Albion James Tolley (1819–1901), his wife Fanny, née Darbon, (1830–1899) and three children arrived in South Australia aboard
Gipsy in August 1853. In 1858 he set up in business as wine merchant (and occasional hotel broker) Tolley & Co., on Currie Street, first at no. 75 then 21 from 1860. They returned to England in 1866, living at
Chertsey, where their third son Doug was born. The family returned to Adelaide aboard
Collingrove in January 1873, and sons Sydney and Frederick were enrolled at St. Peter's College; eldest son A.E. Tolley had returned in 1870. By 1881 he had retired, alternately living in Adelaide and "The Grange",
South Norwood, London. In August 1885 he and Mrs. Tolley left South Australia for the last time aboard RMS
Parramatta.
A. E. & F. Tolley In 1874 eldest son Albion E. Tolley (occasionally referred to by his middle name Everard, presumably to differentiate from his father) formed a partnership with Phillip Charles J. Campbell to operate a licensed store in Peel Street, then Leigh Street. The partnership was dissolved in May 1875, with Campbell continuing as traveller and salesman for Tolley. In 1876 A. E. Tolley purchased Haussen's wine and liquor store on Currie Street, adjacent the John Bull Inn,
H. H. Haussen resuming ownership of the
Hindmarsh Brewery. :
Albion Everard Tolley (1849 – 7 June 1922) was born at
Sunbury-on-Thames, emigrated aboard
Gipsy, arriving in Adelaide in 1852. He was educated at St. Matthews's (Church of England) School, Kensington, and St. Peter's College. The family returned to England, living at
Chertsey; young Albion returned to Adelaide accompanied by his father in April 1870 aboard
Norfolk, and gained commercial experience with merchants Jones, Scott, & Co. of Melbourne. :He was a keen yachtsman, and at the time of his death was Vice-Commodore of the Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron. While in England in 1914 he purchased a comfortable motor yacht, in which he frequently took parties of friends around Port Adelaide and St. Vincents Gulf. He also took an interest in horticulture, and had a fine garden at his home in Unley Park. In 1883 Albion took on his brother Frederick as partner as A. E. & F. Tolley, and rented a section of
Thomas Hardy and Sons' premises at 85 Currie Street, which they did not fully relinquish until 1901. :
Frederick Osborne Tolley (1856 – 21 April 1913), as were his brothers, was described as cheery and good natured, an excellent companion, and a delightful host. No other accomplishments were mentioned in his obituary apart from the magnificent garden at his home, "Lowan" on Park Terrace, Gilberton. They opened stores in
Fremantle,
Esperance and
Norseman. In 1891 they purchased the
Grenfell Street firm of Heseltine and Reid and in 1893, in conjunction with
George Milne they purchased the wine and spirits stock of the
S.A. Brewing, Malting and Wine and Spirit Company Limited, who had decided to concentrate on their core business, brewing beer, as the
S.A. Brewing Company. A. E. & F. Tolley was re-formed as a limited liability family company on 30 July 1910 with directors A. E. Tolley, F. O. Tolley, and Alfred E. Stephens as directors. Many family members served on the board, and are mentioned in the Family list below. In 1913 a new building was erected at 82
Waymouth Street.
Tolley, Scott & Tolley This company had its origin as the East Torrens Wine Making and Distillation Company at Nelson Street,
Stepney in 1858, with
Henry Mildred its first chairman of directors. The business was wound up in 1862, blaming insufficient capital for its failure. and operated it profitably. Lindes Lane, off
Rundle Street, was the site of his workshop. :
Ernest "Tim" Tolley (11 October 1862 – 3 June 1925) was born on
South Terrace, Adelaide, and was educated at
St. Peter's College. In 1879 he was sent for three years to
King's College London, where he studied under professors Thompson and (Sir Charles Loudon) Bloxam (1831-1887). He spent another three years in France, gaining winemaking experience at
Épernay and
Narbonne. On returning to England in 1885, he was apprenticed to Thomas Scott at his London distillery. :
Thomas Scott (c. 1830 – 15 April 1899) had experience of distillation with one Menzies then studied at King's College London for five years. He was also apprenticed to Thomas Scott in 1885. :At some time he also gained experience in brandy making while working at
Hennessy and
Martell, brands no doubt handled by his family. The two brothers returned to Adelaide in December 1886 and May 1887, followed by Scott in 1888, in which year they purchased the "Phoenix Distillery" and promptly set about enlarging the facilities. A fourth partner, John Linnett, a Cockney partner of Scott with previous Australian experience, came out in 1891 and served as a manager. at the intersection of Angaston and Tanunda Roads, Nuriootpa. The plan was put into effect and the Angas Park distillery was the result, producing T.S.T. brandy and spirit for production of
fortified wines. The outcome was most satisfactory all round: the growers no longer were forced to suffer a loss in times of glut, and Tolley Scott & Tolley had a lucrative export trade. In 1898 they purchased the "Nuriootpa Cellars" winery established by S. and W. Sage on the other side of the road, and installed pipes under the road for transfer of distilled spirit to the cellars. That same year they purchased a nearby property of which they named "Bucklands" (recalling the name of A. E. Tolley's old property at
Plympton) and added to it another . In 1904 they upgraded the distillation plant at Nuriootpa. In January 1921 the business was re-formed as a limited liability company with Arthur Scott Linnett, another son, as secretary. Linnett resigned in 1927 after some erratic behaviour, and became licensee of the Nairne Hotel. By 1924 they had of
bond storage at Nuriootpa, and a similar capacity in their wine cellars. Sam and Len Tolley took over management of the company around this time, and a very large export market was developed; over half the brandy production going to Singapore and Malaya. Production at Stepney ceased around 1946, and the cellars devoted to maturation of brandy and fortified wines. The business was restructured as a public company in 1959 and was acquired in 1961 by the Australian arm of
The Distillers Company. The old Stepney buildings were renovated as company offices in 1972.
Douglas A. Tolley Pty, Ltd. Douglas A. Tolley, independently of his involvement with T.S.T. in 1891 founded a vineyard and winery at
Hope Valley. By 1903 his plantings covered some . His son Leonard J. Tolley succeeded him as governing director of the firm, producing mostly bulk wine for interstate customers. On Leonard's death his three sons Peter, David and Reginald shared management duties. David Tolley developed the Tolley Pedare (for Peter/David/Reginald)
gewurztraminer grape variety in the mid-1970s. Peter's son Christopher was the first of the fourth generation to be involved in the company. Mildara Blass purchased the winery in 1995. ==Family==