A NOTE ON SOME BONTHRONES IN FIFE

The name of THE Bonthrone researcher which springs immediately to mind is that of Mr Mark Bonthrone. He has been researching into his family for many years now, and has built up an extensive card index of Bonthrones world-wide, but especially in Fife, dating back to c 1500. This article should really bear his name, for it is based principally on his notes, which he kindly sent to the editor, while the latter was preparing his 'Fife Traders and Shopkeepers, 1820-1870" for the local libraries.

This article will deal principally with the Bonthrones who were in business in Fife in the 18th and 19th centuries. The story begins in Auchtermuchty. The Bonthrones were brewers, maltsters and distillers there for several generations. The WILLIAM BONTHRONE (1724-1767), brewer, who was m to Mgt Kinghorn, was succeeded in business by his son, ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1765-1829), who m Agnes Lawson in 1795. His son, ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1798-1890), seens to have succeeded to his father's brewery, and with his brother, JOHN BONTHRONE (1800-1881), built the Auchtermuchty Distillery in 1829. John does not seem to have taken an active part in the management of the Distillery, his business being principally that of malstster, miller and farmer, in which he was emp 10 maltmen, 2 millers, and 2 ploughmen in 1861.

Alfred Barnard, in his grand tour of "The Whisky Distilleries of the United Kingdom" (1887), included Auchtermuchty in his itinerary, and reported: "The Distillery, which was founded in the year 1829, is situated in the small town of Auchtermuchty, about half a mile from the railway station. It is built in the solid rock in front of a tributary of the river Eden, which stream comes from Lochmill and runs through the town. It took nearly two years to blast and cut out the rock, and 3000 loads of stone were removed by the excavators. With the exception of the Distillery proper, the buildings, more especially the Maltings, are somewhat scattered, and cover about 2 1/2 acres. The Distillery has been in the handsof the Bonthrones, father and son, for nearly a century. The present proprietor is reputed to be the oldest distiller in Scotland, and, although well advanced in years, he was, at the time of our visit, both hale and vigorous, and able to attend to his business. It was in the year 1829 that he first began to make whisky, and made about 3000 gallons the first year, since which time the output has greatly increased and many additions have been made to the works. Mr Bonthrone is assisted in the Distillery by his two sons, who have been trained to the business, and understand the art of distilling in all its branches." These sons included JOHN (1855-1901), GEORGE (1858-1885), and WILLIAM (1860-1919). Whisky production continued until 1926. and the premises remained silent until 1929. when sold off.

Another son of William Bonthrone and Mgt Kinghorn was JAMES BONTHRONE (1768-1839), baker and weaver. Listed Pigot's ommercial Directory of Scotland (1837), he died in Feb 1839, leaving an estate of £32.3.0. His son, WILLIAM BONTHRONE (1798-1860), who was declared Heir General by a Decree of the Services of Heirs, Dec 30 1848, succeeded to the business at Burnside, and in the Census of 1851 was described as baker, brewer, and maltster, employing 2 men, probably his brothers, JAMES BONTHRONE (1813?-1869),& ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1820?-1895)

The eldest son of Alexander Bonthrone and Agnes Lawson was WILLIAM BONTHRONE (1796-1880). He was not connected with the brewing business. Instead, he studied medicine, and commenced practice in Crail in 1817, and continued there for 40 years. He was surgeon to the Fifeshire Artillery Militia for 53 years, and Provost of Crail for 3 years.

His brother, JAMES BONTHRONE (1804-1857) was a brewer and maltster at Backdykes, Auchtermuchty, pre 1851 until his death in Aug 1857. His son, JAMES BONTHRONE (1835-1920) continued the maltster business at Backdykes, and was afterwards farmer at Lumbenny, Newburgh. Another son, ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1833-1906), was the first of the Bonthrones to have been connected with the Newton of Falkland Brewery and Maltings.

