Largs business was 368 years old!

When the Mackie family at Largs - Elliott, Archie and Susan - sold their blacksmith’s business in Boyd Street, it broke a link going back centuries in Largs - because the family firm was founded in 1608, and was run by the family ever since. The purchasers of the firm were Robert Angus and his wife, May, who retained the name of the business.

The nature of the business changed, of course, with the coming of the motor car and farm tractor, instead of shoeing horses, the firm went on to make ornamental railings and other types of iron-work.

The smithy was founded by Robert Mackie in what was then Aitken Street and it remained on its original site until 1930, when it was moved to Boyd Street. The site in Aitken Street was acquired by Messrs Castlesons to build a cafe, which later became The Minstrel, and is now Halliday’s Chemist.

The ‘News’ reported: “All over the world where Largs men foregathered, the famous smithy in Aitken Street was synonymous with all that was historic in the home town environment. The anvils, it may be surmised, were used in the olden days for shaping horse shoes for the steeds of the people who flocked into the town for the centuries old Colm’s Fair.

“Carved on the outside wall of the Aitken Street smithy was the original inscription: ‘R.A.M - 1608 - M.F’ the initials were those of Robert A Mackie and Margaret Findlay, his wife.

The old smithy was a regular rallying ground for many interests in factions. It was once the headquarters of the staunch Radical forces and in one memorable election, a sensation was created in the town when one of the smithy poines and wagon emerged into the streets pained a brilliant ‘Radical’ red.

In the old days, the smithy’s principal business was shoeing the horses of passing coaches. Once, a Mackie was called out of church during the sermon to shoe one of the horses attached to the mail coach, which ran between Irvine and Greenock, before the opening of the railway.

On the outer wall of the Boyd Street premises for many years were the figures of Tom o’Shanter and Soutar Johnnie, which used to adorn the smithy in Aitken Street. The business is now owned by Kenneth Little, and has diversified into all aspects of lawn, garden and ground care equipment. The blacksmith side of business is still busy with gates, railings and balconies.