🥃 Down The Rabbit Hole: Part 1 - J&A Davidson
- Jun 21
- 3 min read
What began as research for this week’s email soon became a trip down the rabbit hole. The deeper I went, the more whisky history and unexpected connections I uncovered. So, this is the first of a three-part series exploring where the research led.
Our starting point - for this week - is Coldstream, perched right on the Scottish - English border. When a certain distillery founder (more on him in part three) got in touch, I took the short drive from home to have a wee nosey - and here’s what I found:
Now, I do love a good ghost sign. In Edinburgh, folk even run walking tours devoted to spotting them and uncovering the stories behind each faded name. But this one stands out - freshly restored, proudly repainted, looking almost new.
And so naturally, the question is, who were these guys?
The Davidsons in question were brothers John and Andrew. John was born in 1792 and Andrew, 1806. And as the sign proclaims, they established their business in 1820.
They began as licensed grocers here on Duke Street in Coldstream but soon expanded into a thriving wine and spirit merchant. Alongside their Duke Street shop, they also had duty paid warehouses on what’s now Leet Street, reportedly able to house up to 10,000 gallons (about 45,500 litres) of whisky and other spirits. One source also suggested that they had a bonded warehouse in Leith too - all whisky paths and all that - but I’ve yet to pin down the exact location.
Both brothers died in the 1840s: Andrew in 1844 and his older brother, John, just three years later. Andrew didn’t have any children but John had seven, only four of whom survived into adulthood: sons James, George and Andrew together with his daughter, Agnes.
And so, after John Davidson’s death in 1847, his three sons took over the business.
Under the next generation, J&A Davidson expanded beyond whisky and wine. They began selling - and brewing - beer. Because in the early 1860s - sorry, I haven’t been able to find out the exact year - the firm of J&A Davidson acquired Coldstream Brewery.
Having been founded in the 1790s, little remains of the brewery today, unfortunately.
And although the brewery wasn’t huge, it still played an important role. According to Ian Donnachie in his A History of the Brewing Industry in Scotland,
“
There were also small breweries in Ednam, Kelso and Coldstream. In this prosperous farming district with its compact market towns, country custom would always be important...”
He adds later that breweries such as Coldstream would have supplied mining and farming areas over the border in Northumberland too.
None of the brothers ever married. And so, when they died - James in 1858, aged 31; George in 1861, also aged 31; Andrew in 1880, aged 45 - there were no apparent heirs to take over the business.
Except one: their sister, Agnes.
Now, Agnes had married George Black in 1860 so it’s quite unusual that the business passed to her rather than to her husband. But after she took over the reins in the 1880s, the firm - still known as J&A Davidson - went from strength to strength, expanding its exports and reputation.
Agnes popped her clogs in 1912 and a board of trustees ran the business for about a year before a new partnership was formed between (the Honourable) Bernard Constable Maxwell and William Robert Robertson. Despite neither of them bearing the Davidson name, they kept it. Such was the reputation of the business.
Three years later, in 1916, the new partnership became fully-fledged distillers with the acquisition of Auchinblae Distillery. But more on that in tomorrow’s email exclusively for paid subscribers.
In 1918, the firm became a limited company. But just four years later, in 1922, the firm of J&A Davidson (Coldstream) Ltd went into voluntary liquidation. Although no specific reasons were given, as mentioned in previous emails, the post-war period was a tricky one for the Scotch whisky industry and J&A Davidson undoubtedly struggled to keep afloat in such choppy waters.
Between buying a distillery and becoming a limited company, the firm had acquired the business of W.B Thomson - a name that might not ring a bell. But trust me, it leads somewhere fascinating.
And that’s where we’ll pick up next week for part two.
Slàinte! Justine