History of McGeoch

By the early 1900’s the company had a substantial, purpose built, head office in Glasgow incorporating a warehouse and three floors of showrooms. They also established showrooms in London and Newcastle and a manufacturing plant in Birmingham.

The range already encompassed a wide choice of domestic and marine electrical fittings from ‘artistic’ statuettes (below left) holding lamps – as used on the RMS Olympic, RMS Titanic and HMHS Brittanic – to watertight navigation lights (above right).

Later catalogues contained further additions to the McGeoch range including marine switchboards on slate panels with open switches and the main manufacturing plant in Birmingham featured more prominently with custom built design offices incorporated.

The ‘SS City of Paris’ (top right) was launched in October 1888 and from 1889 to 1891 and again from 1892 to 1893 held the Blue Riband as the fastest ship on the north Atlantic route. William McGeoch’s son, Andrew, was responsible for bringing in the historic contract to supply electric lighting fittings for the ship which was built at the Thomson Yard in Clydebank.

‘RMS Lusitania’ (bottom right) was a British ocean liner and briefly the world’s largest passenger ship. The Cunard Line launched the ship in June 1906 at a time of fierce competition for the North Atlantic trade. She was built by John Brown & Co in Clydebank and many of her electrical fittings and lighting were supplied by William McGeoch & Co. Her sister ship, the ‘RMS Mauretania’, was launched a few months later and also benefitted from McGeoch electrical equipment and lighting.

In 1999 William White Switchgear was acquired by McGeoch Technology bringing with it current experience of designing and manufacturing power distribution and control and instrumentation panels for warships.