Mr Kennedy's place of business in Portland Street was well known to visitors to Kilmarnock, and the “Albert Arms” and the “Gold Gun” were never-failing objects of attraction. The rifles of his manufacture were held in high estimation both in this country and in India, where a ready market was found for them and high prices obtained. Not content with his success as a gun manufacturer, he devoted his attention to the construction of a water meter of perfect accuracy. In association with his partner in the venture, Mr John Cameron, another local watchmaker, he was completely successful, and the patented mechanism Kennedy's Water Meter, was used largely in this country, on the Continent and in America. Thomas Kennedy died in 1874.
Kennedy Patent Water Meter Co Ltd was formed in 1863 and marketed the water meter patented by Thomas Kennedy and in 1865 the
Glenfield Co Ltd was formed to supply castings and undertake general foundry work. The two companies shared a site in Kilmarnock at the derelict printworks from which Glenfield took its name. In 1899 the two companies merged to form Glenfield & Kennedy Ltd. The major growth period was between 1871 and 1904, under the direction of Thomas Kennedy (nephew of Thomas Kennedy, senior). ‘The Glen' became an important hydraulic engineering concern in Britain, with substantial export orders to most parts of the world.
