Stakeford Foundry

1856. Name plate from sugar-cane mill in Tobago (2015).

of Dumfries

1837 Mention of Mr. Pearse, the manager of the Stakeford Foundry, Maxwelltown, Dunfries.

1844. Announcement that Alex. Scott, who has had possession of the Stakeford Foundry for the past seventeen years has now disposed of it to John Maxwell.

1844 March. Exhibited. 'Mr Maxwell, of the Stakeford Foundry, Maxwelltown, exhibited as follows: —Two iron field rollers, very handsomely turned; two corn bruisers, two granary weighing machines; three cheese presses, varying considerably in respect of size a turnip cutting or slicing instrument; pair of saddle harrows; hare fences, and models of hatch, sky-light, and cottage windows. The latter are improvement the pattern first introduced the Highland Society, and were much admired for their elegance, and considered well adapted for ventilation.

1844 April. Death by accident of Alexander McAlister, a worker of Mr. Maxwell, Stakeford Foundry.

1850 October. Mr. Maxwell, of Stakeford Foundry, wins contract to supply the main pipe for the water works.

1851 Shown as 'Provost Maxwell, the proprietor of the Stakeford Foundry'

1854 January. John Maxwell Died.

1854. Appointment of George Forsyth, Engineer from Edinburgh, to undertake the management of the Foundry for the Maxwell family.

1855 March. 'All the winter through, the large body of workmen employed at Stakeford Foundry have been more than usually busy, and, indeed, working overtime, in order to execute the numerous orders all kinds sent to the manager, Mr George Forsyth. As a proof of the present prosperity and increasing enterprise the farmers in the neighbourhood, may state that a good deal of the extra orders have owing to a spirited demand that has sprung in the district for agricultural machines of various kinds. Not Nithsdale alone, but far off Peru has contributed to keep the hands at Stakeford busy - a large sugar-cane mill having just been manufactured there for the owner of plantation Lima. This machine has all been made the establishment, and it is, we understand, the first ever fabricated in the south of Scotland. An idea of its size and strength may be guessed at, when we state that it eight tons in weight, and that it is often-horse power. The plan is simple Three cylinders, each seven inches in diameter, are enclosed within stout iron frame, and the mill being driven bullocks, as is the practice in Peru, the cylinders, revolving round each other, crush the that are put into it, and the saccharine matter thus squeezed out falls into a pan below, and thence flows into some sort of tank receptacle; and thus the raw material of that which sweetens our tea supplied. The mill will sent sea to Liverpool, and from that port to its distant destination; now that it is finished, preparations are being made Stakeford for another similar mill for the gentleman.'

1855 March. Advertisement. 'Stakeford Foundry. THE Trustees of the late Mr Maxwell return their sincere thanks to the numerous Landed Proprietors, Farmers, and others in Dumfriesshire, Galloway, and elsewhere, for the very liberal patronage received; and, soliciting a continuation of farther favours, beg state that they are prepared to execute by Contract, or from their Stock on hand, all Orders for STEAM-ENGINES, BOILERS. SUGAR CANE, BONE, AND BARK MILLS. THRASHING MACHINES, WATER WHEELS. Mill Gearing, Cranes and Hoists. GAS WORKS for Towns and Gentlemen's Mansions. IRON BRIDGES AND ROOFING. IRON SAFES. HOT WATER HEATING APPARATUS for Churches and Vineries. STEAM-BOILERS and TUBS for Feeding Stock. PLOUGHS, HARROWS. WROUGHT & CAST-IRON TURNIP BOILERS. Horse Rakes, Seed Sowers, Turnip Drills. BANBURY AND OTHER TURNIP CUTTERS. Corn Bruisers and Oil-Cake Crushers. LAND AND GARDEN ROLLERS. CAST IRON AND BRASS PUMPS for Wells. Manure Tanks, Pipe and Tile Machines. TURNING LATHES & PUNCHING MACHINES. BEDSTEADS, in Iron and Brass. CHURCH AND SCHOOL BELLS. PLAIN & ORNAMENTAL RAILING. Garden and Field Gates, Cart and Gig Axles. BUSHES AND CAPS. IRON ROANS AND DROP-PIPE. HATCH AND SKYLIGHT WINDOWS. GARDEN CHAIRS AND KITCHEN RANGES. A large Stock of PATTERNS; Spur, Bevel, and other WHEELS; BULLIES, &c. BRASS and IRON CASTINGS of all kinds on Hand, and on the Shortest Notice. EXTRA HARD PLOUGH METAL to Order, and on Hand. Repairs executed with despatch. All Orders addressed to Mr George FORSYTH Manager, will meet with prompt attention, and Moderate Charges. Plans, Specifications, and Estimates Furnished. Warehouse Bank Street, Dumfries, open every Wednesday and Saturday. Foundry— Head of College Street, Maxwelltown.'

1857 Patent. '755. And George Forsyth, of the Stakeford Foundry, Maxwelltown, in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, North Britain, Engineer, has given the like notice in respect of the invention of "improvements in steam cooking apparatus."'

1867 'Strictly speaking, the Burgh has no iron-works, but it is only separated by the Nith from a large foundry (proprietor, Mr. Alexander Maxwell), which was established about sixty years since, and is called Stakeford, on account of its proximity to the ford of stakes which crossed the river in ancient times; while, a little further inland, there is a second foundry, still larger (owned by Mr. James A. B. M'Kinnel), that of Palmerstone, established in 1818: both of them, with their bands of busy Vulcans numbering about a hundred and thirty, making Maxwelltown ring with the clang of trade. Metal to the extent of a thousand tons or more, is melted annually at these gigantic iron-works. Their chief products are agricultural implements of all kinds, builders' and joiners' castings, cranes, jennies, railway water tanks, signals and girders, water wheels, gas-works, boilers, and steam-engines.'

1896 Mention that the Stakeford tweed and dye works occupy the premises that were formerly the Stakeford Foundry.

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