Recollections

Colin McAndrew

& Partners

Robert Laird, Longstone, Edinburgh,  wrote:

New Buildings

"I worked  as an apprentice joiner for Colin McAndrew & Partners.

The company no longer operates, but in their day they  built Redford Barracks (or most of it).  Indeed, they had their own railway engine and line from Dalry out to Colinton *.

The company also built:

-  the National Library of Scotland

-  the Thistle Foundation complex

- various other quality buildings, in and around Edinburgh."

Renovation Work

"The company did renovation work on just about every government-owned building of any size in Edinburgh.

All the work I did as a lad was for the Ministry of Works, at:

-  The Castle

-  The Palace

-  various Edinburgh Museums

-  the Art Galleries on Princes Street

-  etc."

Workers

"As an aside, Sean Connery's brother worked for the company, as did the singer, Tam White - and me, of course.  Who knows?  There may be old workmates of mine from that era, who visit the EdinPhoto web site."

Robert Laird, Longstone, Edinburgh:  May 18+21, 2009

Railway

 *  The railway that Robert mentions above was discussed in August 2008, in the Colinton Recollections section of the EdinPhoto web site.

Peter Stubbs:  May 21, 2009

Robert Laird

If you remember Robert, and would like to contact him, please email me, then I'll pass your message on to him.

Thank you.     -  Peter Stubbs:  May 21, 2009

Reply

1.

Kim Traynor

Tollcross, Edinburgh

After reading Robert Laird's comments about Colin McAndrew & Partners above, Kim Traynor who wrote:

New Buildings

"Not only that:  Colin McAndrew & Partners also won:

-  the first major post-war stone contract in the city, building the Fountainbridge Telephone Exchange.

-   the largest post-war stone contract in the city, building The National Library of Scotland.

The firm also built Edinburgh’s first pre-fabricated housing scheme, on the Muirhouse estate, in the mid-1960s"

Kim Traynor, Tollcross, Edinburgh:  February 29, 2012

Reply

2.

Robert Laird

Longstone, Edinburgh

Thank you to Robert Laird who added:

New Buildings

"I served my apprenticeship with Colin McAndrew & Partners  many years ago.

Mention was made of a couple of their larger projects, Redford Barracks and the National Library.

The company also constructed several other buildings including:

-  Napier House art deco flats on Colinton Road, built around 1945.

-   Fountainbridge telephone exchange,
built around 1950.

Robert Laird, Longstone, Edinburgh:  March 14, 2012

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