´óÏó´«Ã½

Brothers Robert and James Dick discovered that the gummy substance termed gutta-percha, derived from an equatorial tree, could produce an inexpensive commercial substitute for the leather soles of footwear and could sell a pair of shoes for 5 shillings. This is where the term 'Guttys' has its origin. Guttys were any type of rubber soled shoes, although in todays terms we think of Guttys as being a pair of trainers or soft soled shoe. For thirty-five years they enjoyed unalloyed prosperity and created a new industry for Scotland. The record week of sales was 34,000 pairs, and the average sales were never lower than 20,000 pairs a week. In 1923, shoe production was discontinued and the company concentrated on producing industrial power transmission and conveying drive belts. These belts were made from balata, the heir to gutta-percha. They had bought a disused mill at the top of Glasgow Green; It was named, quite obviously, Greenhead Works. James purchased and presented 'Cathkin Braes' to the Corporation of Glasgow with the condition that this beauty spot should be preserved in its natural state as a public park. Property of Robert Pool