Collection GB 0074 CLC/B/009 - ANGLO-MAIKOP GROUP

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/B/009

Title

ANGLO-MAIKOP GROUP

Date(s)

  • 1910-1949 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

69 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

Exploitation of the Maikop oilfield in the Kuban province of southern Russia began in the late 1870s. In 1909 the Anglo-Maikop Corporation was incorporated (with a registered office in London) to give financial assistance to a number of subsidiary companies working the various plots over which it had control. Subsidiary companies established in 1910 included Maikop Midland Oilfields Limited, Maikop Valley Oil Company Limited, Maikop Pipeline and Transport Company Limited, Maikop Refineries Limited, and Black Sea Oilfields Limited. In 1911 Levanovskoe Petroleum Company Limited and Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Limited were established, and Anglo-Maikop Corporation was reincorporated as a limited company.

In 1912 Maikop Combine Limited was formed as an amalgamation of Maikop and General Petroleum Trust Limited, Maikop Areas Limited, Maikop Apsheron Oil Company Limited, and Maikop Hadijensky Syndicate Limited. In 1913 Kuban Refining Company Limited was formed and in 1915 Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Limited was formed as an amalgamation of Black Sea Oilfields Limited, Maikop Victory Oil Company Limited and Maikop New Producers Limited.

All of the Anglo-Maikop companies were controlled financially by George Tweedy who was also the first general managing director. In 1913 an interest was acquired in Anglo-Roumanian Petroleum Company Limited (see Ms 24116), which was exploiting the district of Prahova, in Roumania. During the First World War the operations of some of the Anglo-Maikop companies were seriously affected by a scarcity of labour, and work had to be suspended in some areas until after the war.

In 1915 Russo-English Maikop Petroleum and Trading Company was formed in Russia, so that all the group's Russian properties could be transferred to a Russian registered company. However, this was of little benefit towards the long-term prospects of the group as, in January 1918, the Russian oil industry was nationalised by the new Soviet government without any compensation to former owners, whether nationals or foreigners.

Attempts in the 1920s to persuade the Soviet government to permit Anglo-Maikop to restart work on its properties in the Caucasus were largely unsuccessful, and a claim was made to the British government for compensation. Most operations appear to have ceased at this period, and the group was eventually dissolved in 1949. The group had London offices successively at 20 Bishopsgate, 7 Angel Court, 20 Copthall Avenue and 61 Moorgate.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/B/009 1910-1949 Collection 69 production units. Anglo-Maikop Group , oil mining company

Exploitation of the Maikop oilfield in the Kuban province of southern Russia began in the late 1870s. In 1909 the Anglo-Maikop Corporation was incorporated (with a registered office in London) to give financial assistance to a number of subsidiary companies working the various plots over which it had control. Subsidiary companies established in 1910 included Maikop Midland Oilfields Limited, Maikop Valley Oil Company Limited, Maikop Pipeline and Transport Company Limited, Maikop Refineries Limited, and Black Sea Oilfields Limited. In 1911 Levanovskoe Petroleum Company Limited and Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Limited were established, and Anglo-Maikop Corporation was reincorporated as a limited company.

In 1912 Maikop Combine Limited was formed as an amalgamation of Maikop and General Petroleum Trust Limited, Maikop Areas Limited, Maikop Apsheron Oil Company Limited, and Maikop Hadijensky Syndicate Limited. In 1913 Kuban Refining Company Limited was formed and in 1915 Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Limited was formed as an amalgamation of Black Sea Oilfields Limited, Maikop Victory Oil Company Limited and Maikop New Producers Limited.

All of the Anglo-Maikop companies were controlled financially by George Tweedy who was also the first general managing director. In 1913 an interest was acquired in Anglo-Roumanian Petroleum Company Limited (see Ms 24116), which was exploiting the district of Prahova, in Roumania. During the First World War the operations of some of the Anglo-Maikop companies were seriously affected by a scarcity of labour, and work had to be suspended in some areas until after the war.

