They migrated soon after their marriage in 1838 and lived in several parts of NSW before settling at Brundee.

Both parents died during the 1860s, and it was in 1883 that several members of the Pollock family established their first cordial factory at Brundee.

An advertisement indicated they manufactured "every description of cordials and aerated waters of the best quality" which they were prepared to deliver.

In due course, John moved to Bellingen and William to Moruya where they went into similar businesses.

Alexander stayed in the Shoalhaven, and he eventually built a factory behind his home in Berry Street, Nowra.

A go-ahead businessman, he sent his products to various prestigious competitions, and received certificates of merit at the Great Centennial International Exhibition of 1888-89, held in Melbourne.

Encouraged by this success, he sent cordials to the Chicago Exhibition in 1893, and his honours were revealed in a telegram sent to the Executive Commissioner for NSW.

In congratulating Pollock on taking a gold medal at "the world's great fair", The News, Shoalhaven revealed that his awards had been for lemon syrup, peppermint, cloves, lime juice cordial, raspberry syrup, ginger wine, orange bitters, hop bitters and sarsaparilla.

While most of the cordials were made mixing syrup and cane sugar with water, members of the Pollock family collected sarsaparilla leaves from the wild as the raw material for that flavour.

Impressed by the American success, Alexander included on his stationery, "Three Highest Honours and Medal, Chicago Exhibition".

He and his wife Honoria named their first born son Joseph Alexander Chicago when he was born later that year, but sadly he lived for only a few months.

During 1900 Alexander fell on kerbing at the corner of Junction and Kinghorne Streets, fracturing a kneecap and he was left a virtual cripple.

Honoria took over the day to day running of the factory, but her husband branched out to become licensee of the Bridge Hotel at Nowra, although he employed a manager.

Following Alexander's death in 1904 at the age of 56, his widow held the licence for a further three years.

The Pollocks continued in the cordial factory until 1910 when it was leased and then sold to Reginald Thomas.