Menzies, Andrew

Andrew Menzies was born in Balornock on 24 November 1822. He started out in the woollen warehouse of Messrs. George Smith & Sons. Next, he worked for John Guild as a warehouseman and commission agent. In 1846, he formed a partnership with Thomas Mitchell, a carriage hirer and funeral undertaker. The partners opened a "city omnibus" route in 1848 under the trading name of Mitchell & Menzies. It was not the first route in Glasgow, which started in 1845, but it was the most successful. Mitchell retired around 1850. The enterprise grew to 42 horse-drawn buses in 1875 on four routes, charging 2 pence for most rides. The popular inner city ride was 1 penny. In 1869, parliament approved the Glasgow Street Tramways Act, which empowered the city to start a tramway network. As a consequence, the Glasgow Tramway & Omnibus Company was formed in 1871, starting operations in 1872. It bought Menzies' stables, horses and buses. Menzies was its first director, but he resigned shortly before his death on 19 April 1873.

There is a photograph of an Andrew Menzies omnibus in the distinctive Menzies tartan

Menzies, Andrew
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	MEN.002a
	Value	2d
	Add Desc.	Funeral Undertaker Coach Proprietor : City Omnibus Fare Glasgow May 1859
	Size (mm)	28x18
	Manufacture	Oval Copper
	Notes
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	MEN.002b
	Value	2d
	Add Desc.	10 Argyle St & 110 London St : City Omnibus
	Size (mm)	28x18
	Manufacture	Oval Copper
	Notes
File:MEN.002c.jpg
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	MEN.002c
	Value	2d
	Add Desc.	10 Argyle St & 110 London St : City Omnibus
	Size (mm)	28x18
	Manufacture	Oval Copper
	Notes	as 2b but stamped "P" to denote one penny fare
	Source	(Smith)
	Filename	MEN.0025
	Value	2½d
	Add Desc.	Funeral Undertaker and Jobsmaster : City Omnibus Fare Glasgow 1856
	Size (mm)	25x19
	Manufacture	Oblong Copper
	Notes	Picture thanks to ebay seller "Cobwrightfortishe"