CLACHAN SHOP
1890 Nancy Fergusson had an invoice from A. Fergusson for breaking out door into shop.
1901- Robert Anderson
1935-1950 John & Mrs. McCallum
1950-1959 Edward & Isobel Billows – no longer a bakery
1959-1980 Jack & Rae McKinnell
1980-1993 Bill & Betty Whyte – Shop & in 1983 Clachan Bar opened
1993- Gordon & Annette Mather Clachan Bar
Ivy Cottage further down the hill from Clachan Bar was a shop owned by Jane Fergusson
Old Inn Shop
1904- David Smith
1927-1976 John Buchanan
In the 1950s, the Smiddy fire went out. John Montgomery was the last of a line of Blacksmiths in Strachur Smiddy. The family had come from Perthshire in his Great Grandfather’s time.
Adjoining the Smiddy was the Post Office with which the Montgomery family had been connected since 1861 until 1969. The mail was carried first on horseback by William Montgomery (1776-1859) from Cairndow and then by Davie Montgomery who drove the mail coach between Strachur and Kilmun and eventually by the bus, St. Catherine’s to Dunoon.
At one time there were 14 horses at the Clachan for hiring, carting and the mail run. These were commandeered for the First World War.
There were cars too, pre 1914 – The Arrol Johnstone ‘dog cart’ and a ‘White’ SB197 made in Cleveland Ohio and bought from the MacDonalds of Glenbranter Estate. During the war, a Model T Ford was in use and the first Charabanc in Argyll was at the Clachan. It was registered in Lanarkshire, V286, had solid tyres and carried 14 passengers.
Around 1920 a garage was built and the business of Wm. Montgomery & Sons was formed. Ford Agent. In time this was a Main Ford Dealership until the 1970s. Public Transport continued progressing from horse and Coach to Charabanc to buses between St. Catherine’s (connecting with the Inveraray Ferry) and Dunoon. The 1960s saw the end of this side of the business, pre subsidy days and impossible to continue offering a service. Dunoon DMS took over.
Older people in the village recall two Smiths busy in the Smiddy making shoes, shoeing horses and making/repairing farm equipment, etc. All the standards for the Estate walls were made there and in 1823, the centres for the bridges at Bridgend and Invernoaden.
In 1962 when the new road by-passed the clachan, a petrol station was built in front of the house, replacing the old pumps at the garage. In 2004 the petrol station was sold.
The Filling Station
Archd. Fergusson Ltd.
Business commenced 1823 from a workshop at the top of the Clachan Brae – Tigh-Saor.
In 1963 the firm became a limited company.
In the late 1950’s Charles Fergusson started building Timber-framed houses clad with western red cedar and these he called ‘Argyll Bungalows’.
