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| History : |
Thomas McPherson (1822-1888), the man who founded the business later known as McPherson’s Limited, emigrated from Scotland to Australia with his wife Jessie (née Fulton) in c.1853. He set up as an iron merchant in 1860, selling pig iron to the Melbourne foundries. He later expanded the business with tools, steam fittings, engineering supplies and machinery for workshops being added to the stock lists. By 1870 he was referred to as an ‘iron merchant with steam saw mills’ and the business became known as Thomas McPherson and Sons. In 1863 McPherson opened an office in Sydney, and later sent his son Hunter to manage it.
In 1880 the business had its first experience with manufacturing when it began making jute wool packs for the developing Australian trade. This proved to be very unsuccessful due to competition from cheap labour overseas. Thomas died in 1888 and left his sons William Murray (1865-1932) and Edward (1963-1896) in charge of the Melbourne business. Hunter continued with the Sydney branch which was made into a separate business. After Edward’s death in 1896 William Murray became the sole proprietor.
In 1900 William Murray and others set up the Acme Bolt Company to protect local manufacturers from exploitation by overseas bolt producers. The brand ‘Ajax’ was adopted and in 1924 the bolt works was transferred to a new modern building in Richmond. Between 1929 and 1932 the company’s bolt works supplied five million rivets (weighing 300 tons) for the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. An additional bolt works was later set up in Alexandria, Sydney in 1934.
During the First World War the company began the manufacture of lathes and became a leading builder of machine tools which were previously imported. Lathe and machine tool manufacturing continued after the war years, and there was a particular request for lathes designed to suit the needs of technical schools. In 1911 William Murray opened up a McPherson’s branch in Wentworth Street, Sydney. The business was later set up as a proprietary company in 1913 and became known as McPherson’s Pty Ltd. The company entered a new phase by moving away from manufacturing and focusing its efforts on merchandising.
Additional information:
‘Nuts and Bolts: A story of a family and a firm’, by Barbara Hamer (2006), McPherson’s Printing Group
Additional information is available on the Australian Dictionary of Biography:
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcpherson-william-edward-11024
http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcpherson-sir-william-murray-7440 |
| Activities/Occupation: |
Ironmongers |
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