McManus 168

Strachan, Kinmond & Co. was a partnership between James Strachan (b.c.1813 – d. 27 November 1881^[6]) and Thomas Kidd Kinmond (b. 20 July 1822^[7] – d. 1 August 1895^[8]). Earlier than the Albert Institute subscription (1863), William Halley junior had also been a member of the firm but had left by the mid-1850s.^[9] The business was that of calenderers and was based in the Cowgate throughout its existence.

James Strachan was resident at 37 South Tay Street when the business began about 1850^[10] but soon moved to 109 Nethergate^[11] and then Seafield Lane/23 Seafield Road,^[12] before making his home at Vine Bank, Albert Road, West Ferry.^[13]

Thomas Kidd Kinmond lived at 1 Wellington Street in 1850^[10] but soon moved to 6 Shore Terrace^[14] and then 21 Springfield,^[15] then 9 Airlie Place^[16] before a final move to Hermon Hill. West Ferry.^[17] Thomas married Margaret Watson Hynd in 1852^[18] and after her death he married Mary Warden Duff in 1856.^[19] They had Isabella (c.1858), Mary (c.1861), Robert (c.1864) and Alexandra (c.1866).^[20] Thomas served a number of terms as Deacon of the Weavers^[21] and also represented the Nine Trades as a Harbour Trustee.^[22]

James Strachan does not seem to have been involved in public life. He was in Montrose when he died in 1881, although his usual residence was still Vine Bank.^[6] The firm carried on after his death and still traded as Strachan, Kinmond & Co. after Thomas Kidd Kinmond’s death in 1895. The firm seems to have ceased trading about 1908.^[5] Thomas left an estate valued at £6,610 17s. 9d. One of his executors was Arthur Bell,^[23] founder of the Perth whisky firm, who was probably a relation through his marriage to Isabella Warden Duff (their son was called Arthur Kinmond Bell).^[24]