About Us

HISTORY

Robert Mitchell was born in Kinross in 1848 to a large family of crofter weavers, he ran away from home and served time as a Glazier in Edinburgh before moving to Galashiels to set up in business.

He established the business of Robert Mitchell Glass Merchants on 10^th April 1875 at 23 Buccleuch Street, Hawick before building the shop at 9 Oliver Crescent. This developed into an extensive business as the principal glass merchants in the South of Scotland and now based in Galashiels, remains a family owned business.

Successful businessman Robert Mitchell first entered Public Life in 1884 when he became a Town Councillor after winning a stiffly contested vote to join the Hawick Town Council. He became Baillie in 1887 and was elected Provost of Hawick in 1896. He held this position for six years and was a J P and an Honorary Sheriff Substitute for Roxburghshire for many years afterwards. His office in the Glazing shop had a continuous stream of callers requiring his signature to documents.

He was well respected in Hawick and is remembered for obtaining a gift of £10,000 from the Carnegie Fund for the erection of Hawick Library, also for foot pavement improvements and the Letting of the Commonhaugh. A Freemason and a prominent Liberal, he served on the School Board and was an elder in Orrock Place Secession church.

His name is on the cast iron plaque on the cantilevered footpath on the Drumlandrig Bridge at the Tower Knowe., which was constructed when he was Provost. He was presented to Queen Victoria at her Diamond Jubilee celebrations in London in June 1897 and was also presented to George V and Edward VIII. He was married twice (with a son and daughter to his first wife) and died at the age of eighty on 30^th April 1928. He is buried in Wilton Cemetery, Hawick.

His son Alexander Mitchell then ran the business but his family did not wish to carry on, and when he died in 1946 the firm became a Limited company with James Fisher, the grandfather of the current Company Secretary Susan Roden, becoming a shareholder and director until his death in 1977. His son, Bill Fisher who joined as an apprentice glazier when he was fourteen years old in 1944, opened premises in Galashiels in Gala Lane, then moved to Market Street and built a factory in 1980 to manufacture windows, doors and conservatories at the present situation in Currie Road, Galashiels. Mitchells introduced Double Glazing to the Scottish Borders in the 70s and installations can be found in all Border towns.

Peter Roden joined the firm in 1984 and after the death of Bill Fisher in 1993, became the present Managing Director. The glazing firm still cuts glass and polishes mirrors as well as the main business of building quality Conservatories, Windows and Doors in Timber, Aluminium and PVCu.

Robert Mitchell’s name lives on as a well respected name in the double glazing industry and customers know that they are guaranteed personal service and attention to detail.

Come and visit our showrooms at Currie Road Galashiels to find out more about what we can do for you