Allan Robertson and Son has been based in the Perthshire village of Scone since the founder opted to go it alone in direct opposition to a slater and plasterers’ business being run by his father.

One hundred years later, the fourth generation is at the helm, with the next already on the books with an eye to the future.

Third generation boss Allan (74), now retired, admits he’s proud that son Allan Jnr (52) and daughter Lynn (49) followed in his footsteps, with a fifth generation also playing a role in the business.

“I remember my grandfather showing me how to dress slates at the yard. I must have been four years old and it was probably to keep me occupied,” laughed Allan Snr.

“My dad built up the business again after the war, where he saw service in North Africa and Italy. He had volunteered in 1941 and found himself repairing army vehicles day and night during the campaign.”

Allan recalls his first apprentice’s wage packet containing the equivalent of £1.50 back in 1962 and Lynn has unearthed 1971 paperwork showing tradesmen were averaging 50p an hour, with a 46-hour working week commonplace.

Memorable projects include a main contractor role for a multi-million-pound renovation of Perth’s A-listed St Ninians’ Cathedral and rebuilding walls and preserving historic gravestones in the Fair City’s historic Greyfriars Cemetery.

The firm also carries out maintenance and repairs for various RNLI stations on Scotland’s coastline.

“For many years we have maintained and refurbished properties for the Gannochy Trust charity and various country houses, in addition to all the usual domestic and housing association contracts,” said Allan Jnr.

“We’ve worked for generations of the same families.

“That was brought home to me when we discovered my grandad’s signature from 1926 on a zinc roof ridge in Scone and his uncle Jim’s handiwork was dated 1900.”