A. E. & F. Tolley

The Tolley family were important winemakers, merchants and distillers in South Australia. Members of the family formed three businesses: A. E. & F. Tolley, wine merchants of Leigh Street, Adelaide, Tolley Scott & Tolley, distillers of Stepney and Nuriootpa, better known by the initials "T.S.T.", and Douglas A. Tolley Pty, Ltd., winemakers of Hope Valley.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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