The event was also recorded in the Barony Parish Register, in an entry also dated 16^th June 1844:

Archibald Baird mechanic Old Monkland & Elison Taylor residing in Barony Parish

When Matthew Barr Baird senior was born in 1845, his parents were identified as ‘Archibald Baird, Smith, Clyde Ironworks, & Alison Taylor’.

At the time of the 1851 census, Archibald was living in the ‘Village of Clyde Ironworks’, Old Monkland. He was a blacksmith, aged 33, born in Old Monkland. Living with him was his wife Alison, aged 33, born in Paisley, and son Matthew, a scholar, aged six, born in Old Monkland.

At the time of the 1861 census, Archibald Baird was living in Quarter Cottage, in the Parish of Hamilton, in premises having five rooms with one or more windows. He was the manager of the iron and coal works and his age was entered as 39. Living with him was his wife Alison Taylor or Barr, 40, and Alison Aitken, niece, scholar, 13. The place of birth was given for all three on this occasion as Glasgow, although in the elder Alison’s case at least this is a careless approximation.

At the time of his first wife Allison Taylor’s death in 1870, Archibald Baird was designated as the manager of Quarter Iron Works.

At the time of the 1871 census, Archibald Baird was living in the Manager’s House, in the Iron Works, Civil Parish of Hamilton, premises having eight rooms with one or more windows. The entry runs:

Archibald Baird, widower, 48, manager of iron works, born Lanarkshire, Baillieston Matthew B. Baird, son, unmarried, 26, engineer’s ironmonger, born Lanarkshire, Clyde Iron Works Alison Aitken, niece, unmarried, 22, housekeeper, born Lanarkshire, Tollcross Mary Clark, 13, general servant (domestic), born Lanarkshire, Shettleston

Archibald Baird was designated as an ironmonger at the time of his son Matthew’s marriage to Margaret Archibald in 1874.

Archibald Baird, an engineer’s ironmonger (widower), age entered inaccurately as 49, married Lilias M. (Murray) Smith, a spinster, 39, on 4^th February 1875, at N^o 1, Nelson Street, Edinburgh, After Banns according to the Forms of the Church of Scotland. Archibald’s usual residence was entered as Park Road, Hamilton, Lilias’s as Logie Barn, Dolphinton. The Register was signed by Andrew Leiper, Minister of Gorbals Parish, Glasgow, and by witnesses J. Turnbull Smith and Thomas Wotherspoon.

At the time of the 1881 census, Archibald Baird, his age again somewhat understated as 55, an iron merchant employing twenty-five men and two boys, born in Baillieston, was living in Hopetoun Cottage, Park Road, Hamilton, with his wife Lilias M. (Murray) Baird, 45, born in Peebleshire, Kilbucho, and Margaret Hamilton, domestic servant, unmarried, 24, born Lanark.

The following extract from an 1888 trade directory, taken from http://www.glasgowwestaddress.co.uk/1888_Book/Baird_Archibald_&_Son.htm, describes the commercial activities of the firm of Archibald Baird & Son, in which Matthew Barr Baird was the junior partner:

Archibald Baird & Son, Wholesale and Export Ironmongers, manufacturers of Gutta-Percha Furnishings, Crucible Steel Castings, Engineers Tools, etc.— Showrooms: Central Arcade, 105, Hope Street, Glasgow. Warehouse : Peacock Cross, Hamilton. Works: Clyde Steel and Engineering Works, Hamilton, near Glasgow. (Telegraphic Address : “Excello”, Glasgow. Telephone No. 938). (Hamilton telegraphic address: “Baird,” telephone No. 13). Established in the year 1870, the firm of Archibald Baird & Son has now become one of the first of its class in Scotland. Their business is one of an exceedingly comprehensive character, and their trade connection is both large and widespread. The following summary will give our readers some idea of the extensive character of the firm’s operations. They are manufacturers of gutta-percha furnishings, of crucible steel castings, engineers’ tools, and every description of colliery, mining, railway, quarry, and iron works plant; also of Baird’s asbestine fireproof brattice cloth, and Archangel tarred brattice cloth ; machinery of all kinds; and they supply cylinder oils (amber and dark), and machinery and burning oil of every sort; likewise, grease (waggon, hutch, and cart), almond grease for engine slides, and composition for preserving wire ropes. The firm are the sole manufacturers of A. Baird’s patent sight feed lubricator for all classes of engines ; of Baird’s & Pitcairn’s patent hutch or tub greasing machine; of Adam & Baird’s patent self-recording anemometer, for registering the variations of ventilating fans; of Adam and Baird’s patent pumping engine recorder ; of Henry Aitken’s patent boiler scale preventer; of Smith’s patent pit indicator, which ensures the entrance to the shaft being closed while the cage is in motion; and, finally, they are sole makers of Baird’s improved boring ratchets, hammers, needles, stemmers, picks, brushers, sinkers, &c., &c. They are the sole agents in Scotland for the “Protector Lamp and Light Company, Limited”, Eccles, near Manchester (manufacturers of every kind of safety lamp) ; “Hodgson & Stead”, Salford and Manchester (manufacturers of weighing machinery for all commercial purposes) ; and “Rylands Brothers, Limited”, Warrington (manufacturers of all descriptions of mining ropes) ; also, for “The Harrison Mining Machine” ; King & Humble’s “Patent Detaching Hook” ; Parkin & Robinson’s “Patent Climax Grip Pulley” ; and for the patent and improved machinery and appliances for the manufacture of bricks, tiles, and pipes, made by Messrs. John Whitehead & Co., Albert Works, Preston. They likewise keep a very extensive stock of general ironmongery in connection with engineer’s, colliery, mining, railway, and ironwork’s plant. It would fill the space of a good-sized pamphlet to ennumerate all the articles either manufactured or dealt in by Messrs. A. Baird & Son, but we have specified, we think, quite sufficient to indicate the scope and magnitude of their gigantic business. We have, however, made one important omission, which we will supply ; the firm are the sole agents for the collieries and iron works in Scotland, for what is termed the “Lucigen” new method of lighting. It produces a light of great brilliancy and diffusive power at an extremely low cost. In fact, it yields a light of 2,000 candle power actual, at a cost of about three pence per hour, and, consequently, is well adapted for industrial purposes, where work has to be carried on by night in the open air or under cover. The firm’s works are at Hamilton, and are styled “The Clyde Steel and Engineering Works” ; their warehouse is located at Peacock Cross, Hamilton ; and showrooms at the Central Arcade, 105, Hope Street, Glasgow. The manufacture of colliery and iron-works plant, forms a speciality of their business. Their works are on a most extensive scale, and are splendidly equipped, and a very large number of hands are employed on the premises. The warehouse and office staff, too, are considerable. We may state that the firm, in addition to their home trade, do an export business of some magnitude, and in both branches it is steadily increasing. The commercial status of the concern is of the highest order, and the whole business is worked upon the most superior lines, and the firm enjoy the confidence and respect of their clients, both at home and abroad. The co-partnership consists of Messrs. Archibald and M. B. Baird.

The Mining Institute of Scotland, Transactions Volume XI, 1889-1890, published online by the Durham Mining Museum, lists ‘Baird, Archibald, Park Road, Hamilton’ as an Ordinary Member.

At the time of the 1891 census, Archibald Baird was still living in Hopetoun Cottage, premises having six rooms with one or more windows. He was now 65, and a steel manufacturer. Living with him were his wife L. M. (Lilias Murray) Baird, 55, and Janet Watson, unmarried, 19, general domestic servant, born Lanarkshire, Crawford.

Archibald Baird, a steel manufacturer, widower 1^st of Allison Taylor and 2^nd of Lilias Murray Smith, died on 2^nd February 1899 at 2^h 40^m am, at Hopetoun, Park Road, Hamilton. He was entered as 78 years of age. The cause of death was certified as acute bronchitis, from which he had been suffering for four days. The informant was M.B. Baird, the deceased’s son, of Hillside, Hamilton.

The firm of Archibald Baird & Son was incorporated in 1903; see also Grace’s Guide - Who’s Who in Engineering.