Houldsworth and Sons
1785 Company established.
A Nottingham cotton-spinner, Henry Houldsworth, had moved to Glasgow to manage the mill of William Gillespie and Co
By 1801 Houldsworth was running the spinning business at Woodside as a separate concern, Henry Houldsworth and Co
Later it moved to Cheapside Street, Anderston. His son, John Houldsworth (1807-1859), entered the family business and rose to become head of spinning. John and his other son, William Houldsworth, became partners in the business which became Henry Houldsworth & Sons.
Recognising an opportunity in the new iron trade, they started the Anderston Foundry and Machine Works also in Cheapside Street, for the purpose of making and repairing machinery for their mill.
The foundry business continued even as cotton spinning declined.
1836 Henry's brother, Thomas Houldsworth of Farnsfield, M.P. for Nottingham, bought Coltness and established the Coltness Iron Works.
c.1850 The company Houldsworth and Sons became known as the Anderston Foundry Co.