Collection GB 0074 CLC/B/012 - ANTONY GIBBS AND SONS LIMITED

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/B/012

Title

ANTONY GIBBS AND SONS LIMITED

Date(s)

  • 1683-1954 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

574 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The business of Antony Gibbs and Son was founded in London in 1808. In 1813 it became Antony Gibbs and Sons, and in 1948 Antony Gibbs and Sons Limited. It was converted into a public company in 1972 and in September 1973 its name was changed to Antony Gibbs Holdings Limited. The company is now owned by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

The firm was based at 13 Sherborne Lane, Lombard Street (from ca. 1809), 20 Great Winchester Street (1814-15), 28 Great Winchester Street (1815-26), 47 Lime Street (1826-50) and 15 Bishopsgate, later numbered 22 Bishopsgate (from 1850).

In 1881 Antony Gibbs and Sons absorbed two associated business houses, which had previously been separate firms: a company in Bristol originating in an eighteenth century partnership and trading from 1801 as Munckley, Gibbs and Richards, from 1802 as Gibbs, Richards and Gibbs, from 1808 as George Gibbs and Son, from 1818 as Gibbs, Son and Bright and from 1839 as Gibbs, Bright and Company; and a company in Liverpool founded in 1805 as Gibbs, Thompson and Company and from 1824 as Gibbs, Bright and Company, with two branch houses in Gloucester (1834-42) and Australia as Bright Brothers and Company (1853-81), with an office in Dunedin, New Zealand from 1864.

Under the management of Antony Gibbs and Sons from 1881 these houses were re-organised; the Bristol and Liverpool houses traded as Antony Gibbs, Sons and Company, and the Australian house as Gibbs, Bright and Company.

The company traded overseas under a variety of other names, as follows:
CADIZ, SPAIN: Antony Gibbs and Son, 1808; Antony Gibbs, Son and Branscombe, 1808-13; and Antony Gibbs Son and Co, 1814-27;
GIBRALTAR: Gibbs, Casson and Co, 1818-33;
PERU AND CHILE (LATER ALSO BOLIVIA AND BRAZIL): Gibbs, Crawley, Moens and Co, 1822-4; Gibbs, Crawley and Co, 1824-47; William Gibbs and Co, 1847-79; Gibbs and Co, 1880-1948; Gibbs and Cia S.A.C. from 1948 and Gibbs, Williamson Ltd, from 1933;
NEW YORK: Antony Gibbs and Co, 1913-20; and Antony Gibbs and Co Inc, from 1920.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/B/012 1683-1954 Collection 574 production units. Antony Gibbs and Sons Ltd , merchants and foreign bankers

The business of Antony Gibbs and Son was founded in London in 1808. In 1813 it became Antony Gibbs and Sons, and in 1948 Antony Gibbs and Sons Limited. It was converted into a public company in 1972 and in September 1973 its name was changed to Antony Gibbs Holdings Limited. The company is now owned by the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation.

The firm was based at 13 Sherborne Lane, Lombard Street (from ca. 1809), 20 Great Winchester Street (1814-15), 28 Great Winchester Street (1815-26), 47 Lime Street (1826-50) and 15 Bishopsgate, later numbered 22 Bishopsgate (from 1850).

In 1881 Antony Gibbs and Sons absorbed two associated business houses, which had previously been separate firms: a company in Bristol originating in an eighteenth century partnership and trading from 1801 as Munckley, Gibbs and Richards, from 1802 as Gibbs, Richards and Gibbs, from 1808 as George Gibbs and Son, from 1818 as Gibbs, Son and Bright and from 1839 as Gibbs, Bright and Company; and a company in Liverpool founded in 1805 as Gibbs, Thompson and Company and from 1824 as Gibbs, Bright and Company, with two branch houses in Gloucester (1834-42) and Australia as Bright Brothers and Company (1853-81), with an office in Dunedin, New Zealand from 1864.

Under the management of Antony Gibbs and Sons from 1881 these houses were re-organised; the Bristol and Liverpool houses traded as Antony Gibbs, Sons and Company, and the Australian house as Gibbs, