A royal loss (Glenury Royal)
In the latest in our series Gavin D.Smithtracks down the story behind Glenury Royal
Glenury Royal distillery can claim a number of notable distinctions. For example, it is one of only three Scottish distilleries – along with Lochnagar and Brackla – ever to be granted permission to use the ‘royal’prefix or suffix. Surely, it is also the only distillery to have been constructed by aMember of Parliament who claimed a long-distance walking record, but more of that later.
Glenury was built just outside the east coast port of Stonehaven, 15 miles south of Aberdeen, in 1825, and was one of many Scottish distilleries to be established in the heady years following the liberalising Excise Act of 1823. Indeed,Glenury’s founder, the local landowner and MP Captain Robert Barclay Allardice, invariably known as ‘Captain Barclay,’was remarkably quick to see the potential of the situation.
Glenurie, as it was initially known,operated in the name of Barclay,McDonald & Co,and commenced distilling in April 1825.However, spirit was produced for only a short time before fire destroyed much of the distillery’s malting facilities.Matters went from bad to worse, when a fortnight later, a distillery employee suffered fatal injuries.
As the Aberdeen Journal reported (May 11th 1825):“On Saturday last,about one o’clock, Andrew Clark, one of the workmen employed at Glenury Distillery, being sent to examine the state of the great boiler,by some unfortunate accident fell backwards into it and was so dreadfully burned, that he died in extreme agony at 7 o’clock in t.....
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By Gavin D. Smith
Section : Lost distilleries
Page number : 30
