ðə kˈʌmpəni wʌz fˈaʊndᵻd baɪ tˈuː skˈɑːɾɪʃ bɹˈʌðɚz, ɹˈɪtʃɚd kˈælɑːɹd ænd dʒˈɑːn bˈaʊzɚ, ɪn wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɛvənhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti nˈaɪn ɪn mˈɛɹɪhˌɪl, ɡlˈæzɡoʊ dˈʊɹɹɪŋ ðə skˈɑːɾɪʃ ɛnlˈaɪʔn̩mənt pˈiəɹɪəd.
The company was founded by two Scottish brothers, Richard Callard and John Bowser, in 1779 in Maryhill, Glasgow during the Scottish Enlightenment period.