Building record MAB23990 - ABERDEEN COMB WORKS, HUTCHEON STREET, ABERDEEN

Former Stewart and Rowell comb works, dating from circa 1830-40 later expanded.

Former Stewart and Rowell comb works, dating from circa 1830-40 later expanded. Restored in 1970 following a fire in 1969, and altered to offices in 1981. Aberdeen Comb Works, Ltd. was established in 1830 by the Stewart family and became known throughout the world for its variety of comb making. It was located on a site of 3.5 acres with a frontage on Hutcheon Street of 325 feet long and occupied the same site until its demolition in 1997. The factory produced up to 25 million combs per year and over 2000 varieties of combs were produced including pocket combs, fancy combs, braid combs, side combs, and mane combs. In addition to combs, the company also made paper knives, spoons, snuffboxes, drinking cups, shoe horns, and bookmarkers. Originally horn was used producing combs but this was changed to plastic in 1937. They were the first comb factory to use casein, a form of plastic, instead of horn and hit a boom in the 1940's. In 1963, the company merged with Daniel Mint and Sons, Ltd. Glasgow. In 1961 it was damaged by fire and the factory rebuilt within months but it caught fire again in October 1969 causing considerable damage to most of the building, halving the length of the main building, restored 1970.. The original block is L-plan, 3-storey and attic, the later additions forming a courtyard. Built of plain granite rubble with slate roofs. There is a curved forestair with cast iron railings on the main front. In 1981 the works was converted to offices and warehousing. There are a number of items and artefacts associated with the Comb Works, such as horn combs, drawings and photographs, currently housed at Aberdeen's Maritime Museum.

Period Notes
Listed 16/06/1997.

Record last edited

Sep 7 2022 10:46AM