Fred Ainslie
2002/108 Fred Ainslie interviewed in his own home by Sarah Bromage in Edinburgh on 15/11/2002
Fred Ainslie began working at Galloways after studying to become a chartered accountant. Went to Galloways as Assistant Secretary. He was subsequently appointed Company Secretary of Galloways and joined the Board of Directors of Galloways.
000 Went to school at Royal High School. Went on to be trainee chartered accountant with Johnny Geergan and Company.
011 1943 national service in the navy served until 1945 in submarines.
037 Returned to apprenticeship. Apprenticeship was a 5 year one. Also studied at Edinburgh University.
050 Went to AB Fleming and was assistant secretary for 2 years. Printing ink manufacturers. Ink mills. Description of manufacturers of ink.
069 Galloways advertisement. Knew Bill Milligan who interviewed him.
080 Interviewed in Alban Place
084 Appointed Assistant Secretary to Robert Mowat.
093 Brief history of Galloways
101 Description of Mr Mowat
111 Mr Galloway, description of his activities. All employees would report to Mr Galloway.
126 British Bedaux reorganisation of salle to increase efficiency.
138 British Bedaux would work out a new way of doing things. Coating plant.
159 Pension scheme from 1938 onwards. Some employees would use it as a bank and then cash it in after two years
172 Nurse at Galloways. 400 employees, 100 were women. Nurse would keep track of those who were sick.
184 First aid room in the finishing house. Also involved a bit in welfare.
194 Mira Gordon recruitment, personnel officer came later.
203 Day to day responsibility. Responsible for dealing with shares and shareholders
214 Investment into firm. 3 companies who would use champion process, became outdated. Looked into blade coating and air knife coating.
240 Could not coat own paper, could coat other people’s paper
251 John Jones, technical manager.
257 Women in office and salle. Overhaulers.
266 8 on machine crew. Mill never stopped. Those who worked in town could work slightly different hours
279 The office 9-5 Monday to Friday and Saturday morning
286 Full order book. Printed for House and Gordon, Vogue.
293 Galloways would coat and make paper under one roof.
300 Description of the mill and arrangement with Water of Leith on water allocation
316 Purification of water. All mills had an allocation in the Water of Leith. 71,375
Cubic feet per 24 hours. Everything else had to be put in water.
330 Allocation never changed
334 Papermills would not speak to one another. No sharing of technology.
351 Not much went abroad, but sold a lot to Scandinavia, Holland, Belgium and New Zealand.
361 Competition from the Scandinavians. Difficulty of obtaining woodpulp.
374 Disappearance of esparto due to intro of optical dyes. Esparto paper too creamy.
381 Railway brought into goods yard.
391 Galloways had 8 lorries, 3 went down south.
397 New Bridge Street, London office. All mills had offices in and around St Paul’s. 4 people in London office.
409 Description of photograph of Mr Haig and nephew and son in law. Freddie MacDonald
426 Relationship of Mr Galloway and Mr Haig. Mr MacDonald chosen successor, but he died.
438 Jack Haig as managing director, then Bernard Walton came to Galloways in 1968 as mill manager. Not good relationship with East Lancs.
450 East Lancs were helping to sort out the mill. Bernard Walton dismissed, Walton listed equipment needed for the mill included a jaguar.
475 Industrial reorganisation committee, Galloways wanted to be taken over. Tullis Russell were one of the potential buyers.
491 Decline in orders. £150,000 loan. Exceeding borrowing powers and if exceeding these then the directors became personally liable.
513 51 mill houses in Balerno
527 Piano row, those who lived there had a piano. A sign of respectability.
543 Galloways were still buying houses. Mr Ainslie’s job to keep an eye on property in Balerno.
550 When mill closed some employees bought houses.
558 5 Directors at Galloways. Peter Bartholomew an additional director.
565 Stratton director. John Anderson responsible for building up reputation of Galloways. Stratton died.
582 Galloways known for quality. Looking for papermaker. 5 people on interviewing panel, 20 questions devised.
626 Interviewed 6 or 8 people for the position
633 Most people lived locally. Local people would socialise together.
643 Putting green and bowling green. Galloways bought the village hall.
660 Annual dance at the Charlotte Rooms. All employees attended.
674 Book on Galloways. Run of book for customers.
695 Left Galloways as secretary because it was obvious it was going to close.
705 Funeral of Mr Galloway. Chauffeur Tom Melville and wife was cook.
720
740 Winnie Anderson on charge of canteen. Café within finishing house., 5 or 6 women worked there.
740 Set hour for lunch hour. Hours of work for salle.
754 Staff and workers separate in the canteen.
760 Staff and workers did not mix much.
769 Retirement was not marked
778 End