Scottish shale Scottish shale

George Miller & Co.

Company number:
Not known
Share capital:
£?
Started:
Prior to 1842
Finished:
After 1905
Registered office:

83 Jamaica Street, Glasgow
72 Great Clyde Street, Glasgow
34 Bothwell Street, Glasgow
84 Mitchell Street, Glasgow
75 Union Street, Glasgow

The firm of George Miller & Company was established prior to 1842, and developed the Rumford Street Chemical Works to process the by-products of the adjacent Dalmarnock gas works. The production of tars, naptha and asphalts remained the mainstay of the company (which continued until at least 1905), but there are indications that refined mineral oils during the late 1860's and early 1870's.

George Miller was brother to John Miller (of John Miller & Company) proprietors of Sandilands Chemical Works, Aberdeen, and to James Miller (of James Miller, Son & Company) drysalters and chemical brokers. Robert Binning and John Poynter, at one time partners in the firm of George Miller & Company, both left the firm to set up their own mineral oil businesses.

George Miller appears to have left the firm c.1870, and is recorded as Chairman of Bothwell and Uddingston Gas Company Ltd. The contents of his home at Wingfield, Bothwell, were put to auction in May 1878 following his death.

Partners

  • George Miller (until c.1870)
  • John Poynter (until 31st July 1857)
  • Robert Binning (until 1st October 1863)
  • Robert Miller (after 1857)

Resources

Listings from successive editions of the Glasgow Post Office directory

  • MILLER, George & Co. oil works, Greenvale (1842-44)
  • MILLER, G & Co., Dalmarnock Chemical Works, 89 Rumford Street (1845-50)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, and oil merchants, asphalters, tar, naptha and rosin distillers,and grease manufacturers, works 89 Rumford st.; office; 83 Jamaica st. (1855-56)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, and oil merchants, asphalters, tar, naptha and rosin distillers,and grease manufacturers, works Rumford st.; office; 72 Great Clyde st. (1857)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., Mineral oil lamp makers, chemists, and oil merchats, tar and naptha distillers, asphalters and manufacturers of coal products, 34 Bothwell street; works Rumford st. (1858-61)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, 34 Bothwell St.; works Rumford street (1862)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists and oil merchants, tar and naptha distillers, and asphalters; works Rumford Street; office, 84 Mitchell street (1863-69)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, tar and naptha distillers, asphalters and paraffin oil refiners; 75 Union St. works Rumford Street; (1870-74)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, tar and naptha distillers, asphalters,office 75 Union St. works 89 Rumford Street; Bridgeton (1875-76)
  • MILLER, George, & Co., manufacturing chemists, tar and naptha distillers, asphalters,office 40, West Nile St.. works 89 Rumford Street; Bridgeton (1877-85 and later)
  • Miller, George, (of George Miller & Co.), house 16 Whitevale, (1842 -54)
  • Miller, George, (of George Miller & Co.), house 10 Green lodge,Greenhead (1855-57)
  • Miller, George, (of George Miller & Co.), house Green lodge, 157 Greenhead (1859)
  • Miller, George, (of George Miller & Co.), house Wingfield , Bothwell (1860-70)
  • Miller, George, (late of George Miller & Co.), house Wingfield , Bothwell (1871-72)

GeoMiller.jpg

From the Glasgow Post Office Directory 1855

  • Newspaper references
    • BY mutual consent, the undersigned JOHN POYNTER, on the 31st day of July 1857, ceased to be a Partner in the Copartnership Business previously carried on by him and the other Subscribers, as Manufacturing Chemists, Oil Merchants, and Asphalters in Glasgow,under the Firm of GEORGE MILLER & COMPANY.
      JOHN POYNTER.
      GEO. MILLER.
      ROB. BINNING.
      ADAM PATERSON, Witness. THOS. J. SMILLIE, Witness. Glasgow, 1st December 1857.

      Edinburgh Gazette 8th December 1857

      .......

      George Miller & Co., 34 Bothwell Street, Glasgow beg to call attention of Wholesale Dealers to their MINERAL OIL LAMPS, which cannot be surpassed for cheapness and burning power. Price lists and pattern books sent on application. A supply of PHOTOGENE OIL guaranteed to buyers of lamps.

      Glasgow Herald, 30th September 1861

      .......

      CONTRACTORS WANTED by George Miller & Co., for the carting connected with their GENERAL ASPHALTE BUSINESS. From twelve to fifteen horses required Daily. All particulars obtained by applying at 130 Hope St. or 89 Rumford Street.

      Glasgow Herald, 12th July 1872

      .......

      At the DALMARNOCK CHEMICAL WORKS, RUMFORD STREET, on Thursday 19th May at one o'clock; Sale, by Auction of ASPHALTER'S PLANT (The property of Messrs George Miller & Co., who have given up the Asphalting Branch of their business.) James Laird has received instructions to sell as above. Particulars in Catalgoues, forwarded free, 19th Gordon Street.

      Glasgow Herald, 23rd May 1890

      .......

      DEATH OF MR ROBERT MILLER. In the death of Mr Robert Miller, which occurred in London towards the close of last week, Glasgow has lost a very useful citizen. Born at Paisley about sixty-three years ago, Mr Miller came to the city when a very young man, and ultimately became senior partner of Messrs James Miller, Son & Co., drysalter and chemical brokers, a firm which was founded by his father in 1848, and sole partner of Messrs George Miller & Co., chemical manufacturers, in succession to his uncle. Although a busy man, he found time to take part in pursuits that were not connected with commerce.

      Glasgow Herald, 1st May 1893