12 Facts About Andrew Usher

Andrew Usher II was a Scottish whisky distiller and blender.

Usher's father, whose name he shared, Andrew Usher, was a prominent Scottish brewer who had experimented with the blending of whisky in the 1840s.

Andrew Usher was the grandson of James Usher of Toftfield who sold the property to Sir Walter Scott who bought it for his close friend Adam Ferguson and re- named the house Huntly Burn.

Andrew Usher II perfected the eventual blending of whisky and as such is sometimes called the 'father of Scottish whisky'.

Andrew Usher II was one of the three founders of the North British Distillery; the other two were John Crabbie of Crabbie's Green Ginger and William Sanderson, whisky blender of Vat 69, who both served as directors of the NB distillery.

Andrew Usher II was the first Chairman of the NB Distillery, serving from its start in 1885 until shortly before his death on 1 November 1898.

Andrew Usher died before the hall was completed and it was later opened by his widow.

Andrew Usher played a major role in improving the fishing village and harbour of St Abbs in Berwickshire.

Andrew Usher purchased the Northfield estate on the edge of the village, enlarging and finishing the building of a countryside manor by the coastal shore in 1892.

Andrew Usher considered the local public hall inadequate and subsequently funded a new village hall and school, which was constructed in 1887 and is occupied by the St Abbs visitor centre.

Andrew Usher gave funds for the building of the local church in 1892 and the extension of the outer harbour wall in 1890.

Andrew Usher is buried in the Grange Cemetery, Edinburgh with his first wife, Elizabeth Langmuir Miller ; his second wife, Marion Blackwood Murray ; and several of his children.