From we learn that: James Finlay (d. 1790) began his career in Glasgow in the family textile business selling cotton goods. He moved into embroidered muslins and also manufacture. His son KIrkman (d.1842) expanded the company taking over 3 mills in Scotland and selling the produce to Europe, the Americas and India. Initially the cotton came from the Americas but with the civil war there Finlays began acquiring their cotton from India. Their tea business started in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and expanded into Africa. 2000 taken over by the Swire Group (see the Swire war memorials).
A small office was opened in London in 1871 but the head office did not move from Glasgow to London until 2007.
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