Chivas Brothers
of Aberdeen
Brothers James Chivas (b.1810) and John Chivas (b.1814) were two of fourteen children born to Robert and Christian Chivas, living on a remote Strathythan farm in the Ellon Parish of Aberdeenshire.
In 1836, aged 26 and 22 years, James and John left in search of better prospects in Aberdeen, 30 kilometres (20 miles) away.
1828 James joined William Edwards, who in 1828 had bought a grocery, luxury goods, wines and liquor emporium from the family members of John Forrest. Forrest had opened his store in 1801, but died in 1828.
1838 James became a partner in 1838. John began working at a wholesale footwear and apparel firm, DL Shirres and Co. This firm would be awarded distribution rights of Chivas Bros from 1860 to 1886, from around John Chivas' entry until James Chivas' death and again later.
Edwards died in 1841, and Charles Stewart took over.
1843 Stewart and Chivas was granted a Royal Warrant to supply goods to Queen Victoria. In 1850, Stewart and Chivas was appointed Royal Grocer to the queen's mother, the Duchess of Kent, and many other Royal Warrants followed over the years.
1857 Stewart left making way for John and the company could now be named Chivas Brothers.
In 1863, they launched a proprietary blended Scotch whisky, a smoothly crafted blend of 10-year-old malt and grain whiskies, Royal Strathythan
1936 Chivas Brother Limited, of 13 King Street, Aberdeen, was registered as a private company, with capital of £10,000, to carry on the business of wholesale and retail grocers, wine and spirit merchants.[1]
1949 The company was bought by the Canadian Seagram Co.
See Also
Sources of Information
- ↑ The Scotsman 8 August 1936