Scottish Brewing Archive

• Revised by Wiebke Redlich, Archive Assistant (Hub), 4 February 2002
• 8 June 2005 Catalogue record converted to EAD2002, May 2005.

Administrative/Biographical History

William Murray, brewer and farmer, established the business at Ednam, near Kelso, Scotland, in 1880. The brewery was destroyed by fire and William Murray moved to Craigmillar, Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1886 and established the Craigmillar Brewery. William Murray & Co Ltd was registered in December 1897 as a limited liability company to acquire the business at a purchase price of GBP 75,000.

The company took over John Somerville & Co Ltd, North British Brewery, Duddingston, Edinburgh (est. 1897), in 1922; John & George Brown, Macduff Brewery, East Wemyss, Scotland, (est. 1850s) and 8 tied houses in 1926; William Halley Brown, Craigie Brewery, Lyon Street, Dundee, Scotland, in 1943; and John Wallace & Co, Aberdeen, Grampian, whisky blenders and wine and spirit merchants, in about 1946. Brewing ceased at Craigmillar Brewery in 1950, continuing at the North British Brewery.

The company was acquired in May 1960 by Northern Breweries of Great Britain Ltd, later United Breweries Ltd, York and London, England, which merged with Charrington and Co Ltd, London, in 1962 through a holding company, Charrington United Breweries Ltd. It continued to brew until May 1962 when brewing was transferred to Aitchison Jeffrey Ltd, Heriot Brewery, Roseburn Terrace, Edinburgh, Scotland. Bottling and malting continued at the North British Brewery until 1964.

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

• Memorandum and articles of association, 1897, 1930 and 1948
• Minutes of managing body, 1960–1962
• Records relating to directors’ meetings, 1960
• Minutes of members’ meetings, 1961–1965
• Records relating to members’ meetings, 1946–1967
• Directors report and accounts, 1957–1969
• Shareholding records, 1897–1971
• Financial records, 1898–1962
• Production records, 1947–1960
• Sales records, 1944–1947
• Pensions and life assurance, 1947
• Licensed premises records, 1935–1965
• Property records, 1953–1960
• Promotional material, undated
• Photographs, 1931–1970s

Fonds-Level Description Compilation Details