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Abstract
In 1916, a factory was established by William Beardmore and Thomas Pullinger at Tongland in south-west Scotland that was for much of the time that it was in operation staffed by women. Initially manufacturing aero engines, the women were being trained for a career in engineering, not simply as war workers. This continued post-war with manufacture of tractor engines and then Galloway motor cars. The factory was innovative for the time, being powered by a small hydroelectric scheme and built on the same principle as the Albert Kahn designed factories used by Henry Ford. By the late 1920s the building was being used for artificial silk production (Rayon) and staffed by less skilled women. The factory was used by the RAF during WWII and is still extant today. Although some articles have been written about aspects of this industrial site, this article covers the complete history from construction to the present day.
Acknowledgments
Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright, for permission to use their photographs of women engineers at Tongland.
Notes
1 Women’s History Review, Vol. 12, Issue 3, Sept. 2003, p. 333–356; A Fine University for Women Engineers, Clarsen, Georgine.
2 Women car designers and designing cars for women, Baker, Dr Nina, University of Strathclyde.
3 The Engineer, Vol. 122, p. 37, July 16th 1916.
4 Dissolved company file BT2/9604.
5 The Kirkcudbright Advertiser & Galloway News, March 3rd 1922.
6 Photograph no. 56 in the official company record of the building.
7 The Woman Engineer, Vol. 1 No. 1, December 1919.
8 The Spanner, pp. 24–26, 12th February 1918.
9 Engineering, p. 487.
10 Factory auction particulars, 11th November 1932.
11 Engineering, pp. 485–488, p. 494, Vol. 104, November 9th 1917.
12 Hansard, 30th July 1925.
13 The Lady, p. 459, November 8th 1917.
14 Engineering, Vol. 104, pp. 485–488, 494, November 9th 1917.
15 Copy held by the National Trust for Scotland in the Hornel Library, Kirkcudbright. Undated.
16 The Engineer, p. 37, 14th July 1916, A Women’s Engineering Works.
17 Engineering. pp. 485–488, 494, Vol. 104, 9th November 1917.
18 Motor News, 9th June 1923.
19 Girton College Student Register, 1869–1946.
20 Janes all the World’s Aircraft, Jane, Fred T, 1919.
21 British Piston Aero-Engines and their Aircraft, Bruce.
22 Public Record Office File AIR/ 1/2301/215/12.
23 The Woman Engineer, p. 5, Vol. 1 No. 1, December 1919.
24 The Woman Engineer, p. 6, Vol. 1 No. 1, December 1919.
25 The Autocar, 30th October 1920.
26 The Light Car and Autocar, p. 586, 13th November 1920.
27 Power Laundry, July 1942.
28 Power Laundry, July 1942.
29 The Daily Mail, 11th March 1942.
30 Scottish Artificial Silks Limited – copy held by Hornel Library, Kirkcudbright.
31 Dumfries and Galloway Fire Brigade records.
32 The RAF in Galloway, Murchie AT.
33 Some tractor engines, at least one aircraft engine and the engine with gearbox from a Galloway car.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Louise Innes
Louise Innes is a Research Associate with National Museums Scotland having been appointed after recently retiring from the position of Principal Curator of Transport in the Department of Science and Technology at the museum after a career spanning 44 years. The collections that she was responsible for covered land, sea and air. Her research interests now focus on the history of pioneering women in engineering in Scotland. Some of her areas of special interest and expertise have been the history of the bicycle and cycling, vehicle manufacturing in Scotland, railway infrastructure, aviation in Scotland and civil aviation. She is author of Scottish Bicycles and Tricycles, the only book on this subject. She served on the Railway Heritage Designation Advisory Board and was secretary to the International Association of Transport and Communication Museums. Louise is proud and privileged to own and drive one of the few remaining examples of a Galloway car, built in the Dumfries factory in 1924.