A brief history
Isaac Merritt Singer and Edward Clark founded I. M. Singer & Co in the United States in 1851. Singer became one of the world’s first truly global brands, helped by instalment payments that let households buy machines over time.
Made in Scotland: Clydebank
Singer built a huge factory at Kilbowie, Clydebank, near Glasgow, in the 1880s. It became one of the largest sewing machine factories in the world and ran until 1980. The local railway station is still called Singer. That is why so many British homes still have a Clydebank-built Singer.
Vintage Singers worth keeping
Older all-metal Singers, hand-crank, treadle and early electric models, are durable and repairable. Many sew straight stitch beautifully through heavy fabrics. Check the serial number to date your machine, and look for missing parts such as the bobbin case or shuttle before buying.
Modern Singer machines
Today’s Singer range covers mechanical beginner machines, computerised models and heavy-duty machines. As with any brand, check the build, the buttonhole and parts availability for the specific model.
Parts and servicing for Singer machines
Singer machines are among the makes PK Sewing Machines lists on its website. PKSM services and repairs domestic and industrial machines in Leicester and stocks needles, bobbins, feet and other parts. Send the model number to check a part before you buy. Leicester’s hosiery heritage means the city has deep machinery know-how.
Last updated: 14 October 2026
