6th August 1894 Additions Glenalbyn Distillery

 

A fresh collection of blueprints from December 1894 reveals that while the Glen Mhor distillery dominated the landscape in building terms, Glen Albyn was far from idle, actively shaping its own destiny.

Labelled 'additions to Bonded Warehouse No.3', these documents promise to shed light on the enigmatic realm of Glen Albyn's warehousing, including their intended arrival and numbering system - at least, that’s the hope.

In my experience, such plans often feature a site map that captivates the imagination, yet the architects here seem to have fallen short in providing the depth for our research. Nonetheless, the plans do confirm that Glen Albyn engaged the expertise of local architects, Ross of Macbeth, based in the Queens Gate Chambers of Inverness. This firm has previously collaborated with Glen Mhor for projects while also retaining Charles C. Doig for certain improvements. The firm are most noticeable in the 1895 Glen Mhor plans of alterations that would layout a series of changes to boost production.

Glen Albyn's construction approach was more eclectic and less straightforward from the outset, presenting a unique set of challenges in understanding its architectural evolution. Starting in the 1840s, it was transformed for the purpose of distilling, as illustrated in the sole drawing I have discovered so far, depicting the original distillery that existed for a mere eight years, before being gutted by fire. 

I'd like to extend my gratitude once more to the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness, the dedicated guardians of these invaluable plans. These documents are an integral part of their extensive collection of planning requests, which were submitted to the Inverness Dean Guild for consideration. The images are watermarked and provided on a non-profit basis. 

The cross section of the warehouse reveals a trio of identical structures, yet a closer inspection uncovers that the leftmost warehouse stands out; it lacks internal supports and features a slightly altered roof design with a single potential skylight on the left side. 

This detail might hint at the original location of these warehouses, as Glen Albyn boasted over 20 warehouses scattered throughout its large site, as you can see below, the site was considerable and mostly dominated by warehousing, which was also utilised by the much smaller Glen Mhor distillery.

The warehouses overlooking the Muirtown Basin are the most renowned and frequently photographed. However, applying the logic of the trio and the presence of skylights narrows our options down to just one possibility in this 1985 image kindly provided by Canmore. This also underlines that the quayside warehousing might have been a result of 1850s work or thereafter, rather than the original build.

In fact, if we refer to the fire report from the John Bull Newspaper on 1st December 1849, by chance it gives us a feeling of the lay of the landscape and a more rural setting:

'At an early hour on Thursday morning an extensive conflagration took place in the main buildings of the Glen Albyn Distillery, about a mile from Inverness. Before the engines arrived the spirits in the receiver and the low wines caught fire, and burst out through the roof in one immense sheet of flame, that rose higher than the chimney-stalk, and blazed out through all the windows. Whiskey, malt, machinery, the roof and floors, fed the powerful flames; whilst scores of alarmed cattle bellowed from the fields around, and people were running in all directions to lend their aid. On the arrival of the engines, all that could be done to endeavour to save the western range of the building.

Of the main building, with all its extensive and large machinery, which could distil 800 bushels of malt per week, nothing was left but the ruined walls.'

There is no mention of the warehousing being caught in the fire, which seems to have commenced within the distillery itself before engulfing the complete structure.

Returning to the distillery's location, we find that the production facilities are situated at the back of the property. The area retains a distinctly rural charm, characterised by open spaces and industrial structures that began to emerge in the 1970s. These production buildings, in their completed state, are nestled here, away from the bustling Telford Street and the vibrant Muirtown district. 

A murmur of a classic courtyard layout characterises the distillery, tucked away in the corner beside the Muirtown Basin, providing easy access. I look forward to uncovering more insights about this period and location through ongoing research in the years ahead.

However, returning to our plans and these 'additions' it looks like the #3 warehouse is out here, and is being expanded.

It's fascinating to note the reference to an 'old warehouse,' which, in the context of 1894, undoubtedly signifies considerable age. One might speculate that this warehouse traces its roots back to the early days of Glen Albyn. We know the distillery, though short-lived, endured a catastrophic fire in December 1849 that severely hindered its progress for many years.

The primary production structures have suffered significant damage, while the warehouses appear to have remained unscathed. Interestingly, this suggests that we might still have a piece of the original construction that continues to serve its purpose even after more than half a century.

The rear section of the Glen Albyn site appears to be the location of these structures. Looking back at the aerial photographs from the 1980s, there are two potential options. However, taking into account the skylight positioned on the left side of the original warehouse's roof, along with two slightly larger buildings attached to it, I would propose that warehouse #3 is the trio with the darker roofs, situated just a short distance from the production facilities - providing just enough room for their continued existence.

I notice the three warehouses standing boldly in front of our target, lined up from left to right. While I'm open to possibilities, this trio seems notably larger and is missing the skylights that were part of the original designs. What I find particularly fascinating - though I tend to find everything related to distilleries and history intriguing - is the increase in warehousing capacity during the 1890s, following a previous set of plans for warehouse structures we documented from 1892. Glen Albyn is clearly expanding and ramping up capacity. 

I find myself pondering whether the works from 1892 are connected to the trio of buildings situated to the left of the shadowy roof ensemble that captures our attention in 1894. This area of the site seems the main focus of work as the new owners revitalised Glen Albyn. My years of research have taught me to anticipate surprises, yet I trust that the passage of time will gradually unveil the truths we seek. For now, we have successfully digitised the 1894 warehouse blueprints, shedding light on the transformation of Glen Albyn during the height of the whisky boom.

As we continue our exploration of the plan submissions, we look forward to the introduction of the renowned Distillery Manager's House, a structure that would later earn the gratitude of the US Navy during their stay two decades down the line.

My thanks to the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness for making these materials available for my research. Their generosity ensures that the wider whisky population can enjoy these resources. Images have been watermarked as agreed.