Macrae and Dick: 130 and still very young
Macrae & Dick, believed to be the oldest motor firm in the UK, is celebrating its 130th anniversary by unveiling its archive of photography.
The pictures take us back to the days Scottish transport was about four legs, not wheels. And selling transport to the public was about stables and draftsmen rather than dealerships and mechanics.In 1878 Roderick Macrae and William Dick raised £3000 to open a stable yard in Inverness. Their business began as a taxi service providing horse drawn carts and drivers to locals and visitors in the Inverness area.
But, as Company Chairman Francis Hamilton said, the business was transformed with the arrival of the motor car: "It was a natural development for Macrae & Dick to become involved in the new mode of transport. This was not only in the business of hiring cars but also in their sale and service. By 1910 we were agents for Albion, Renault and Arrol Johnston, with Sunbeam, Rover, Argyll, Ford and Studebaker added in 1916."
In more recent years Macrae & Dick reacted to a shake-up in the motor industry that saw many small dealers sell-up. The firm acquired businesses in Elgin, Perth and Stirling and expanded across Scotland with great success.
Mr Hamilton continued: "We're delighted with the success of our Stirling dealerships. As well as the Ford franchise we operate the BMW and Mini presence here under the well-established Menzies brand. Like Inverness, Stirling is a new, fast growing city with a real buzz about it, and we're delighted to play a part in its growth.
"We hope to grow our presence here and to continue evolving with the transport industry. We have several new car launches coming up and will continue to evolve with the motor industry.
"As you can see in the pictures an awful lot has changed since we started offering horse drawn carriages for hire. Who knows what cars - and indeed Stirling itself - will look like 130 years from now?"
Back to Contents
