1794-1874: William I
The first William Waugh was born in 1794 in Penicuik. His occupation was that of a papermaker living and working in Cramond, at Dowie’s Mill, one of several mills in the area. In 1858, the first family business—Wm Waugh & Son, China Merchants—is documented at 95 The Pleasance.
1874-1881: John I, Janet & Thomas
The first William dies in 1874 and his son, John, expands into rag merchanting, initially situated in an iconic Edinburgh building at the top of the Royal Mile at 2 West Bow. When he diversified into iron and steel merchanting in the Canongate, his sister Janet & husband Thomas sword, continued the rag arm of business.
1881–1893: William II and Jane
John and his son William (the second) trade as metal dealers. William marries Jane Laing and, after John’s death, William and Jane run the business together at South Back Canongate. Unfortunately, this partnership was not to last, as William died at the young age of 36 in 1893.
1893–1939: Jane
Widowed with three children, Jane inherits 60 tonnes of steel, two horses and carts, and a business to run. She declines an offer from E Chalmers & Co and continues alone, relocating to Dumbiedykes with her son John joining her as manager. A formidable figure, Jane retires at 67, with John and brother Hector continuing the business.
1930s–1956: John II
During WWII, John keeps the company going, supporting the war effort as steel from homes is repurposed for munitions—evidence of this still marks Edinburgh. In 1948, he incorporates the business. Respected and well-liked, he’s honoured by the Scottish Scrap Iron, Steel, and Metals Association for 50 years of service and builds strong relationships that help the company thrive under his spirited leadership.
1960s–David I
John’s son David joined the business after failing his CA exams, while his brothers Geoffrey and Hector took other paths. When John died in 1956, David ran the company alone but faced setbacks, including a serious car accident. The business declined until his nephew, also David, stepped in. David I passed away in 1970, leaving the firm to David II.
Late 1960s - David John Waugh
David John Waugh trained at E Chalmers—the same firm that once tried to buy the business from Jane. When he joined the family business, “the premises were a bit of a ramshackle, the machinery old-fashioned, and though the horses had gone, the tackle still hung in a shed.” There were lessons and changes ahead, but he was just the person to lead the company forward. Married to Nancy, he had two sons: Paul, who became a pilot, and Alan, who now runs the company.
1970s - 1984 - David John Waugh
He negotiated the lease of the company’s current premises and, through the 1970s, business was good, and expansion was on the horizon. He began to mechanise, moved into skip hire, completed the company’s first export from Leith Docks, and in 1975, agreed to a merger.
1980s-2009: David and Alan
David’s son, Alan, joins the company in 1984, working his way through every role to gain experience and skill.
In the late 1980s, the steel market declined, losses mounted, and a receiver was called in. The Waugh side survived, eventually forming William Waugh (Edinburgh) Ltd. David regained full ownership, starting a new chapter. Over the next two decades, he and son Alan modernised the business with strong values and recycling processes that still define it today.
2009 onwards - Alan
In 2009, Alan became Managing Director. In his father’s words: “Your natural acumen with plant and machinery, and transport, has transformed the company over the past 20 years, and now we have a business that we can be proud of.”
5th November 2014
David passed away, leaving behind a remarkable legacy and an irreplaceable absence in the family. Before his death, he had traced the family’s story to this point and found that many ancestors were buried in Cramond Kirkyard. Fittingly, having moved there a decade earlier, he now rests among the generations he so carefully rediscovered.
2014-2020
Much of what we know about our history, we owe to David. Without his insight and research, we wouldn’t have half the story we are able to share today. But of course, he doesn’t know what happened next…
Over the last decade, our story has continued to evolve. Alan’s son - David’s grandson - joined the company in 2018, making him the seventh generation in the business.
Today
Today, the company is run by Alan, his wife Louise, David Pritchard and Simon Young. David, a lifelong friend of Alan’s, was hired by his father in the 1990s; and Simon, whose own father also worked here until retirement, making him the second generation of his own family to work at William Waugh.
As we look ahead, we’re proud to carry forward the legacy that generations before us helped to build. Each new chapter adds to the story of William Waugh. One thing is for sure: we would be nothing without the people who came before us, those who have stayed to shape who we are, and - of course - scrap metal.
