Obituary: Henry Lorimer, spirits merchant

Henry Lorimer, spirits merchant.

Born: 15 December, 1939, in Edinburgh.

Died: 5 May, 2011, in Edinburgh, aged 71.

HENRY Lorimer was one of the characters of the wine and spirit trade in Scotland. He was fondly known for his enlightened management of the Justerini & Brooks office in Edinburgh's George Street where he marketed the products with a rare imagination.

He came from a distinguished Scottish family - his father was the sculpture Hew Lorimer who created the faade of the National Library of Scotland and Our Lady of the Isles on South Uist.

His grandfather, Sir Robert Lorimer, was the celebrated architect of the Thistle Chapel in St Giles Cathedral, the Scottish National War Memorial and many noble country houses throughout Scotland including Ardkinglas on Loch Fyne. His mother was the painter Mary Wylie McLeod.

Lorimer's Roman Catholic faith occupied a central place in his life. He loved the ritual and the celebration of the Mass and indeed his funeral reflected his devotion: a full Requiem Mass, a crowded cathedral with six priests and a bishop conducting the service.

There were also around 70 Knights and Dames of the Order of Malta present. A former colleague at Justerini & Brooks said: "It would have meant a lot to Henry, because his faith was him in the deepest sense."

Henry Lorimer was brought up at Kellie Castle, near Pittenweem in Fife where the Lorimers had lived since 1878. It was far from luxurious; it was draughty and all the heat came from a central fire.

Lorimer made a spectacular entrance to Ampleforth. He had hired a Rolls Royce to drive him from the station at York but after three years it was clear Lorimer was not cut out for a monastic life.

The novice master found fault with his polishing of the brass in the abbey and Lorimer, allegedly, struck him with a service candle. However, at Ampleforth Lorimer was captain of the XV and then did a short service commission with the Scots Guards. His first taste of the wine and spirits industry was with Charrington Brewers in Manchester and he then came to Scottish & Newcastle Brewers in Edinburgh. Lorimer was firstly appointed marketing director of Grand Metropolitan Hotels in particular overseeing the J&B Rare account and then the administrator of Justerini & Brooks in George Street. With typical enthusiasm he described the post as the best job in Scotland.

The lunches he hosted in the offices were splendid affairs and have now become something of corporate legend. As one friend recalled: "They played to Henry's strengths - and to the weaknesses of all his friends - I mean his customers.

"The concluding ritual of the lunch was guessing the vintage of the port. If you guessed right, and you were capable, you took home a bottle for further tasting."

But under his relaxed manner there was a shrewd commercial mind and Lorimer's management of the office and imaginative sales campaigns were perceptively presented.

Lorimer was popular in the offices treating his staff fairly and with invariable courtesy: customers too responded to his convivial and honest nature. On retirement from Justerini & Brooks Lorimer lived in Peebles and did consultancy work.

Lorimer was a fine shot and an enthusiastic golfer. He worked for various charities - notably Macmillan Cancer Support and was involved in the fund raising to maintain Canova's Three Graces in Scotland. He was active in the Knights of Malta in Scotland, had been their delegate for Scotland and the Northern Marches and organised their annual fund-raising ball. He was chairman of the Scottish European Aid (SEA) which provides humanitarian community support and relief to poor countries.Jock Encombe, the chairman of Mercy Corps - formerly SEA - spoke warmly of the many years of service Lorimer gave the charities. "Henry played a critical role in making SEA a larger and more professional organisation - spearheading our humanitarian work in Bosnia.

"After we merged with Mercy Corps he was instrumental in upgrading the organisation so that it is now the largest non-government charitable organisation in Scotland. He substantially broadened our relief work. Any time spent with Henry was totally life-enhancing. He had firmly held values but his professionalism and humour were never far away. He was a splendid friend and colleague."

Lorimer was a proud and ardent Scot - delighting in often wearing full Highland dress. Kellie Castle, with its fine gardens and summerhouse designed by Sir Robert Lorimer, was taken over by the National Trust of Scotland in 1970 but Lorimer maintained close ties with his former family home.

The stables were converted into a sculpture museum concentrating on the work of Hew Lorimer who had used them as his studio.

In 1968 he married Diane (Dede) Sutton. She and their two sons survive him.