THROUGHOUT an existence of more than 100 years William Murchland and

Co. Ltd has always been ready to keep in the forefront whenever

possible.

That tradition began in the 1870s when William Murchland, an Ayrshire

plumber, took over a small plumbing business which was already operating

in Kilmarnock.

He was energetic and innovative. Within a few years the firm's

operations had grown considerably in the general commercial plumbing

field. An early speciality which involved much travel throughout

Scotland was when the Kilmarnock firm became sole agents for a prominent

windmill powered water pump.

This was followed by William Murchland being prominent in the

development of the first milking machine in Scotland, something of

particular interest in a dairy cattle area like Ayrshire. Today one of

his milking machine prototypes can be seen on display in the Scottish

Agricultural College in Edinburgh. He was also involved in early

development work which in part was to lead to the modern fire hose.

The present firm, Wm Murchland and Co. Ltd, moved in the eighties from

Bank Street, Kilmarnock to its present premises in Grange Street.

Although general commercial contract plumbing is the backbone of

business they also carry out work as sanitary and heating engineers,

slaters, tilers, and roughcasters.

Few Scottish companies can have a stronger family tradition. Managing

director Archie Parker and director Alastair McCall are cousins and

fourth generation descendants of the original founder William Murchland.

Archie Parker began his working life as an apprentice plumber with the

company and has been there ever since. Alastair McCall joined after

training as a quantity surveyor. Their fathers were both directors of

the company and the cousins in turn joined the board on the same day in

1980 -- a matter recorded in one of the handwritten company minute books

which trace back over the generations.