On 16th May 1881, Birkmyre and Somerville, joint partners in the newly established Lanark Spinning Company, paid £20,000 for the mills. Henry Birkmyre of the Gourock Ropework Company (GRC), and his descendants, appreciated and respected the principles that made the village so special. What the Birkmyres did do however, was diversify production, modernise the mills and, eventually, usher in a programme of housing improvements. The GRC had an established reputation for the manufacture of rope and sailcloth and Birkmyre himself held shares in several fishing companies in the north-east of England.