Our History
1899: Victorian beginnings
Henry J. Bell began practicing on 13th November 1899 at 18 Charlotte Street, Perth. The notification letter (pictured) outlines the nature of work that Bell would willingly undertake, ranging from preparing Estate Plans to Civil Engineering work. The notice clearly illustrates his marketing style. It further indicates the style of writing at the time with the finishing phrase, ‘Your Obedient Servant’.
1934: Cecil W. Ingram
Cecil W. Ingram founded his Surveyors practice at 90 Princes Street, Edinburgh. In 1934, having previously been a partner in that office with Knight, Frank Rutley. In 1951 the firm became C.W Ingram and Sons when his sons Paul and John joined the practice as Partners. The practice specialised in the sale, purchase and valuation of landed estates, farms, hotels and country houses, latterly moving to 7 Walker Street in the capital in 1964.
1962: Durn
H.J Bell & Co moved from 18 Charlotte Street to Durn in 1962. This magnificent riverside mansion was originally built for Surgeon Major Frederick Robert Wilson around 1880, and during its long history also housed the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve and the Inland Revenue.
1971: The Merger
Announced in the press as ‘Two Major Scots Firms to Merge,’ the merger between H.J Bell & Co, and C.W Ingram & Co Estate Agents in Edinburgh occurred on 31st March 1971. In a handwritten letter to John Darling Jnr, then Bell Ingram Chairman, following their merger discussions, John Ingram points out their willingness for the merger to be formed and starts planning the strategic ‘plan of attack’ for the publicity campaign and how best to tackle the forthcoming property season of Spring 1971.
2024: Bell Ingram Today
Today, Bell Ingram operates 10 offices across the UK, in Perth, Aberdeen, Forfar, Ayr, Oban, Beauly, Morpeth, Kendal, Thirsk and Northwich. The firm has also diversified its portfolio of services, particularly with the launch of Bell Ingram Pipelines in 1985, which provides land agency services for utility providers such as oil, gas, water and telecommunications. Our teams now include accounts professionals, architects, farm managers, foresters and estate agents across the UK.
