Hugh Harper

Hugh Harper was born in Turriff in 1831. He co-founded the firm Harper and Company with his brother John Harper; one Aberdeen's best known engineering businesses.

About 1857 (when they were in their twenties) they opened an iron gate and wire manufacturing business in Aberdeen. Their wire was to be found throughout the North East of Scotland: supplying wire with cast iron posts and iron gates to large estates such as Glentanar and the Great North of Scotland Railway.

From this the brothers went on to manufacture suspension bridges, set up their own foundry and machine shops and began to specialise in the manufacture of power transmission systems.

Hugh continued in business of wire-manufacture after his brother formed Harpers Ltd. He died on 25th November 1912, aged 81.