E.W. Fernie & Co.

Ebenezer Waugh Fernie was an accomplished entrepreneur with diverse business interests, including control over much of the British trade in manganese. He challenged the validity of James Young's patent, and Young's dominance of the coal-oil industry, by developing substantial oil works in North Wales. While Young and his partners ultimately won the "Great Paraffin Case" against Fernie and his partners, Fernie had by then moved to Scotland and focussed his attention of the emerging shale oil industry.

The structure of Fernie's business affairs remains unclear. The Great Paraffin case had been brought against "The Mineral Oil Company"; a partnership between Fernie, Joseph Robinson and William Carter. Early references list the proprietors of Broxburn (Albyn) Works as Fernie, Robinson and Carter, however later records refer to E. Fernie. The firm of E.W. Fernie had been used a vehicle for Fernie's many business interests and he seems likely to have been employed this in his shale oil enterprises. Slater's royal commercial directory includes under "Mineral Oil Works" in Carnwath; "Fernie E.W. Tarbrax, Auchengray, by Carnwath; office, 145 Princes st., Edinburgh".