Gilbert E. Primrose

Gilbert Edward Primrose (27 February 1848 – 16 February 1935)^[1] was a Scottish amateur sportsman who made one appearance for the Scottish football XI against England in the representative match played in February 1871. He later settled in Helidon, near Brisbane in Queensland, Australia where he became a director of the Helidon Spa Water Company. In 1959, the company merged with Owen Gardener & Sons to become Kirks.

Family and education

Primrose was born at Dalmeny,^[2] near Edinburgh, the third of the six sons of the Hon. Bouverie Francis Primrose (1813–1898) and his wife, Frederica Sophia Anson (1814–1867).^[3] His father was the son of Archibald Primrose, 4th Earl of Rosebery and Harriett Bouverie.^[4] His mother was the daughter of Thomas Anson, 1st Viscount Anson and Lady Anne Margaret Coke.^[5]

His brothers included Francis Archibald, (born 1843),^[6] Henry William (1846–1923),^[7] who became chairman of the Board of the Inland Revenue, and George Anson Primrose (1849–1930),^[8] who became a vice-admiral.^[9]

Primrose was baptised at St. John's Episcopal Church, Edinburgh and educated at Trinity College, Glenalmond^[10] between 1858 and 1865, where he played in the school's cricket XI.^[1]

On 13 May 1893, in Brisbane, Queensland, he married Jessie Catherine Costelloe,^[2] daughter of Lieutenant Costelloe of Lackeen Castle, Birr, Ireland.^[11]

Football career

On 25 February 1871, Primrose (a member of the Civil Service club) was selected as a late replacement for William Baillie-Hamilton for the international football match against England.^[12][13] (In some contemporary match reports, he is listed as "C.E. Primrose".^[14][15]) The match ended in a 1–1 draw with goals from Charles Nepean and Robert Walker.^[16] In many present-day databases, Primrose is confused with his elder brother, Henry, who played for Scotland on 19 November 1870.^[17]

Helidon Spa Water Company

Brisbane premises of the Helidon Spa Water Co., 1899

Primrose later emigrated to Queensland, Australia where his brother Francis had already settled. In January 1871, Francis is listed as having made a "pre-emptive selection" of 264 acres of agricultural land at Emu Creek, about 17 miles north of Crows Nest.^[18] The quality of the water at Helidon had long been known to the indigenous population who claimed that their strength came from the water.^[19] In 1879, chemist Reginald Larard was selling water from the spring as "Oogar Dang Water",^[20] and by 1881 had entered a partnership with Gilbert Primrose who, had purchased the agricultural land around the springs, establishing the Helidon Spa Water Company.

When Larard left, Primrose became managing director of the company.^[21] Describing that the former partnership "had expired by effluxion of time", this led Primrose to seek new investors in a proposed limited company. In October 1885, a special train was laid to transport potential investors from Brisbane to view the springs and taste its water, described as "full of sparkling effervescence and perfectly clear".^[22] Concerns over breakages led the company to start transporting the water from Helidon to a new bottling factory in Brisbane.^[23] In October 1895 Primrose sued a Jean de Raeve for an unpaid debt of £19 0s. 7d due to the company.^[24] The company's success was such that competitors were frequently taken to court for breach of copyright. In May 1897, Primrose successfully took action against Alfred Lucas Gardner, trading as "Owen Gardner and Sons" who had been selling soft drinks in Brisbane since 1850, for "infringement of his patent rights in connection with the sale of Helidon Spa water".^[25] This prevented Gardner and Sons from using the words ‘Helidon’ or ‘Spa Water’ on their bottles or advertisements, until a similar suit against Edward Campbell of the 'Brisbane Aerated Water Company' was appealed and the rules were relaxed.

