I am researching my family history. Of particular interest because I am planning a similar trip was the first attempt to drive a car from the Cape to Cairo in 1913. It was an Argyll car – the Louise of Argyll - but the leader, Kelsey, chose to shoot a leopard in what is now Zambia and died as a result of his wounds. Read More...

Tags: Argyll, Africa

I found this radiator badge recently and wondered if it had any value or if anyone would be interested in it. Read More...

Tags: badge

I am a bit uncertain of the year but I believe it was 1930 and I was eight years old and on my birthday I had the pleasure of driving my father’s car which was an Arroll Aster up Newton Avenue and into Roundhill Drive Elderslie. Read More...

Tags: Arrol Johnston

In his 1948 novel, Shannon's Way, A. J. Cronin wrote of a "...brass-bound Argyll ambulance." Are there photographs of such a vehicle? Are there any such that have been restored? The Argyll automobile was surely a beautiful automobile!

Sincerely,
Robert Lucke
Indianapolis, IN, USA

Tags: A J Cronin, Shannon's Way, 1948

Hi Robert
in reply to Robert Gibson Value of 1912 14hp Colonial Argyll

Argylls strangely have not a great following in Scotland although I know of five here (in Scotland). I am rebbuilding two at the moment and if you want to send me some photos I will attempt to advise.

Cheers

Derek Smith

Tags: value, 1912, question

Alex Govan (MD of Argyll Motors) is an ancestor of mine on my mother’s side. I am trying find a photograph of him and wonder if anyone has one? Read More...

Tags: Alex Govan

I recently visited the Argyll car factory ,and was upset to see how sad it now looked. I was looking for some glass panels I had seen some years ago. Read More...

Tags: factory, Argyll

I have a 1912 Argyle car catalogue. Whilst the covers are not in pristine condition, the contents are. It is of no particular interest to me, so I would like to have it valued. Read More...

Tags: Argyll, catalogue

I have read your web pages on Argylls as part of my research into the above gentleman. He also seems to have been prominent in Studebaker in the UK.

He seems to pop up in Argylls in 1905 at their Newman Street address (building still there, unmolested! Duly photographed by me, recently!). The next time I find him is when his partnership with Thomas Byrom (a former manager of Argylls, London) is dissolved in September 1911. Their business address was at 17 Great Portland Street - a street where Studebaker in various guises had premises.

I have him with Studebaker til 1929 when he seems to disappear. Records show in 1930 he went to Canada prior to returning to the UK. He died in 1951, being described as a director of Lambert's of Kingston.

If you have any info on Watson's arrival & departure at Argylls I would be grateful if you could let me know. Any info to fill in the gaps would be appreciated.

Many thanks,

Andrew Minney,
Motoring Historian & Researcher,
Twickenham, Middlesex.

Tags: Eustace Watson, Studebaker, London, Managing Director, Argyll

I am researching into Eustace Hargreaves Watson, who was the London manager and later Managing Director of Argylls. Read More...

Tags: Eustace Watson, London, Managing Director, Studebaker, Argyll

I am working for a company called 55 Degrees located in Glasgow www.55degrees.co.uk. We are currently making a series of short documentary films involving classic cars and we are looking for some specific sounds relating to classic cars. Read More...

Tags: film, documentary, Argyll

Is it known if the 6 cylinder car of 1927 was made by Continental in the USA for Argyll, as it was fitted with Delco-Remy dynamo, starter and distributor, and the nuts and bolts have AF/SAE heads rather than BSF. Read More...

Tags: Continental, 1927, 6 cylinder

What else has there been to the Scottish motor industry in the past?

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Tags: Rootes, Linwood

My grandfather John Thomas Smith, a skilled fitter, lived in Govan Drive in Alexandria, a few minutes walk from the factory. This was in 1908, the year of my father's birth. Read More...

I have a news paper article about my grandfather whos name was David Sturrock Knox. Read More...

Tags: Llangollen, Wales, Knox, Gourock

You will see on this site that there was an attempt to bring back the Argyll name for a sports car produced in Lochgilphead in Argyll, during the 1970s. Read More...

Tags: new Argyll

Hello there, I have always been interested by the Scottish motor manufacturing industry, thankfully Albion is still alive in Scotstoun all be it just making axles. Read More...

Tags: new Argyll

My grandfather, George Andrew, who was resident in Aberdeenshire in the 1901 Census, delivered a motor car from Scotland ( I am sure the Glasgow area) to a Mr Cunningham of The Abbey, Penally, Pembrokeshire, Wales, I think in about 1902. Read More...

