Barr & Stroud Ltd (optical instrument engineers: 1912-1977: Glasgow, Scotland)

Archibald Barr ( 1855-1931 ) and William Stroud became associated as early as 1888 when the two men were professors of, respectively, engineering and physics at the Yorkshire College, Leeds, England (now the University of Leeds). In that year, they responded to an advertisement in the magazine Engineering to design a short-base rangefinder for infantry use. Although the resulting design was not successful at the time, the Admiralty approached them in 1891 and invited them to submit a further design for trial.

By this time, Barr, returned to the University of Glasgow, Scotland, where he had been a student, as the Regius Professor of Civil Engineering & Mechanics. He continued to keep in close touch with Stroud and, in 1892 , the Admiralty gave them a contract for an initial six instruments adopting their competitive design for a rangefinder. The mechanical parts of this rangefinder, known as NRF No 1, were constructed in the workshops of the instrument makers, James White in Cambridge Street, Glasgow, later known as Kelvin & Hughes Ltd, scientific instrument makers, Glasgow. Optical parts, calibrated and designed by Barr & Stroud as the partnership had become known, were actually made up by Adam Hilges of London, England, initially at the expense of the inventors. Stroud even set about raising funds for the project by giving popular magic lantern shows around Leeds.

In 1895 , the company was renting workshop space at 250 Byres Road, Hillhead, Glasgow but demand for the product soon necessitated a move to larger premises in Ashton Lane, Glasgow. By 1904 , 100 men were working for the company in a new purpose-built factory in Anniesland, Glasgow. Shortly thereafter, in 1909 , Stroud resigned his chair at Leeds University and moved to Glasgow to work for the company full-time and Barr, in spite of a distinguished teaching career, followed his example in 1913 .

In 1912 , Barr & Stroud was incorporated as a limited liability company as Barr & Stroud Ltd with a share capital of £500,000. In 1914, the company began extensions to the Anniesland works in order to meet the sharp increase in demand for their rangefinders that followed on the outbreak of the 1914-1918 World War. The war years saw the development of other products, including a torpedo depth recorder, periscopes incorporating a rangefinder, and a dome sight for aircraft.

After the war there was a slump in business and the partners turned their attention to instruments for civil use, particularly aerial survey and mapping work but also cinema projectors and single-sleeve valve motor cycle engines. Instruments with military applications continued to be made and developed by the company and, in 1930 , Barr & Stroud Ltd were awarded a contract to supply binoculars to the Royal Navy.

Following the 1939-1945 World War the company used its precision engineering skills to help re-equip British industry. Fast developing new technologies led to the redesign of the submarine periscope, and later the development of thermal imaging and laser rangefinders.

In 1972 , Barr & Stroud Ltd undertook a further expansion in Anniesland purchasing the factory of Robert MacLehose & Co , printers to the University of Glasgow, but by 1977 they were actively looking for involvement within a larger group of companies. In the spring of 1977 , they merged with Pilkington PE Ltd and subsequently continued to trade within the Optical Division of the Pilkington Group . In 1992 , the company left their premises in Anniesland that they had occupied since 1904 and relocated to a modern factory at Linthouse, Govan, Glasgow, to the south of the River Clyde.

In 2000, Pilikington PE Ltd became Thales Optics Ltd and in 2001, Barr & Stroud Ltd became Thales Optronics Ltd .

Moss, Michael S and Russell, Iain, Range and Vision: the first 100 years of Barr & Stroud ( 1988 , Edinburgh )

From the guide to the Records of Barr & Stroud Ltd, optical instrument engineers, Glasgow, Scotland, 1860-1997, (Glasgow University Archive Services)