Alexander (I) was a cutler and possibly also a gunmaker, a burgess and guild brother in Paisley, about 7 miles from the centre of Glasgow. In 1742 he was recorded as a journeyman with John Hyndman. He married Mary Telpher on 15 September 1773.
His son, Alexander (II), was born in 1791 in Paisley, and almost certainly worked for his father. He appears to have married in about 1814, and was later recorded living in Paisley with his wife (known only as W Martin, born in 1796), their elder son, Allen (b.1815) who does not appear to have entered into the gun trade, Alexander (III) (b.1816), and Elizabeth (b.1826).
Alexander (II) and Alexander (III) became hammermen, burgesses and guild brothers on 22 July 1835, aged 35 and 19 respectively, this must have been almost immediately after Alexander (I) died. They were admitted to the Incorporation on 28 August that year and both their "essays" were gun main springs.
It appears that Alexander (II) established his business in 1835 at 153 Trongate, Glasgow. He and Alexander (III) traded as gunmakers, fishing rod and tackle manufacturers. It also appears that they left Glasgow to return to Paisley in 1837. Alexander (II) was recorded in the 1841 census living at 28 Oakshaw Road, Paisley, but he was not recorded in any census after that date. Alexander (III) returned to Glasgow in 1837 to establish the famous firm Alexander Martin gunmaking firm at 179 Argyll Street. In 1842 he moved to 181 Argyll Street, and in 1844 to 18 Exchange Square. In 1848 the firm took additional premises next door at 20 Exchange Square (later re-named Royal Exchange Square).
In the 1851 census Alexander (III) lived at 96 North Hanover Street, Glasgow with his wife Isabella (b.1826 in Glasgow), no children were recorded.
In 1852 the firm's address was given as 20 Exchange Square, but they may also have occupied number 18.
In 1854 Alexander Martin described himself as a gunmaker and cast steel rifle barrel manufacturer.
In 1856 the firm moved to 28 Exchange Square, and in 1861 to 22 Exchange Square.
In the 1861 census Alexander was recorded living at 3 Rose Street, a gunmaker employing 5 men and one boy. Nobody else was living in the house.
In 1862 the firm was recorded at 20 Royal Exchange Square.
In 1863 he described himself as a gun and rifle maker.
Between 1886 and 1890 the firm's address was given as 22 Royal Exchange Square, but it would seem that they continued to occupy 20 Royal Exchange Square. Their address in about 1893 was 20 Royal Exchange Square.
In about 1897 the firm described themselves as gun makers and makers of pistols, sportsmen's implements, fishing rods and tackle, they were also taxidermists. it was in about 1897 that a branch was established at 128 Union Street, Aberdeen.
In about 1901 the firm's address in Glasgow was 20 & 22 Royal Exchange Square.
In 1902 the firm amalgamated with Alexander Henry & Co of 18 Frederick Street, Edinburgh; both firms continued trading under their own names from the same shops with the exception of the Edinburgh shop which moved to 22 Frederick Street and traded under both names.
In about 1934 a branch was opened under the name of Alex Martin at 2 Friars Street, Stirling, and in about 1938 their Aberdeen shop moved to 25 Bridge Street.
It is unlikely that the firm made any guns themselves after 1939, during the 1950s and early 1960s most of their guns were made by A A Brown & Sons of Birmingham.
In about 1950 the company were armourers to the Scottish Rifle Association and a small shop was opened at Bisley in Surrey, possibly in the Scottish Rifle Association's clubhouse. It was in about 1950 that the Stirling shop and the Edinburgh shop closed.
The firm was latterly run by Sandy Martin, but in 1965 it was sold to John Dickson & Son Ltd.
In 1971 John Dickson moved the Aberdeen shop to 35 Belmont Street where it continued to trade as Alexander Martin until it closed in 1985. The Glasgow shop closed in 1988.
The firm made its name through success at target shooting. They made Lee-Metford and Lee-Enfield target rifles, breech-loading .256 calibre match rifles, and target rifle sights. The firm's trade mark was a thistle surrounded by two leaves.
They developed a lightweight "ribless" shotgun (three short sections of rib at the muzzle, centre and breech) but because of increased recoil due to the light weight, it did not prove popular.
Information is available from John Dickson & Son Ltd at 21 Frederick Street, Edinburgh EH2 2NE;
http://www.john-dickson.com/Pete
