McAinsh of Crieff – Sawmills and Timber Merchants
The clipping above was forwarded by Alasdair Cameron, Black Isle, which had been handed in at a recent Ardross history drop in session. The origin and year is unknown.
Alasdair also adds:
‘McAinsh had a steam powered sawmill and creosote plant at Ardross in wartime and brought some people with him including the Ogilvies (subsequent lorry transport business).
McAinsh owned Aigas Estate and sold it off in pieces as they harvested the timber’.
Any further information on the McAinsh sawmilling and timber businesses would be very welcome and also images and details of the Balgowan and Highlander sawmills.
Groups: Sawmills, pulp mills, chipboard mills
Group: Forestry Areas - 3222 pictures
4 Comments
McAinsh & Co of Dublin bought the Castledillon Estate, Co.Armagh for the timber, later selling it back to the Armagh County Council, one of the managers obit is here:-
Obituary
The death of Mr. Alexander McInnes, Managing Director of Messrs. McAinsh and Co.,. D u b l i n , o n the 7th M a y , 1944, ~ after a trying illness, removes one who, in recent years, has played a notable part in the development of the home timber trade in Eire and also deprives our society of one of our keenest members.
He was a native of Crieff, Perth-shire, Scotland, and was marked out at an early age for responsible work in the firm which he served all his life. After a short time spent in the North of Scotland he came to Ireland in 1904 as manager, for P. McAinsh when timber The Late Alexander McInnes in the country was cheap owing to March 19, 1877-May 7, 1944 great destruction caused by a
severe gale shortly before that time. After spending many years in Westport the firm moved its headquarters to Tourmakeady, County Mayo, where, in addition to his normal timber cutting activities, Mr. McInnes did quite a lot of planting, notably of Hybrid Larch. The firm later removed to Galway and finally to Dublin in 1935.
Mr. McInnes took an active part in 1939 in the formation of the Home Grown Timber Merchants Association of Eire, of which he was President and, acting in that capacity, his long experiences of both war and peace conditions and his sound judgment and foresight proved of great value in all matters affecting the Home Timber Trade, concerning which he was frequently consulted by the responsible authorities. The concern for which he was responsible had in the meantime developed from one saw mill to no less than fourteen mills widely scattered throughout the country and, apart from the useful productive work carried out by his firm, there is no doubt that he had a valuable steadying influence upon the trade at a very difficult time. One of the special features of the trade developed by Mr. McInnes was the production of railway keys from second-class oak.
Everyone who had any dealings with him came to appreciate his directness, honesty, uprightness and cheerful disposition. His whole mind was in his work and he had a high sense of value, caring little for outward show or cheap advertisement. It was his belief that a sound job of work, the satisfaction of his customers and of all those' with whom he had dealings were the best form of advertisement. . Many will remember him for his many unobtrusive acts of kindness and consideration, which he could extend even to his competitors. Even on his death-bed his thoughts were not of himself, but of his work and others.
He was an enthusiastic fisherman and at one time a keen golfer. One of the most remarkable aspects pf his character was his ability to look at woods not only from the timber merchant's point of view, but also the forester's and, apart from his own efforts at planting, he was always ready, even at a sacrifice, to co-operate in any special effort to improve woods purchased by his firm by surrendering trees I specially desirable for retention. He was held in high esteem and affection not only by his own staff, but by a wide circle of friends all over Eire, and his departure leaves a gap which will be filled only with difficulty. He lived a cheerful life, had a keen sense of humour,
a fund of apt and pithy phrases which enlivened his conversation and an alert enthusiasm which belied his age. Comment left on 12 December 2024 at 11:05 by Gerard Molyneux
Obituary
The death of Mr. Alexander McInnes, Managing Director of Messrs. McAinsh and Co.,. D u b l i n , o n the 7th M a y , 1944, ~ after a trying illness, removes one who, in recent years, has played a notable part in the development of the home timber trade in Eire and also deprives our society of one of our keenest members.
