Being obsessed with all things Jamaican rum related, I was thrilled to come across the 1886 text:
Jamaica at the Colonial and Indian Exhibition, London, 1886 : … Executive Commissioner in London: Sir Augustus J. Adderley, K.C.M.G. Royal Commissioner
Buried within is a time capsule of many operating distilleries and their owners (presumably), as well as a listing of some of merchant bottlers. Given other things known about Jamaican producers at the time, you shouldn’t presume this is a complete list.
The lists hold a few surprises for modern dunder-heads. Some of today’s historic distilleries like Appleton and Hampden don’t appear, despite being around well before 1886. But poke around long enough and you’ll see Mon(e)ymusk and Worthy Park, however. And one name that’s now the most iconic Jamaican brand, Wray & Nephew, is listed as a merchant bottler.
As for that J.M. Farquharson fellow, although we associate the Farquharson name with Hampden today, my digging turns up that at the time, he owned Appleton Estate.