Tags: question

This is a photo of my grandmother Enid Lilley, probably before WWI.

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Tags: question

Are there any companies in Scotland currently manufacturing (IC) engines? Read More...

Tags: question

I have just been sent a photocopy with more information on the Burt Single Sleeve Valve engine. Read More...

Tags: Burt, single sleeve valve

I am a proud owner of a 1912 14HP "Colonial" body Argyll. It is presently in an unrestored state with the engine out of the car and the rear axle disassembled. Read More...

Tags: value, 1912, question

I am helping a friend to dispose of a mointain of stuff he has collected over the years and amongst the many items is a catalogue of the Argyll Motors Company.
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Tags: value, sale, question

If I had a 1909 Argyll sitting in my shed under a blanket; how much would it be worth? Read More...

Tags: 1909, value, question

This bronze car mascot was owned by the Daubuz family. Originally French Hugenot’s, in time they became extremely wealthy Cornish tin mine owners and smelters.


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Tags: bonnet mascot, Cornwall, question

Just to let you know that a new article on the Argyll/Burt sleeve-valve aero-engines has just been published in the Journal of the Aircraft Engine Historical Society.
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Tags: Aero engine

We have this week received a letter from a lady in Devon whose GREAT GREAT GRANDMOTHER (Mrs Julia Boucher Age 65) was killed in a 1906 Argyll in August 1906. Read More...

Tags: bristol, Accident, question

I am trying to locate copies of the Argyll Motors magazine published between 1906 and 1909. Read More...

Tags: magazine, question

I have been watchful for any book that may have been produced with the history of Argyll cars, but to date have not found any. Is there such a thing? Read More...

Tags: book, question

I was recently going through my fathers belongings and found this "Argyll - Glasgow" Button hole badge (photo Attached).

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Tags: badge, question

I am restoring a scarce Thomas Melvin - Glasgow, Scotland stationary engine that was once a Producer Gas Plant engine and at some point converted to low-tension magneto, ignitor and carburetor. Read More...

Tags: Longuemare, question

I recently visited Tokyo, and outside a museum dedicated to the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 saw the preserved fire damaged chassis of what on closer examination turned out to be an Argyll car or truck.

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Tags: Tokyo earthquake

G'day, Nyal Chivell here from Australia.

We've got an Acme gas engine in our collection of 250 old engines and after much research it appears to be the only one in the country. With the help of our friend, the late Jim Dancer of England he too tried to find out information about it. He was unsuccessful.

After reading about the Argyll company I noticed a reference to the Acme company of 1881 in your history. Our engine is a good runner, of about 3 hp, single flywheel, open crank, tank cooled and fitted with an up-draught carby. If you have any info on the company or know where we could look it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Nyal Chivell

Tags: Acme gas engine, question

We now have this car sat on our driveway, it is not beyond repair but was wondering if you could advise me of any locations in the Cheshire region that would store the car to enable the gentleman to start his renovations.
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Tags: restoration, question

In reply to Hugh Jobling, while I have little information about the connection with Argyll other than that on this website, if he contacts me I can let him have what information I have about the firm. Read More...

Tags: George and Jobling

I was brought up in Dumfries, and at my present age of 57, I am fascinated by the background of the Arrol Aster factory in Heathall, near Dumfries. The Americans took over the factory when I was a young man, and the factory was always a 'closed book' to younger people. Read More...

Tags: Arrol Aster, question

After the second liquidation in 1914, The then works manager bought the original workshops at Hozier Street in Brigeton, Glasgow. Read More...

Tags: bridgeton, Alexandria

I wonder if anyone can tell me where in Bridgeton the company was sited after
the move from Alexandria? Read More...

Tags: bridgeton, Alexandria, question

Could anyone please refer me to any information on a fleet of Argyll buses reportedly exported to Canada in 1913? Read More...

Tags: Canada, buses, question

The aero engine was finally developed further and used in fighter bombers of WW11 Read More...

Tags: single sleeve valve, Aero engine

I am very keen to obtain some details of the Argyll sleeve-valve aero-engine that was built in 1914 to compete in the Farnborough competition of the same year. Read More...

Tags: single sleeve valve, Aero engine, question

I enjoyed your history of the Argyll factory. My father worked in it when it was the RNTF as a turner in the 40s and 50s untill he sadly died when I was nine and we left for Birmingham, where my mother was born. Read More...

Tags: Argyll factory

In the early 1930s my father was apprenticed to the Argyll Motor and Engineering Company in Hornsey, Prior Park (I think) which was/is between Enfield and north London. Read More...

Tags: Hornsea, question