He was a native of Crieff, Perth-shire, Scotland, and was marked out at an early age for responsible work in the firm which he served all his life. After a short time spent in the North of Scotland he came to Ireland in 1904 as manager, for P. McAinsh when timber The Late Alexander McInnes in the country was cheap owing to March 19, 1877-May 7, 1944 great destruction caused by a
severe gale shortly before that time. After spending many years in Westport the firm moved its headquarters to Tourmakeady, County Mayo, where, in addition to his normal timber cutting activities, Mr. McInnes did quite a lot of planting, notably of Hybrid Larch. The firm later removed to Galway and finally to Dublin in 1935.
Mr. McInnes took an active part in 1939 in the formation of the Home Grown Timber Merchants Association of Eire, of which he was President and, acting in that capacity, his long experiences of both war and peace conditions and his sound judgment and foresight proved of great value in all matters affecting the Home Timber Trade, concerning which he was frequently consulted by the responsible authorities. The concern for which he was responsible had in the meantime developed from one saw mill to no less than fourteen mills widely scattered throughout the country and, apart from the useful productive work carried out by his firm, there is no doubt that he had a valuable steadying influence upon the trade at a very difficult time. One of the special features of the trade developed by Mr. McInnes was the production of railway keys from second-class oak.
Everyone who had any dealings with him came to appreciate his directness, honesty, uprightness and cheerful disposition. His whole mind was in his work and he had a high sense of value, caring little for outward show or cheap advertisement. It was his belief that a sound job of work, the satisfaction of his customers and of all those' with whom he had dealings were the best form of advertisement. . Many will remember him for his many unobtrusive acts of kindness and consideration, which he could extend even to his competitors. Even on his death-bed his thoughts were not of himself, but of his work and others.
He was an enthusiastic fisherman and at one time a keen golfer. One of the most remarkable aspects pf his character was his ability to look at woods not only from the timber merchant's point of view, but also the forester's and, apart from his own efforts at planting, he was always ready, even at a sacrifice, to co-operate in any special effort to improve woods purchased by his firm by surrendering trees I specially desirable for retention. He was held in high esteem and affection not only by his own staff, but by a wide circle of friends all over Eire, and his departure leaves a gap which will be filled only with difficulty. He lived a cheerful life, had a keen sense of humour,
a fund of apt and pithy phrases which enlivened his conversation and an alert enthusiasm which belied his age. Comment left on 12 December 2024 at 11:05 by Gerard Molyneux
My father John McLaren Taylor worked for McAinsh Sawmills all his life. Places I remember him talking about: Highlandman Loan, Dalwhinnie, Monzie, 3 stances at Boat of Garten, Ardross and finished up in Tibbermore. Looking back we were like nomads attending so many different schools. Sadly he never received a gold watch on his retirement!????
Comment left on 20 February 2026 at 13:33 by Mary Dufficy
I have a hardwood floor that I'm taking up and on the back the planks are stamped "made in Scotland mcainsh brand". So thanks for the background.
Comment left on 17 July 2026 at 18:43 by Stephen Groves
Form Goes Here
There was also a big Dankart bandmill that broke down hardwood for flooring plant that made hard wood flooring. Two sets of drying kilns were fed steam from a boiler house ( assume it ran on the hardwood sawdust). There were also a couple of tanalizer tanks that had done mines chock wood.
The machinery in the mill was changed later - it made fence panels on a big scale with a manufacturer plant in Manchester until early 90s recession collapsed market and it went bust.
Now houses on sawmill site. I have some pictures but they are lorries with bits of mill in background.
Intresting one on McAinsh buying land for timber. When he bought the estate Balgowan. It apparently included a big old mansion - they didn't want It so blew it up with dynamite for blowing stumps (came across that on British newspaper archive) when looking for stuff on Balgowan history. The mill was on the Perth Crieff rail line and had sidings that were used for bringing in the imported tropical hardwood for flooring. Comment left on 23 November 2022 at 23:42 by Kenny manders