Although company literature, including "The Story of Bonthrone of Newton, 1600 to 1950" (1950), states that the Newton of Falkland brewery and maltings were established in 1600 by Alexander Bonthrone, when he acquired the tenancy of an already existing brewery, and that their "sparkling wines once charmed the palates of Kings at nearby Falkland Palace," these statements are incorrect, as the Newton of Falkland business does not seem to have been in the possession of the family until c 1850, when an already established "brewstead," belonging to another family, was taken over by the above ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1833-1906) and greatly extended. He was emp 10 men and 3 boys in 1861. Expansion quickly followed. The St Monance Brewery was taken over, managed by Alexander's brother, JOHN BONTHRONE (1839-1921), and remained part of the business until c 1890, when it was acquired by Rbt Hutchison & Co of Kirkcaldy. The Newton of Falkland works were greatly extensively reconstructed in 1874, with a new malt balm and kiln. Both beer and malt were produced at Falkland, though by 1900 there was a predominance of malting over brewing.

Alexander Bonthrone d May 7 1906, and he was succeeded by his son, DAVID BONTHRONE (1873-1937), and he in turn by his sons, ALEXANDER BONTHRONE (1908-1969) and DAVID BONTHRONE (1909-1966), under the firm of ALEXANDER BONTHRONE & SONS. Brewing finally ceased in Feb 1916, when a fire broke out while kilns were being used for drying out water-damaged cotton on Government contract. The activities then centred on malting, and were expanded to take over the Crichtons (Ladybank) in 1935, and Martin. Henderson & Co (Pitlessie) in 1937, both maltsters. In 1938 the firm became a limited liability company, and in 1947 passed from the family to be taken over by Distillers & Co Ltd. Alexander Bonthrone remained as Chairman of the Newton Maltings until May 1962, when he retired to Morayshire.

The BONTHRONS of Kirkcaldy were a family of masons and builders, originally in Linktown of Abbotshall, and afterwards in Thistle Street. The business was founded by HENRY BONTHRON (1757-1840), who was m Jan 29 1786 to Christian Wilson (d 1836). His son, WILLIAM BONTHRON (1795-1868), continued the business in Thistle Street, where he was employing 9 men in 1851. Another son, HENRY BONTHRON (1798-1840), was a builder in the High Street in 1834-35, before removing to Thistle Street by 1837. His son, WILLIAM BONTHRON, inr (1822-1883), succeeded him in business, which he conducted in partnership under the firms of BONTHRON & ROBERTSON (1852), and later BONTHRON. INGLIS & LAWSON, which was employing 13 men and 2 boys in 1861 . This latter partnership of Wm Bonthron, jnr, John Inglis (d 1902), and Alexander Lawson, was dissolved by mutual consent on Feb 1 1862, and Bonthron continued the business at 18 Thistle Street under his own name until April 1881, when he retired in favour of his son, JOHN BONTHRON (1853-1899)

The Bonthrons of Buckhaven were a family of bakers. There was THOMAS BONTHRONE (1809-1875), son of Robert Bonthron, fisherman, and Mgt Laverock, who was in business from before 1836 to after 1866, employing 2 men in 1851, and 2 men and 1 boy in 1861. He retired to Markinch, where he d July 16 1875. His brother, JAMES BONTHRON (1813-1903), was also a baker in Buckhaven, from c 1838 until June 1855, when he emigrated to Canada, and settled at Rodgerville, Ontario. where he became the postmaster and general store owner. Another brother, PETER BONTHRON (1811-1897), was a draper in Leven from 1830 until 1876, when he retired. JOHN BONTHRON (1822-1857), the son of John Bonthron (1798-1858) and Elizabeth Deas (1801-1879), was a baker in Buckhaven from c 1851 until his death in 1857. The one apprentice he was employing in 1851 was JAMES STUART (d 1895), founder (in 1857) of the business now known as R T STUART LTD.

The Bonthrons of Anstruther, fishcurers there, were kin to the Buckhaven Bonthrons. The founder of the business in Anstruther, JOHN BONTHRON (1830-1888), had been born in Buckhaven on Dec 28 1830, the son of JAMES BONTHRON & CHRISTIAN LAVEROCK. His father, Skipper of the "Emma Wemyss," had been drowned along with the rest of his crew, Aug 21 1833, when his ship was lost in the Moray Firth. Young John came to Anstruther in 1852, and took a lease of the fish-curing premises situated near the East Pier, and in 1858 removed to premises in Crail Road, where he was employing 3 men and 2 boys in 1861. In Feb 1887 he assumed his son. WILLIAM SCOTT BONTHRONE (1867-1943), as partner, under the firm of BONTHRON & SON, which later continued as auctioneers in Anstruther. [A J Campbell, Editor]