Andrew USHER

   Cause of his death was Diseased Prostate Bladder for 2 years; but in a severe form for 2 months as certified by Alexander ?, Physician who saw deceased 16th August..¹⁰

  Research Notes:

Andrew notes in his narrative (p. 48 The Usher Family in Scotland) - ... I commenced on my own account with my brother-in-law, Mr James Fairburn.

http://www.scotchwhisky.com/english/about/blended/blenearl.htm
Old Vatted Glenlivet
The first commercial blend - in the sense that it was offered for sale to a wider market, and thus had to be consistent - was made by Andrew Usher in 1853. Usher was the Edinburgh agent for Glenlivet, and he named his creation Old Vatted Glenlivet. By 1860 it was being advertised in London, and in 1864 he was selling it overseas, especially in India.

http://www.themacallan.com/eng/guide/blended/
The first commercial blend, one that was offered for sale to a wider market and had to be consistent, was made by Andrew Usher in 1853 and first sold in The Pear Tree, Edinburgh. Usher was the agent for Glenlivet, and he named his creation Old Vatted Glenlivet. By the year 1860 it was being advertised in London and in 1864 he was selling it overseas

http://www.smws.com/archives/alphabet/b.html
Remember that before the Spirits Act of 1860 allowed blending in bond (i.e. prior to payment of duty) blending was only done on a very small scale and little attempt was made to produce whiskies of consistent quality. The man credited with producing the first blended whisky made to a fixed and repeatable formula was Andrew Usher of Edinburgh, who began offering Old Vatted Glenlivet in London as early as 1844. His son, Andrew Usher II, developed this business massively, purchasing Glen Sciennes (malt) Distillery in 1860, and founding the North British (grain) distillery in 1885.

It is likely that Andrew II - and possibly even Andrew I - was offering his whiskies by the bottle as well as in larger containers, but it is traditionally held that John Dewar was the first to sell his whiskies in branded bottles, in the late 1860s. This has been disputed by, among others, the Mackinlay family (as in The Original Mackinlay), who maintain that they were the first. In all likelihood many of the early large-scale blenders - Johnnie Walker, George Ballantine, John Haig, Arthur Bell and so on - began putting their whiskies in branded bottles about the same time.

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  Noted events in his life were:

• He was employed circa 1800. Employed by brother Hugh in London. Brief spell in a merchant's office - didn't retain very long.

• He was employed in 1800 in Leith, , Midlothian, Scotland. With brother George, sold corn at Leith being sent from London by brothers Hugh & John.

• He was employed circa 1801 in Greenock, , Renfrew, Scotland. Situation as an accountant at a general agent's in Greenock, unable to retain.

Uncle at Courthill procured employment in a retail shop in Hawick belonging to Mr John Nixon, where he served an apprenticeship for one year. Mr Nixon was an extensive manufacturer of hosiery.

• He was employed circa 1803 in Edinburgh, Scotland. When about 21 years old, Andrew opened a Hosiery shop in Edinburgh with a loan of £500 from his uncle at Courthill. He took a shop opposite the college at £70 per annum. After a year or two he set out with samples for the wholesale trade, and subsequently started a wholesale trade from new premises on the South Bridge. He added gloves to the hosiery trade.

Formed partnership with Mr Hardwick a manufacturer in Worcester and took premises in, and removed to London with family.

Andrew needed partners and admitted a young gentleman named Boutcher and the firm changed to Usher, Boutcher and Company. Mr Boutcher handled London while Andrew travelled in Scotland. In his abscence, Mr Boutcher incurred losses. The firm was dissolutioned but Mr Boutchers share transferred to a Mr Perrin and the name changed to Usher, Hardwick and Perrin.

This was also not a great success. Andrew was offered a share of Mr Dunlop's business in Edinburgh - Mr Dunlop being prominent in the spirit trade. After five years the partnership was dissolved.

Andrew then set up on his own account with brother-in-law Mr James Fairburn. James died and Andrew admitted Mr Ralph Brown as a partner and later Mr Martin as a salesman. Mr Martin sacrificed his life and Mr Brown later removed to London on account of his family.

Mr George Home was then admitted as a partner along with a young gentleman called Moubray to take charge of the newley opened branch in London. The partnership was dissolved at the end of the stipulated contract.

Since 1847, his sons Andrew and John have taked the firm to new heights.

• He appeared on the census in 1841 in Crammond, Edinburgh. ¹¹

• Firm: Edinburgh, Scotland. ¹² He was the founder of the world famous Whisky Distilling and Blending Company of Andrew Usher and Co in 1813 and the famous Usher Brewery of Edinburgh.

• He had a residence in 26 West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh.

• Death Notice: 18 Aug 1855. ¹³

• Tombstone: East Preston Cemetery, Edinburgh. ¹⁴

• Death Inventory: 27 Jul 1855, Edinburgh, Scotland. ¹⁵

• Death Settlement: 27 Jul 1855, Edinburgh, Scotland. ¹⁶

Andrew married Margaret BALMER, daughter of Thomas BALMER and Agnes MATHER, on 31 Dec 1806 in Edinburgh, Scotland.¹ (Margaret BALMER was born on 3 Oct 1785 in , Makerstoun, Roxburghshire, Scotland, died on 24 Feb 1860 at 11 Sylvan Place, Edinburgh ^{18 19} and was buried in East Preston Cemetery, Edinburgh ¹⁸.) The cause of her death was Exhaustion from long continued Gastro.ilation, several years..¹⁰