John Primrose (brewer) facts for kids
John Primrose (born around 1803 – died 28 November 1876) was a Scottish person who made alcoholic drinks. He was a distiller and a brewer. He had a very important career in the early days of the colony of South Australia. He started the Union Brewery, which was also known as Primrose's Brewery. This brewery was located on Rundle Street in Adelaide. It was the first successful brewery in the new colony.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
John Primrose was born in Scotland, near a place called Alloa. His father was also a distiller, someone who makes strong alcoholic drinks. John was said to be connected to a noble family, the Earl of Rosebery.
He went to school at the High School in Edinburgh. After school, he joined his father's business. There, he learned a lot about brewing beer and distilling spirits. He gained good practical and scientific knowledge.
Later, he managed distilleries for other companies in Ireland. He worked for Messrs. Shea in Belfast and then for Beamish in Cork. After several years, he decided to start his own brewery. He set it up on the Isle of Man.
John Primrose then became interested in Australia. He thought about managing a large distillery in Sydney. However, he arrived in Adelaide in August 1839 on a ship called Ariadne. He liked Adelaide so much that he decided to stay there.
Starting Businesses in Adelaide
Soon after arriving in Adelaide, John Primrose started a distillery. He worked with a partner named John Richmond. They ran the distillery for about two years. However, they stopped because the government started charging high taxes. The government wanted the same tax on spirits made in the colony as on those brought in from other countries.
Primrose then decided to focus on brewing beer. In 1841, he and Richmond took over the Union Brewery. This brewery was first started in 1838 by Daniel Cudmore. It was located on Rundle Street in Adelaide, at the corner of James Place.
People often called the brewery "Primrose's Brewery." This name was even used in a newspaper article in 1861.
John Primrose managed the brewery until November 1875. Then, he handed over the business to his nephew, William Ross Sawers, and his son-in-law, Arthur Rait Malcom. They were able to use the basement of the Academy of Music on Rundle Street for storing beer.
John Richmond sold his share of the brewery to Primrose at some point. The brewery continued to operate into the 1890s.
Later Life and Family
John Primrose passed away on 28 November 1876. He was buried in the West Terrace Cemetery in Adelaide.
He married Elizabeth Paton Reid on 10 April 1845. She passed away in 1867. They had a daughter named Elizabeth Margaret Adelaide Primrose. She married Arthur Rait Malcom in 1872. Arthur Malcom later helped run John Primrose's brewery.
Other Breweries in the Area
In the late 1860s, there were several other breweries operating in South Australia. These included:
- Kent Town Brewery
- West End Brewery
- Pirie Street Brewery
- Hindmarsh Brewery
- Morphett Street Brewery
- Walkerville Brewery
