Andrew was a unique talent to have around
A link with Paisley’s seafaring past was being kept alive and well amid the glossy world of financial wizards and high-flying experts.
Naval architect Andrew Cumming had just moved into the Abbey Mill Business Centre – former home of another of the town’s great industries – after a varied career of more than 40 years in ship, aircraft and electric train design, we reported in December 1987.
Mr Cumming, 59, began work as an apprentice with Fleming and Ferguson in 1945 when the firm switched to supplying frigates for the Navy to hospital ships for bringing home wounded troops.
A Renfrewshire man, Mr Cumming was born in Barskiven and studied naval architecture at Paisley College.
He later moved to Milne Brothers, whose boat yard nestled close to the Cart.
But it was while working for Renfrew firm Hugh McLean, near the Renfrew Ferry, he achieved his greatest success, the first purse seine net fishing boat in the UK.
This was to revolutionise the fishing industry as the purse seine netter could lay and haul in a net as large as Hampden Park.
Mr Cumming also designed planes such as the Blackburn Beverley Transport and the Buccaneer while working for Blackburn and General Aircraft Company.
Now he had established Andrew Cumming Design Associates.