G. & J.Maclachlan Ltd Ceramic Jug

G. & J.Maclachlan Ltd ceramic jug dating from around 1913.

George and John Maclachlan

Brothers George and John Maclachlan, who had independently established their own wine and spirits businesses in Glasgow during the 1870s, formed the partnership of G. & J.Maclachlan in 1888.
Just before the formation of the partnership George had purchased J & J McCulloch wine and spirit merchants and whisky blenders on Argyle Street in Glasgow in 1886.
McCulloch's 'Iona' and 'Castle' whisky brands were well renowned, and the rights to these brand names and the trade mark of the Company, a Castle, were inhertited in the purchase, as was its motto 'Fortis et Fidus'. The castle and motto were used by Maclachlans after the acquisition.
The two quickly expanded their business interests becoming brewers, distillers, maltsters, blenders, bottlers, and restaurateurs.
They were also owners of an estate of tied houses.

The Two Castle Breweries - Glasgow & Edinburgh

The Maclachlan partnership purchased premises on Wyndford Street in Maryhill, Glasgow in 1889. Here they built their Castle Brewery which commenced brewing in 1891.
Meanwhile, their spirits business continued to expand, and it acquired James Lipsey & Co. of Belfast in 1896.
By this time the Maryhill Brewery was unable to keep pace with demand and lacked room for expansion.
The decision was taken to build a substantial new brewery at Craigmillar in Edinburgh which had the advantages of fine brewing water and a good railway network.
The new brewery was also named the Castle Brewery and it opened in 1901.
The Maryhill Brewery continued to operate until 1907 when it was acquired by T Thompson & Co., wine and spirit merchants, then in 1910 by Finlay, McDermid & Co., aerated water manufacturers and bottlers.

20th Century Trading

By the time John died in 1903 brothers were very wealthy men.
John's interest in the business was bought by George who purchased Auchentoshan Lowland Malt Whisky Distillery of Duntocher in the same year.
Maclachlans' excellent reputation for its beers and whiskys extended as far as South Africa, India and Australia.
The Company opened offices in London where George's son, Norman Maclachlan, was placed in charge.
In 1907 the Company was registered as G. & J.Maclachlan Ltd.
The firm went into voluntary liquidation in 1923 and was re-formed as Maclachlans Ltd.
During the Second World War the firm's Auchentoshan Distillery was badly damaged by bombing in 1941, and it was well after the end of the war before it could be re-built. This caused financial difficulties for the business.
In 1947 Maclachlan's became a public company.
About the same time, the Company purchased the former Home Brewery of Dalrymple & Co. in Parkhead in Glasgow, which was owned by Gordon & Blair Ltd of Edinburgh. Here it installed a new bottling plant.
Post-war trading was difficult for Maclachlans and the geographical separation of the brewing and bottling operations caused problems when transport and distribution costs rose. There was no bottling line at the Craigmillar Brewery in Edinburgh, and much of the Company's trade was in the West. Trade in the North East of England had totally fallen away by this time.

J.& R.Tennent Ltd Takeover

The Company continued to brew at the Castle Brewery in Edinburgh until 1960 when it was acquired by J.& R.Tennent Ltd of Glasgow.
J.& R.Tennent Ltd was acquired by Charrington United Breweries Ltd in 1963.
The Castle Brewery was kept open while Tennent's Wellpark Brewery was reconstructed in 1965.
Brewing ceased at the Castle Brewery in Edinburgh in 1966.
The maltings and the cooperage continued to operate for a short time and the name of the Company was changed to Kenneth Mackenzie (Wines) Ltd in 1967.
The whole brewery was closed before 1970, and lay empty until it was demolished in 1975.
The Maclachlans' brand name was briefly restored in the 2000s by Tennent Caledonian Ltd.

The manufacturer's mark states - Hancock & Corfield Ltd Mitcham London