S.R. Stewart & Co

Aberdeen Comb Works, 1825 - 1997

About MeIn 1825 John Stewart began his business by in 1830 began the Aberdeen Comb Works in Aberdeen. Stewart used new machinery invented in 1828 (by a Mr Lynn), which revolutionised the process. The business passed to the son, David Stewart and then to the grandson Douglas Stewart. David Stewart was also Lord Provost of Aberdeen and Laird of Banchory. Registered trade marks were the bull's head, the bull and tortoise and the monogram A.S. Medals were won in 1862 (London), 1873 (Vienna), 1876 (Philadelphia), 1878 (Paris), 1883 (Amsterdam), 1885 (Antwerp), 1886 (Edinburgh), 1889 (Paris), 1893 (Chicago) and 1904 (St. Louis). In 1900 they won the Grand Prix in Paris. The 1878 and 1889 medals were the only ones awarded to the trade in those years.

In 1899 the Aberdeen Comb Works Company, Limited was incorporated under the chairmanship of Sir David Stewart. This brought together Rosemount Comb Manufacturing Co (Forbes St) and G Steward & Sons of York. Several patents were filed under the name of The Aberdeen Comb Works Coy. Ltd, the earliest known in 1901 for improvements to comb cutting machines, and more recently in 1949, 1952 and 1953 for improvements to combs themselves.

In 1963, Aberdeen Combworks merged with Daniel Montgomery & Sons Ltd of Glasgow. The firm diversified in plastics, manufacturing plastic components for "metal replacement" in the 1960s. In 1969, the Works suffered a large fire. In 1997, the firm announced it was leaving Aberdeen for the Central belt.

We have a small collection of items from an early Art & Industry exhibition at Aberdeen Art Gallery in the late nineteeth century; some items collected later as the company progressed and a large collection of material donated in 2012.

References: ‘The Making of Combs’ by Alex. Inkson McConnochie IN World's Work, vol. 7 March 1906, Scotland of Today 1889, "Combmaking" IN Encyclopaedia Britannica, 9th Edition., A&C Black, An account of the Aberdeen Comb Works IN Chamber's Journal, ‘Combmaking in Scotland’ by Jen Cruse IN Plastiquarian, July 2011.