The Fergusson family history begins with The Miller O' Driep. Alexander Fergusson was a grain miller at Driep, at the head of Loch Eck in the late 1790's. He married Margaret Cameron from St Ninians and had seven of a family. His eldest son Archibald born in 1799, started the firm in 1823 and the old workshop was at Tigh-Saor at the top of the Clachan Brae in Strachur.

He married Mary Ann Kennedy and they lived in Ivy Cottage across the road from our present workshop. They had twelve of a family, the eldest being Alexander born in 1828. Alexander served his apprenticeship and in 1854, aged 26 went to Australia to the gold diggings. Work was scarce in Strachur and he hoped to be able to send money back to his parents. He sailed from Liverpool on the Marco Polo, a famous tea clipper, and the voyage took 6 months. After 2 years in Australia he returned on the Red Jacket and the cost of the passage was £25.

He married Rachel Moodie from Glendaruel and started a business in Sandbank as a joiner and carrier. He and Rachel died of cholera in 1866 leaving three of a family, Archibald, Rachel and Jane. They came to stay with their grandfather at Ivy Cottage. When Archibald was 16 he was indentured to James Black a joiner in Greenock. He served 5 years apprenticeship and was paid 4 shillings per week in his first year and 9 shillings per week in his fifth year. After this he returned to Strachur to the family firm, married Annabella MacArthur, and had two sons; Alexander and Charles.

He took over the firm when his grandfather died in 1893. He was a member of the A.H.R.V, a keen shot and went to Bisley every year for small bore rifle shooting. Son Charles served his apprenticeship, then worked with his father until he joined The Navy during World War 1 where he served in the R.N.A.S as one of the crew on tenders which ferried the Sopwith Camels across The Channel to carry out bombing raids.

Elder brother Alexander was a sea going engineer and served on HMS Tiger and other naval warships during the war. On demob Charles returned to Strachur and his trade and suceeded to the firm in 1932 when both his father and brother died. He married Catherine McWalters in 1933 and daughter Iseabal was born in 1934. During World War 2, Charles was engaged on work of national importance and spent the war years building and maintaining the many camps which were built for the army and navy in this part of Argyll. In the 1950's Charles started building timber framed houses clad with western red cedar and these he called 'Argyll Bungalows', today we build high quality timber frame houses.

Daughter Iseabal and son-in-law Walter Thomson took over the running of the business in the late 1970's when Charles was not so active and he died in 1984 in his 90th year.

Historical Photo Album

Below you will find images from our history. They range from people working on the sites to letters from clients dating from as far back as the early 19th century.

To view any of the images simple click on it to open a full size version.