T and J Perry Carriageworks
The original carriage works before a fire destroyed the building in 1860.
The rebuilt carriageworks photographed in the 1860s.
Founded in 1804 by T and J Perry, the manufactory covered nearly one and a half acres. The ground floor was a showroom, large enough to hold 30-40 carriages, with offices at the rear which led to a large square yard. Off here was a body-making shop, capable of constructing 6 carriages at a time, one new vehicle being turned out daily. There were also fitting shops, a forge with 8 furnaces, a wood-drying loft and a wheelwrights' shop, producing both the old elm stock wheels as well as the 'light, strong and elegant American Warner' wheels. Completion of the carriages was carried out in the pint-shop, varnishing-shop and trimming-shop, the last concerned with the upholstery and leather work.
At the back was a piece of ground containing a large shed for timber storage, especially of birch board and ash plank. Abutting onto Hepburn Road were reserve stores for the sundry items such as lamps, cushion straps, whip sockets and mats and another for oil, turpentine etc.
As well as the main showroom, Perry's boasted three others on the floors above, including one solely for two-wheeled vehicles. There were lifts to all the floors.
In the 1890s sixty workmen were employed. Methods were changing with the use of steel and patent indiarubber axle bearings and eventually the carriages gave way to cars. Anderson's Rubber Company took over the premises in the mid 20th century.
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