William Lightbody

MR. WILLIAM LIGHTBODY, Wright and Contractor, Vat and Tun Builder, 42, Sydney Street, Glasgow.

    The business carried on by Mr. William Lightbody, Wright and Contractor and Vat and Tun Builder, at 42, Sydney Street, Glasgow, is at once specialised and comprehensive. It is specialised inasmuch as a notable feature of it is the making of vats and tuns for brewers and distillers ; and it is comprehensive inasmuch as it includes every variety of work incidental to the building trade. From vat and tun building and joinery to masonry is a tolerably wide extreme, but in this case these extremes meet.

    In the speciality Mr. Lightbody particularly cultivates — that is to say, vat and tun building — he has not a great many compeers, and in respect thereof he has an excellent reputation. This class of work entails very nice adjustment as well as ponderosity, and the vat builder may be said to stand in the same relation to the cooper that the shipbuilder does to the boat-builder. His long experience in the business — which is a very old-established one — enables him to compete successfully against his trade rivals. He has at his command the very best facilities, he adopts the very best methods, his workmanship is unsurpassed, and his prices are moderate. The possession of that experience and of these facilities gives him an immense advantage.

    It has just been stated that the business is a very old-established one. It was founded by the father and namesake of the present owner, Mr. William Lightbody, so far back as 62 years ago, and, by the natural efflux of time, it has continued to steadily develop. Its importance may, therefore, be assumed. The premises are eminently suitable to the class of work undertaken, and they are as extensive as they are well appointed, considering that they cover a ground area of three-quarters of an acre. They comprise a spacious yard for the storage of timber, etc., workshops, and office. Considering that no fewer than sixty hands are employed on the establishment, it will be gathered that a very large business indeed is done, and that the maintenance of such an establishment for so prolonged a period as 62 years implies that satisfaction has consistently been given.

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