George Mackay & Co. Round Brass

George Mackay & Co. brass tray dating from the 1890s. The business and its St. Leonard's Brewery, which had been founded in 1867, was registered as George Mackay & Co. Ltd in 1908. In 1954 the Company acquired Gordon & Blair (1923) Ltd which became a subsidiary of George Mackay & Co. Ltd. The Craigwell Brewery was closed and all brewing was transferred to St. Leonard's Brewery. After losing a lengthy court case concerning tax assessments between the years 1956 to 1959, and the loss of a subsequent appeal, the Company found itself in serious financial difficulty. The St. Leonard's Brewery and its public houses was acquired by Seager-Evans Ltd in 1962, which resold it to Watney Mann Ltd in 1963, when brewing ceased. Remarkably I have two examples of the tray featured both of which are exactly the same design but with different manufacturer's marks. One tray has a manufacturer's mark which states - W & A.K.Johnston Ltd Edinburgh The other tray has a manufacturer's mark which states - WM Brownlie. Bridgeton Cross.Glasgow They are definetely two different trays.