Trails

MG-05 Ellangowan Paper Mill Site

In 1870 Mr William White, a rag merchant from Glasgow converted a former cotton mill into a round the clock paper mill. In 1882 it was purchased by the Ellangowan Company with the partners Colonel Birrell and Andrew N Bertram. 1887 saw a second paper machine and modern machinery added and the Ellangowan Paper Mill became known as one of the most up to date paper mills in the country. The mills produced fine writing and printing paper for books and cheque books. The raw materials used were esparto grass from North Africa and wood pulp from Norway.
After the First World War the mill expanded its output to include paper for Glasgow cigarette factories. In 1949 the mill was sold to the Clyde Paper Company which continued production for another 10 years. As foreign imported paper became more readily available, the mill’s successes declined and it eventually closed in 1959.

References
In and Around Milngavie – Milngavie and Bearsden Herald
Milngavie: The Village – Nigel Orr
Old Milngavie – James Crawford


Next Tale on the Trail: Flexible Ducting Factory

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