Report on the organisation and methods of Messrs Darling and Company, Silk Mercers, Edinburgh

Abstract

Messrs Darling & Company, originally a firm of Silk Mercers, dealing exclusively in stuffs, have gradually expanded their organisation during the past half -century to embrace the manufacturing and supplying of all kinds of ladies' wearing apparel. Although the greater part of the goods sold are bought in from outside suppliers, a considerable proportion, perhaps larger than is usual in many similar firms, are made to the purchaser's individual requirements in the dress- making, tailoring, and millinery workrooms. The male customer is not catered for, unless in the tea -room, which has proved a very successful experiment.In all, the firm employs from 150 to 180 persons in the workrooms and in the selling departments. Of these, over 90% are women and girls, the only male staff, with the exception of those employed in the Packing and Maintenance departments, being the Shop Superintendent, the Manager, the head of the tailoring workroom, and the buyer and assistants of the Silks and Stuffs department.In a business of this size, it is possible for one man to control the entire organisation and to take the responsibility for all decisions of policy. This function is fulfilled by Lord Provost William Y. Darling, who, as the nephew of one of the founders of the firm, Dr Alexander Darling, is virtually the owner of the firm. It is interesting to note that Dr Darling was one of those keen Edinburgh business men who were largely instrumental in the foundation of the Bachelor of Commerce Degree at the University of Edinburgh.