The Clachan

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.

Fergusson’s builders renovated the old Smiddy

Photos to follow by David Dorren

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.

Cars 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.

Read more about the history of Archd. Fergusson Ltd. on their website.

Archibald Fergusson (son of Alexander Fergusson, Miller O’Driep), born in 1799, started the firm, which still bears his name, in 1823 operating from a workshop located at Tigh-Saor at the top of the Clachan Brae.

Grandson, Archibald took over the firm when his grandfather, the founding Archibald Fergusson, died in 1893. He married Annabella MacArthur, and had two sons: Alexander and Charles.

Charles, served his apprenticeship and worked with his father until he joined the Royal Navy during World War I. After the War Charles returned to Strachur and to his trade, taking over the firm in 1932 when both his father and brother died. During World War II, Charles was engaged on work of national importance and spent the war years building and maintaining the many camps which were built for the army and navy in this part of Argyll. In the 1950s he started building timber framed houses clad with western red cedar and these he called ’Argyll Bungalows’. To this day we still build high-quality timber-frame houses.

Charles’ daughter Iseabal and son-in-law Walter Thomson took over the running of the business in the late 1970s when Charles became less active in the business. After a long, adventurous and productive life, he died in 1984 in his 90th year.

Today it is Charles’ grandson and Walter’s son, Stewart Thomson who is the firm’s Managing Director. As the sixth generation to head the business, Stewart is keenly aware of his family’s extensive history in the area and strives to maintain the close connection between the firm and its local community. “There’s a sense of added responsibility that comes with running a company which has been in the family for so long,” says Stewart. “But by adhering to the strong work ethic and guiding business principles laid down my forebears, all the way back to the original Archibald Fergusson, I see no reason why we cannot be successful while remaining based in Strachur for many generations to come.”