Davidson & Kay

Aberdeen, Scotland, founded c.1834

About MeDavidson & Kay Limited was an Aberdeen pharmacy business with a history reaching back to the 1834, and possibly earlier.

In 1816, Peter Williamson took over a druggist's in Exchequer Row which had been run by several predecessors. About 1828 Charles Davidson was apprenticed to Mr Williamson, having recently completed his studies at Marischal College. 6 years later he became a partner in the business.

During this period, Williamson opened a new shop at 139 Union Street. In 1839 or 1840, the partnership was dissolved, leaving Mr Davidson as sole proprieter in Exchequer Row.

In 1851 Davidson opened a new shop at what is now 205 Union Street, at the corner of Crown Street. He left his parter of the time in charge at Exchequer Row, and later the partnership again dissolved leaving Davidson with his Union Street premises in 1854.

In the same year, James Petrie Kay joined the firm as an apprentice and would later become a partner in "Davidson & Kay" in 1862. The business continued as a partnership and later a limited company with members from the extended Kay family.

The business benefitted from Royal custom from 1857 onwards when the Duchess of Kent, mother of Queen Victoria, was a customer. The firm was granted the Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria in 1884, whose medicine was taken to the station and placed in charge of a guard before being taken by horseback from Ballater to Balmoral. The firm served 5 generations of the Royal family in all and also dispensed for the Czar of Russia.

Further dispensaries were built as the firm expanded. One was opened in the West End as the city expanded westwards. Mr Kay was closely associated with the dispensary at Balmoral under the reign of King Edward, to whom he was also presented.