William C. Gray and Sons
William C. Gray and Sons, Newton Carpet Works, Ayr, Scotland.
Specialties in Patented Art carpets, Brussels and Pile carpets, Seamless, Parquet and Axminster carpets.
General
1876 William C. Gray started to produce carpets on two hand looms in a small shop in Carrick Street, Ayr.
1877 Moved to a larger site in Newton-on-Ayr to meet company demands.
The 1880s saw production grow and in 1880 Gray developed the Seamleess Kidder Carpet.
1886 Cray patented the Akbar Carpet.
1918 William C. Gray died and the company was left to his three sons, Andrew Jardine Gray, Charles Smith Gray and William Crawford Armstrong Gray. Andrew Gray became chairman.
1926 The company became William C. Gray and Sons Ltd.
1928 Charles S. Gray died.
1939 Andrew Jardine Gray died and the company was left to William C. A. Gray.
1940 Robert Smith joined William C. A. Gray on the board of directors.
c1945 The company bought a controlling interest in Woodward, Grosvenor and Co.
See below company notebook with penciled notes by George Hedley New.[1]
Front Cover / Back Cover
List of Carpet Sizes. (pp 1-2)
List of Carpets. (pp 3-4)
List of Representatives. (pp 5-6)
Special Order Notes. (pp 7-8)
Representatives of the company ca. 1910:-[2]
- W. R. Curtis (London)
- H. J. Thomson (Manchester)
- Harry Thomson (South Coast)
- Malcom Chalmers (Glasgow)
- C. F. McGregor (Dublin)
- A. Bowes (Belfast)
- Sydney Moss (Toronto)
- Leslie W. Craw (Melbourne)
- C. J. Hemery (Auckland).
- P. C. Braunstein (Copenhagen)
- W. H. Boyd and Co (India, China and Japan)
- G. T. Cowie (Argentine)
- John J. Kennedy (Peru and Chile)