. Originally his offices and stores were situated in Renfield Street, but they have since been removed to more suitable and commodious offices at 192, St. Vincent Street.

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