To compete with competition from imported products, Helidon Spa Water Company and Owen Gardner & Sons merged in 1959 to become Helidon Gardner Pty Ltd, trading under the name Kirk's, named for Owen Garner & Sons flagship product "Kirk's Ginger Ale".^[23] Brisbane bottler, Tristrams was also invited to take part in the merger, but declined. Today, Kirks is owned by Coca-Cola Amatil, and continue to produce a variety of soft drinks available Australia wide.

Later life

During his time in Queensland, Primrose became a captain in the Queensland Scottish Rifles and the Queensland Defence Force, and was also a JP.^[1][26]

In May 1899, Primrose was appointed to represent Queensland at the "Greater Britain Exhibition" to be held at Earls Court, London.^[27]

In October 1900, Primrose and his family published a notice in The "Sydney Morning Herald", thanking "their many kind friends and sympathisers for wreaths and letters of sympathy received during their recent sad bereavement".^[28]

In 1909, Primrose returned to England^[1] where he died at Worthing, West Sussex on 16 February 1935.^[13]

References

1. Mitchell, Andy (2012). First Elevens: The Birth of International Football. Andy Mitchell Media. p. 128. ISBN 978-1475206845.
2. "Gilbert Edward Primrose". familysearch.org. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
3. "Sir Bouverie Francis Primrose, Knight". familysearch.org. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
4. Lundy, Darryl (22 May 2009). "Hon. Bouverie Francis Primrose". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
5. Lundy, Darryl (22 May 2009). "Hon. Frederica Sophia Anson". www.thepeerage.com. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
6. "Francis Archibald Primrose". familysearch.org. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
7. "Sir Henry William Primrose, Knight". familysearch.org. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
8. "George Anson Primrose grave monument details". Municipal B Cemetery, Weybridge. forum.gravestonephotos.com. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
9. "Vice-Admiral George Anson Primrose". familysearch.org. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
10. Crisp, Frederick Arthur (1909). "Visitation of England and Wales". Grove Park Press. p. 36.
11. Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1899). "Armorial families; a directory of some gentlemen of coat-armour . . .". T. C. & E. C. JACK. p. 178. Retrieved 1 October 2011.
12. Mitchell, Andy (2011). Arthur Kinnaird: First Lord of Football. Andy Mitchell. pp. 51–52. ISBN 1-4636-2111-6.
13. Mitchell, Andy (17 November 2009). "24/2/1872 England Teams?". www.scottishleague.net. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
14. "England 1 Scotland 1 (Match report)". www.londonhearts.com. 25 February 1871. p. 2. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
15. The Scotsman Newspaper Monday 27 February 1871 page 7
16. "England 1 Scotland 1". England Unofficial Matches. www.englandfootballonline.com. 25 February 1871. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
17. "H Primrose". Scotland international footballers. www.londonhearts.com. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
18. "Homesteads – Agricultural". The Brisbane Courier. 7 January 1871. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
19. "Helidon World Famous Spa Wate". Unique Helidon Places. www.helidon.org. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
20. "Helidon". www.queenslandplaces.com. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
21. "Top Tipple Tides Ipswich Over". www.questia.com. Retrieved 2 October 2011. (subscription required (help)).
22. "Trip to the Helidon Spa Springs". The Brisbane Courier. 6 October 1885. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
23. "Bottles and cans: an adventure in suburban archaeology | There once was a creek . . .". www.oncewasacreek.org. Retrieved 2016-01-26.
24. "Gilbert Edward Primrose v. Jean de Raeve (defendant).". Interpleader Case. The Brisbane Courier. 12 October 1895. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
25. "Helidon Spa Water Case". The Brisbane Courier. 11 May 1897. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
26. "Queensland Scottish Rifles". http://trove.nla.gov.au/. The Brisbane Courier. 7 September 1885. Retrieved 19 December 2014. The officers present were Captains Wilson and Primrose External link in |website= (help)
27. "Official notifications". The Brisbane Courier. 6 May 1899. Retrieved 2 October 2011.
28. "Return Thanks". The Sydney Morning Herald. 31 October 1900. Retrieved 2 October 2011.