Alexander Craige Hendry Scott, born in Melbourne in 1864, came to New Zealand in the early 1890s and joined the Nelson cordial firm of James Hamilton (originally established in 1857 as Wadman & Farmer). Scott became manager of the firm and in 1897 bought the company, continuing to trade under the James Hamilton name. In 1902 he sold the company to JR Dodson & Co and moved initially to Christchurch.

In 1905 AC Scott purchased the C Nicholls cordial manufactory in Ponsonby Road trading as sole proprietor AC Scott & Co but continuing to use the Nicholls name in advertising. Two years later the factory was moved to 138 Ponsonby Road, situated between McKelvie street and Richmond Rd.

AC Scott & Co was part of the amalgamated consortium with Wm Handley Ltd and Wai Wai Ltd formed in 1918. AC Scott died the following year on 23/2/1919 but the company continued to market aerated waters and cordials under the AC Scott & Co brand name for the next fifty years.

Types of bottle used included:

Codd patent

Internal thread screw bottles (Scott’s first shipment arrived in NZ on 30/9/1910)

Crown top soft drink bottles

reference Murray Frost 2006 Cordially Yours