Robert Menzies (1761-1843)

He was almost certainly born in Paisley where various others with the surname "Menzies" had been maltmen since at least the end of the 17th century. Robert too was a maltman and spirit merchant before becoming the senior partner of Robert Menzies & Co., distillers. In 1795, his firm acquired the Saucel Distillery at Paisley from the insolvent firm of Fleming & Bochop, but just five years later they went bankrupt too. Managing to get back on their feet, by 1816 Saucel produced 70,389 gallons of whisky but by the next year production was sliced in half to just 30,014 gallons, and in 1820 Robert Menzies & Co. went bankrupt for the second time with debts of over £9,000. Robert's son, James Menzies, then led a syndicate that again took over the distillery, but by 1823 they too went bankrupt. However, his youngest son by his second marriage, Graham Menzies, later acquired the Saucel and succeeded in making it profitable as well as turning around the family's fortunes with the Caledonian Distillery in Edinburgh.