Glen Albyn Distillery Logbook Supplement 31st May 1928

 

Now, here's a delightful surprise. In my previous article, I pondered the existence and fate of any additional inserts mentioned in G.W. Peterkin's report and those in general from previously seen logbooks. 

I am thrilled to share that we actually possess such a supplement within the log, loosely placed into the pages. This not only offers us further insight into the incident itself but also gives us a peek into the expected format, or at least the standard, that these reports and supplements were meant to adhere to.

Also, we have jumped on a few years over these last two pages, which is my filing error. We'll return to the early 1920s in the next article. I'll transcribe the letter itself below before highlighting any important points:

'31st May 1928

Sir:

With reference to your application dated 16th February, 1928, for remission of duty on a chargeable deficiency of 8.9 proof gallons on cask No.422 of 1922, sent from Glenmhor Glen Albyn to Kilmarnock in July last, I am directed to inform you that the Board have sanctioned a refund of the duty thereon.

It has been found that the railway officials at Perth did not give notice to the local officials of this Department as required by Notice No.51 and, further, that one of the affidavits furnished was inaccurate.

I annex a copy of a letter which I have sent to L.M. & S. Railway Company, and I am also directed to impress upon you the necessity for producing accurate evidence in similar cases.

I am, Sir, 

Your obedient servant

A.Hunt 

Asst Collector of Customs and Excise

Copy for Messrs Glenmhor Glen Albyn'

An intriguing document, especially if you have a penchant for such topics, and since you're visiting this site, it's likely you share that interest.

LMS and Perth Station

The LMS, which stands for the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, used Perth as a vital hub within the transport network. This significance continues today, owing to its strategic position just north of Scotland's central belt, serving as a central point for various connecting networks.

The LMS Society kindly shared the photograph below of Perth Central Station, captured in 1928, making it relevant to the incident in question. I have used A.I. to enhance the image, giving it a fresh vibrancy.

Accompanying the image is a historical outline of the station from that era, highlighting that LMS managed 74% of the total mileage of operational lines at the station. A significant portion of this traffic would have consisted of whisky casks, especially since the road network was still developing, and even now, some might argue it remains insufficient. Based on this overview, it is possible that the incident occurred on platforms 4, 5, or 6.

The Corrections

Let's dive firstly into the corrections. It's unfortunate that the cask number has been limited to what must have been the initial distillation of the 1922 season i.e. #4. Cask numbers can offer insights into production levels, but in this case, I would argue that this cask was evidently acquired as part of a batch by the Walkers of Kilmarnock for their Johnnie Walker requirements, and part of their longstanding orders with the distillery.

The season is characterised and defined by fulfilling orders. The Walkers, aside from the proprietors Mackinlay & Birnie themselves, were probably Glen Albyn's largest client. Therefore, it stands to reason that they would place a substantial order at the start of a season - almost like an annual assurance for the distillery and the blending stock of a major brand; a given every year.

We also observe the correction of 'Glenmhor', which itself highlights the confusion surrounding the distillery's name, which was 'Glen Mhor', when it was Glen Albyn directly affected. This is something we've even seen in the distillery plans, with the 1894 warehouse building being wrongly labelled as Glen Albyn by the architects. 

This confusion here likely stems from A. Hunt, who, although not stationed at either distillery - that distinction went to G.W. Peterkin at Albyn and Neil M. Gunn at Mhor - may have had oversight for the region. Glen Mhor was always associated with Mackinlay & Birnie, while Glen Albyn was acquired in 1920. A simple mistake, which it seems, professionals from all sides were capable of making.

A. Hunt

Regarding A. Hunt, as previously noted, he was not assigned to either distillery. Yet, some of you might remember the remarkable find known as the Distillery Table Book, which I revealed at earlier this year?

In reference to this, I can spot an A. Hunt mentioned on the second page of signatures, appearing three times. Specifically, on 30/9/27, 4/5/28, and 8/5/29, which places him within this letter's timeframe and also indicates a role and status that would allow him to sign this official book for Glen Albyn.

The art of making a claim

The letter suggests that this was a significant issue, involving not just a loss but also shortcomings in the reporting and evidence presentation, not only in Perth, but the company seeking a refund. These are aspects that the Excise would likely disapprove of.

What is surprising is that if this request for a refund of loss duty originated from the Walkers of Kilmarnock (who are named on the prior information), they were not more knowledgeable about the intricacies of making a claim. Given their substantial shipments throughout Scotland intended for their blenders on a consistent basis, accidents and subsequent losses would have been a common occurrence in their business operations. And thus, seeking refund from the Crown, should have been a well-scripted process, and these flaws may have caused the further delays we see with matter still being discussed almost a year after the event.

Walkers & Glen Albyn blending

According to the previous summary, the cask 'had two bilged bung and 2nd chipped.' Yet, what truly captures our attention is that this incident occurred on 1st July 1927. The cask was distilled in 1922, and with its number (#4 as corrected above), it indicates that it was among the earliest from the 1922-1923 season, which typically began in September to October.

This implies that the cask was nearly 5 years old, but just shy of that milestone. It represents an ideal age for blending, particularly if it was Glen Mhor. In contrast, Glen Albyn remains somewhat enigmatic in this regard (hence the research here) and likely had a more extensive inventory due to its size and age; thus, it is beneficial to gauge what is being ordered and dispatched.

After the repairs, the cask was delivered to Kilmarnock and thoroughly inspected again, prior to the contents being used by blenders, all while the public's unquenchable thirst for Johnnie Walker persisted, completely oblivious to the fact that we would still be discussing its voyage, almost a hundred years later.

We're fortunate to be able to have the thoughts of Alan Winchester regarding these entries and the inner workings of a bygone age, and this page was of interest:

'The story of the leaking cask, is interesting, hope the railway chaps were not having extra shunting!

The lack of reporting would be considered quite an offence, by C & E, the cask would have been dipped and strength taken at both ends, so I would expect the charge would have came from C & E in Kilmarnock, but there would be some backwards and forwards between C & E.  Like you puzzling that Walker’s did not seem to be aware of the  correct claim, i.e. asking for deferment of the duty charge. How it was traced back to Perth is interesting.

It also serves to remind us in 2025 how closely these removals were supervised by C & E.

Mr Hunt as an Assistant Collector is quite senior so it’s reached up the ladder, l suspect.'

It'll be interesting to see if the books have any similar episodes involving the Walkers and how the claim was processed. There is only one way to find out, and onto the next page...

The Glen Albyn logs are held at the Highland Archives Centre in Inverness (HCA/D31/4/1/23 and HCA/D31/4/1/24) and I'm thankful to the Archive and HMRC for access to these incredible resources and bringing them to life.