The front cover of the Laird Line's brochure advertising tours in Ireland, 1908.
Alexander Laird became agent for the St George Steam Packet Co in 1822 and subsequently for the Mersey & Clyde Steam Navigation Co and the Glasgow & Londonderry Steam Packet Co, firms which provided shipping services to ports on the west coast of Scotland, England and Ireland. He also became a ship owner as a partner in the shipping company, MacConnell & Laird.
Laird's son, also Alexander, became sole partner in MacConnell & Laird and, from 1873, a partner in Alexander A Laird & Co. The firm became popularly known as the Laird Line, and the name was changed officially to Laird Line Ltd in January 1907. The business was acquired by Coast Lines in 1919, and amalgamated with G & J Burns in 1922 to form Burns & Laird Lines.
Reference: TD 644/37
Reproduced with the permission of Glasgow City Council, Libraries Information and Learning
Keywords:
Alexander A Laird & Co, brochures, Burns & Laird Lines, G & J Burns, Glasgow & Londonderry Steam Packet Co, Laird Line, passenger ships, shipping lines, St George Steam Packet Co, steamships