New biographical entries for:

• James Edward Bain
• James Darrough
• David Yates

David Sands (1814 - 1881)

David Sands was born in 1814 in Kinross, Kinross where he was baptised on 12 Jun 1814. He was the eldest child and first son of Isabel Hardie and John Sands. David worked for his uncle Joseph Hardie from an early age, where he trained as a grocer and in associated trades. Joseph retired in 1844 and David took over the store from him. He was 30 at the time.

He married Margaret Watt Smith of Haddington on 3 June 1850 at Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland. Margaret was the only known daughter of Margaret Smith.

David relied upon his uncle John Hardie of Thornhill for business advice, in fact there is significant correspondance between the family and John Hardie available in the Hardie Memorabilia at the Historic New Orleans Collection.

David continued to run the business which prospered until his death on 11 September 1881. The business continues to be run by descendants of David Sands, now by his great-grandson, D. Lindsey Sands

David Sands Ltd
and upon Davids death in 1881, three of his sons took over, John, David & Joseph Hardie. The brothers did not get on and David Sands briefly emigrated to Brazil before returning to the family business in Kinross at the beginning of the twentieth century to take over the grocery part of the business.

His son Davee Sands took over the business in the late 1920’s. During the twentieth century the store in Kinross has been transformed on numerous occasions. In the 1960’s the store was converted to self service and a car park was added in 1966, a major innovation in those days. An additional outlet in Glenfarg was acquired along with several travelling shops.

By the time Davee’s son David Lindsay took over the business in 1966, retailing was changing rapidly. The store in Glenfarg along with the travelling shops were sold off. The store in Kinross was extended and fully modernised, pioneering late opening and seven day trading. By the late 1980’s the Kinross store was one of the busiest independent stores in Scotland, but the multiple store operators were always looking for new sites.

Presto announced their intention to open a 10,000 sq ft superstore in Kinross, only 300 metres from the David Sands store, which eventually opened in October 1992. In 1989 Lindsay’s son David joined the business from Sainsbury’s and a second outlet in Methilhill was acquired in 1989. The advantages and lessons learned from operating a small store became apparent and over the past eleven years the company acquired an additional thirteen stores and opened a new central warehouse and head office in Milnathort. David Sands Ltd is now recognised as being at the forefront of convenience retailing in Scotland and has ambitious expansion plans.