Smiths (later W & A Smiths) were the leading manufacturer of Mauchline Ware. Their Boxware Factory was located in Mauchline Ayrshire, West Scotland. Founded by Andrew Smith circa on 1831 who began by making snuff boxes. These boxes had a secret hinge called ‘The Cumnock Hinge’, and this type of box work had ‘Migrated’ to Mauchline from Cumnock where over one hundred and ten men and women were employed. The company suffered from two internal fires one in 1869 and a second in the late 1880s both times the firm rebuilt and introduced new machinery. This type of factory was prone to fires due to the inflammable nature of materials and the constant heat in the drying sections of the factory.