In Issue 200 we published reader Bob Rickard's appeal for information about the early presence in Broughton of the Drambuie Liqueur Co. ('When Broughton said "Slaínte"'). Now another reader has responded.
Regarding Bob Rickard's interest in Drambuie's bottling, writes Tom Bee, the premises shown in the photograph [above] were indeed Drambuie's 'plant'.
What may not have been taken into consideration is that, at that time, the lane pictured was named Albany Street Lane – later to be Dublin Street Lane.
Because of the steepness of the 'hill' from York Place down to Drummond Place and London Street, many of the front-street business premises in York Place and Albany Street extended their properties out over the back-gardens and were able to make them two-storeyed 'factories'.
I know this because I was an apprentice at one, Messrs Hislop & Day, 9 Albany Street from 1954–9. The company's factory/workshop, with time-clock etc. was entered from Albany Street Lane just opposite Drambuie's premises shown. We entered a two-storeyed building (now a rather modern looking home – see photo below), went downstairs, through a glass-roofed workshop into the Albany Street premises – all one building.
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