218:. Williamson is credited with being among the first to anticipate the coming trend for single malt scotches and to position the Laphroaig product, and by extension other Islay malts, to the American market. Williamson was quoted on UK television in the 1960s saying "The secret of Islay whiskies is the peaty water and the peat ... there's an increasing demand for the Islay whiskies. We can't supply the demand that we have for our whiskies."
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After production restarted following the war, Williamson continued to pursue the blending sales that had been the backbone of
Laphroaig's business model beforehand, but starting to guide the business elsewhere. Upon Hunter's death in 1954, Williamson inherited the controlling interest in the
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With operations mothballed during the war and the government seeking to use the distillery for storage and training purposes, Williamson succeeded in preventing the theft of stock or damage to equipment that had occurred at other distilleries such as
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named
Williamson as its American spokesperson from 1961 to 1964 and she toured the United States representing Islay whisky to buyers and distributors. While visiting the US she met her future husband, the singer and entertainer
237:. The balance of ownership was released in 1967 to Long John Distilleries. Williamson continued as managing director of the distillery until her retirement in 1972. Long John International was acquired by
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in Dublin and could have hampered recovery of production in the postwar period. Over 400 tonnes of ammunition were stored at the facility during the early years of her tenure.
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194:, intending to stay a few months. She worked directly with then owner Ian Hunter, and eventually became office manager. When Hunter suffered a
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she worked as an office assistant with her uncle
William Paton, an accountant working for the restaurateurs and purveyors Smith (Glasgow) Ltd.
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Williamson was born in
Glasgow in 1910 the second child of Agnes Whyte (nÊe Paton) and John Williamson, a mercantile clerk. In
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split up its business product lines in 2011, forming its spirits business into Beam Inc. Beam was purchased by
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distillery, and the first during the 20th century. She is credited as being instrumental in promoting single
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from 1927, intending to become a teacher, graduating with an MA in 1932. While waiting to enrol at
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in 1938, Williamson took on responsibility for distribution to the United States. By the time of
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143:(22 August 1910 â 26 May 1982) was a Scottish distillery manager and former owner of the
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Whiskey Women: The Untold Story of how Women Saved
Bourbon, Scotch, and Irish Whiskey
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The Island Whisky Trail: Scotland's
Hebridean and West Coast Malt Whisky Distilleries
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the only woman to own and manage a Scotch whisky distillery in the 20th century
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Laphroaig distillery on Islay, Hunter's house
Ardenistiel, and the island of
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Matthew, H. C. G.; Harrison, B.; Goldman, L., eds. (23 September 2004).
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323:(online ed.). Oxford University Press. pp. ref:odnb/97258.
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412:"Bessie Williamson - Laphroaig's First Lady - - Islay Blog"
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In 1962 Williamson sold a third of her business shares to
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Wort, Worms & Washbacks: Memoirs from the stillhouse
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she had become the full-time manager of the distillery.
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distillery noted for being the second woman to manage a
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171:, and died in France in 1918. She attended the
314:"The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"
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182:In 1934, Williamson took a summer job as a
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101:1954-1972 (owner of Laphroaig distillery)
320:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
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241:in 1975 and sold to Allied Lyons, now
16:Scottish distillery owner (1910â1982)
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484:20th-century Scottish businesspeople
414:. Blog.islayinfo.com. 4 January 2007
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489:Alumni of the University of Glasgow
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167:her father was a gunner with the
177:Jordanhill College of Education
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344:UK public library membership
479:Businesspeople from Glasgow
260:in Glasgow on 26 May 1982.
141:Elizabeth Leitch Williamson
117:Wishart Neil Munro Campbell
35:Elizabeth Leitch Williamson
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258:Gartnavel General Hospital
230:and they married in 1961.
131:Agnes Whyte Paton (mother)
433:MacDougall, John (2001).
223:Scotch Whisky Association
208:Old Bushmills Distillery
169:Royal Garrison Artillery
128:John Williamson (father)
364:Minnick, Fred (2013).
329:10.1093/ref:odnb/97258
277:Wilson, Neil (2003).
173:University of Glasgow
78:University of Glasgow
188:Laphroaig distillery
441:. Neil Wilson Ltd.
256:Williamson died at
235:Seager Evans and Co
239:Whitbread & Co
368:. Potomac Books.
342:(Subscription or
281:. Angel's Share.
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98:Years active
93:whisky distillery
58:Glasgow, Scotland
25:Bessie Williamson
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416:. Retrieved
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394:. Retrieved
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332:. Retrieved
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200:World War II
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53:(1982-05-26)
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474:1982 deaths
469:1910 births
392:. Laphroaig
390:"Laphroaig"
334:23 December
245:, in 1990.
165:World War I
153:malt whisky
64:Nationality
51:26 May 1982
463:Categories
448:1897784651
346:required.)
288:1903238498
264:References
42:, Scotland
418:11 August
396:11 August
159:Biography
145:Laphroaig
91:Laphroaig
89:owner of
68:Scottish
251:Suntory
122:Parents
40:Glasgow
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196:stroke
114:Spouse
192:Islay
190:, on
443:ISBN
420:2014
398:2014
370:ISBN
336:2019
283:ISBN
221:The
216:Texa
48:Died
31:Born
325:doi
186:at
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