Scottish Brewing Archive

• Revised by Wiebke Redlich, Archive Assistant (Hub), 12 March 2002
• 8 June 2005 Catalogue record converted to EAD2002, May 2005

Administrative/Biographical History

George and John Maclachlan, brothers from Strathallan, Scotland, entered separately into the Glasgow wine and spirit trade in 1871 and 1876 respectively. George Maclachlan acquired A & J McCulloch, Argyle Street, Glasgow, Scotland, wine and spirit merchants and whisky blenders, in 1886. The 2 brothers entered into partnership in 1889 and built the Castle Brewery at Wyndford Street, Maryhill, Glasgow. The firm acquired James Lipsey & Co, Belfast, Northern Ireland, Irish whiskey distillers, in 1896.

The Castle Brewery had a capacity of over 30,000 barrels per annum but this was not large enough to keep up with demand and so a new Castle Brewery was built in Craigmillar, Edinburgh, Scotland. The brewery opened in 1901 and had a capacity of over 104,000 barrels per annum. John Maclachlan died in 1903 and his interest was acquired by his brother, who purchased Auchentoshan Lowland Malt Whisky Distillery, near Duntocher, Scotland, in the same year.

G & J Maclachlan Ltd was registered in 1907 as a limited liability company to acquire the business of the same name and the Castle Brewery in Glasgow was closed. A large export trade, largely to South Africa and India, was established.

The company went into voluntary liquidation in 1923 and its business interests were transferred to a new concern, Maclachlans Ltd, which was converted into a public company in 1947.

It operated a wholesale branch at Greenock, Scotland, trading as Blanche & Co, and owned a bonded warehouse, known as Central Bonding Co, in Invernairn Street, Parkhead, Glasgow, and branch offices in South Shields, England, and Eastcheap, London, England. The company acquired David Ross & Sons Ltd, Glasgow, wine and spirit merchants, in 1952. It was itself acquired by J & R Tennent Ltd, Glasgow, in 1960 and brewing ceased at the Castle Brewery in 1966. The company’s name changed to Kenneth MacKenzie (Wines) Ltd in 1967.

Source:
Richmond, Lesley and Turton, Alison (eds), The Brewing Industry. A Guide to Historical Records, (Manchester and New York: Manchester University Press, 1990).

Scope and Content

• Memoranda and articles of association, 1912–1967
• Change of name certificate, 1967
• Minutes of directors, 1950–1965
• Minutes and records of members’ meetings, 1907–1966
• Directors’ annual reports, 1949–1970
• Committee minutes, 1949–1963
• Shareholding records, 1907–1971
• Annual returns, 1961–1971; accounts, 1954–1964
• Tax and excise records, c.1936–1962
• Trademark records, 1916–1949
• Sales records, 1960–1964
• Staff records, 1949–1965
• Records of licensed premises, 1962–1965
• Property inventories and valuations, 1962
• Promotional material, 1898–1964
• Family papers, 1901
• Photographs, c.1930–1995
• Historical notes, 1895–1996

Fonds–Level Description Compilation Details