In 1915 Russo-English Maikop Petroleum and Trading Company was formed in Russia, so that all the group's Russian properties could be transferred to a Russian registered company. However, this was of little benefit towards the long-term prospects of the group as, in January 1918, the Russian oil industry was nationalised by the new Soviet government without any compensation to former owners, whether nationals or foreigners.

Attempts in the 1920s to persuade the Soviet government to permit Anglo-Maikop to restart work on its properties in the Caucasus were largely unsuccessful, and a claim was made to the British government for compensation. Most operations appear to have ceased at this period, and the group was eventually dissolved in 1949. The group had London offices successively at 20 Bishopsgate, 7 Angel Court, 20 Copthall Avenue and 61 Moorgate.

The surviving records were presented to Guildhall Library in 1989, having remained until then in the possession of the family and descendants of George Tweedy. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Papers of the Anglo-Maikop Group, oil mining company, and subsidiaries as follows:
Anglo-Maikop Corporation Ltd. (Mss 24054-62);
Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24063-8);
Kuban Refining Co. Ltd. (Mss 24069-74);
Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24075-7);
Levanovskoe Petroleum Co.Ltd. (Mss 24078-83);
Maikop Combine Ltd. (Mss 24084-90);
Maikop Midland Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24091-6);
Maikop Pipeline and Transport Co. Ltd. (Mss 24097-103);
Maikop Refineries Ltd. (Mss 24104-9);
Maikop Valley Oil Co. Ltd. (Mss 24110-15).

The records include memoranda and articles of association; minutes; financial records and accounts; agreements; and reports.

Records divided into two sub-fonds; CLC/B/009-1: Anglo-Maikop Group and CLC/B/009-2: Anglo-Roumanian Petroleum Company Limited.

Access by appointment only. Please contact staff.

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

November 2010 to January 2011. Kuban Refining Co Ltd Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Ltd Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Ltd Levanovskoe Petroleum Co Ltd Maikop Combine Ltd Maikop Midland Oilfields Ltd Maikop Pipeline and Transport Co Ltd Maikop Refineries Ltd Maikop Valley Oil Co Ltd Anglo-Roumanian Petroleum Co Ltd Information sources Documents Business records Oil Petroleum Fuels Energy policy Energy supply Oil supply Energy resources Nonrenewable energy sources Petroleum resources Oil extraction Oilfields Petroleum refineries Facilities Industrial facilities Oil refineries Industry Power industry Petroleum industry Anglo-Maikop Corporation Ltd , oil mining company Russia Eastern Europe Krym Ukraine City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe Crimea

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The surviving records were presented to Guildhall Library in 1989, having remained until then in the possession of the family and descendants of George Tweedy. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Papers of the Anglo-Maikop Group, oil mining company, and subsidiaries as follows:
Anglo-Maikop Corporation Ltd. (Mss 24054-62);
Kuban Black Sea Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24063-8);
Kuban Refining Co. Ltd. (Mss 24069-74);
Black Sea Amalgamated Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24075-7);
Levanovskoe Petroleum Co.Ltd. (Mss 24078-83);
Maikop Combine Ltd. (Mss 24084-90);
Maikop Midland Oilfields Ltd. (Mss 24091-6);
Maikop Pipeline and Transport Co. Ltd. (Mss 24097-103);
Maikop Refineries Ltd. (Mss 24104-9);
Maikop Valley Oil Co. Ltd. (Mss 24110-15).

The records include memoranda and articles of association; minutes; financial records and accounts; agreements; and reports.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Records divided into two sub-fonds; CLC/B/009-1: Anglo-Maikop Group and CLC/B/009-2: Anglo-Roumanian Petroleum Company Limited.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access by appointment only. Please contact staff.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

Finding aids

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

Allied materials area

Existence and location of originals

Existence and location of copies

Related units of description

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

Rules and/or conventions used

Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Status

Level of detail

Dates of creation revision deletion

Language(s)

  • English

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area