Old Photograph Fleming Reid Wool Shop Edinburgh Scotland

Old photograph of female staff outside the Fleming and Reid, Wool and Hosiery shop in Edinburgh, Scotland. Fleming Reid and Company had 380 shops throughout the UK, in which their produce was sold, three of which were in Greenock by Glasgow. They were known as the Scottish Wool and Hosiery Stores and one was in West Blackhall Street, one in Rue End Street and one near the mill itself in Drumfrochar Road. In 1959 there were around 1,000 women and 150 men employed by Fleming Reid and Co. but the business finally closed down in 1981. John Fleming of Fleming Reid’s Mill was born in Glasgow in 1806 and died in Edinburgh on 5th February 1898. He spent his early years in Glasgow but later moved to Greenock where he came to join the woollen and worsted manufacturers in Drumfrochar Road. This mill later became known as Fleming Reid’s and was referred to locally as the Merino Mill because wool from the merino sheep was imported from Australia to manufacture many of the woollen goods. James Reid was a conservative M.P. for Greenock from 1900 till 1906. He was educated in Belfast and later became the Chairman of Fleming Reid and Co. Ltd. Worsted spinners and hosiery manufacturers of Greenock. James Reid married Jesse Ryburn Galbreath, daughter of Greenock merchant John Galbreath, in 1872. His wife predeceased him in 1899. James Reid resided at Monfode, Greenock.



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