5 Great Junction Street, Leith, Edinburgh.
Mr Thomas M S Paxton. 1892.
Rutherford’s was founded in 1834 having extensive premises both in Glasgow and Edinburgh. To read the history of the Glasgow Rutherford’s click here.
In 1892 Thomas M S Paxton managed Rutherford’s at their establishment in 5 Great Junction Street, Leith and was about to transfer to the firm’s well-known restaurant and wine and spirit business at 36 Shore Street, Leith. Mr Paxton was a very successful manager and was a great asset to the Rutherford Company, in the Great Junction Street premises Mr Paxton’s management stills saw the annul takings double. This of course was due to the fact that he had employed the very best waiter’s and waitress’s in Leith.
Mr Paxton had been over twenty years in the employment of Rutherford’s, starting at the bottom of the ladder and working his way up to manager, in 1892 he had completed his twelfth year as manager. Thomas had a brother Matthew Paxton who worked in Rutherford’s branch in Argyle Street, Glasgow, he too was manager in the Great Junction Street premises over thirty years previously. Mathew was also president of the Scottish Wine, Spirit and Beer Trade Benevolent Institution. At the end of his career he bought Rutherford’s Jamaica Street premises.
Like all Rutherford’s establishments, that in Shore was extensive and well-conducted, Thomas Paxton had more enthusiasm than the usual manager and had to show Rutherford’s that he could make the premises at Shore a profitable concern. Thomas was a quite, unassuming man, and knew that the work that was put in front of him had to be done thoroughly.
His predecessor, Mr John Young, had been twenty-five years with the firm and only left to retire. He was very popular not only with the patrons of the Shore establishment, but amongst a wide circle of friends in and around the wine and spirit trade. He was an enthusiastic Volunteer, a crack shot and had carried off numerous trophies at Wimbledon. Rutherford’s had a reputation of keeping good staff and most of their managers were employed for many years.
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