"An asset that Oamaru should be very grateful to have had."
That is how former Oamaru Licensing Trust general manager Tony Alden describes Bevan Crombie, a man with a reputation as both a businessman and a gentleman.
Mr Crombie, who died in Oamaru on June 13, aged 95, stamped his mark on the town he moved to in 1954 through both his business and community endeavours.
Born in November, 1928, and educated at Marist Brothers School in Invercargill, Mr Crombie already had a strong connection to Oamaru. His grandfather John Crombie was a stonemason who built many prominent features, including the Craig Fountain in the Oamaru Public Gardens and the Fallen Troopers’ Memorial in Thames St, along with both the Brydone Monument at Totara Estate and the McKenzie monument on Puketapu Hill, Palmerston.
Mr Crombie trained as a pilot in 1944-45 but World War 2 finished before he was old enough to be dispatched and he completed a pharmacy degree in Wellington.
After working in a pharmacy in Invercargill, he bought Bremner’s Pharmacy in Oamaru’s main street and Crombie the Chemist opened its doors.
After 15 years in business, what Mr Crombie once described as "an extraordinary thing happened" — Oamaru’s nationally-known health tonic Lane’s Emulsion went on the market.
Invented in the late 1890s by Edward "Ted" Lane, the cod-liver oil-based emulsion was made in the town’s historic precinct.
Mr Crombie was approached by the New Zealand Insurance Trust Department to buy the company and, after some hesitation, Crombie and Price was formed with his great friend Des Price, from Invercargill.
It was a formulation that worked brilliantly well and it continued until the 1980s by which time over 20 million bottles had been sold. Decades later, the business still fielded inquiries about it.
"It was the kind of stuff kids either liked or hated — you could get 50 of them together and 25 would like it and 25 would say it was pushed down their throats. But I still see some splendid specimens of people that I can credit to Lane’s Emulsion," he recalled during an interview with the Otago Daily Times in 2016.
But it was more than a winning product he bought. He had infrastructure he soon learned to capitalise on.
With the tonic being shipped throughout the country, Crombie and Price had a distribution company available when other opportunities arose.
That included importing a range of French perfumes, including distributing the fragrance Joy by Jean Patou, as worn by the likes of Jackie Kennedy, Maria Callas and Vivien Leigh.
It was during the 1970s and 1980s that the business took off, when Crombie and Price saw another opportunity with the closure of some large drug companies to import a range of pharmaceutical sundries.
Mr Crombie’s background in pharmacy paid off again in the 1980s when the health supplements industry started to come alive. While other companies were pursuing vitamins and health supplements, he saw the opportunities in gluten-free, wheat-free, egg-free, nut-free, dairy-free and vegan products. Crombie and Price is now the biggest importer of gluten-free products in New Zealand and the country’s largest distributor of natural health products.
Mr Crombie’s youngest son John later took over as managing director of the business, while Mr Crombie kept a strong interest in the operation.
Mr Crombie helped establish the Oamaru Licensing Trust in 1961 and served a long tenure as chairman. He was also a life member of New Zealand Licensing Trusts Association.
Mr Alden described Mr Crombie as a "truly wonderful man who, in so many ways, did so much for Oamaru".
"He was a visionary and surrounded himself with a formidable team. JB was an asset that Oamaru should be very grateful to have had. The world was certainly a better place because of Bevan."
When local confectionery factory Regina Confections went into receivership, Mr Crombie persevered to keep the business in the town despite half the board not wanting to make an investment.
"Over many months, Bevan craftily sussed out the dissenters’ reasons and, when the board had to say yes or no, one was swayed by Bevan ... I think the trust made a 56% return on its 15-month investment," Mr Alden recalled.
Mr Crombie was also a gifted orator, summed up by the official opening of the Maheno Tavern.
"As chairman, Bevan’s role was to thank all involved, say the right things and declare it duly open.
"But on opening afternoon, the lino in front of the bar wasn’t ready. Work inside was proceeding at pace so word came out to Bevan: "keep talking and we will let you know when to declare it open".
"He achieved an elongated opening speech, a nod from the builder, and Maheno was duly declared open," Mr Alden said.
With his interest in flying, Mr Crombie helped form the North Otago Aero Club in 1956 and was the inaugural president. He was also a life member of the club. He was one of only four life members of the Oamaru Jockey Club, having joined the committee about 1967. He was president for about seven years and remained a committee member until his death.
Club president Nigel Rooney said Mr Crombie raced a few horses, without much success. His best horse, in which he was a part-owner, was Macron who had a win at the Boxing Day races at Wingatui.
Mr Crombie was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Margaret, 19 years ago. The couple had four children — Peter, the late Cathy, John and Anne — and he is survived by them and their families. — Sally Rae
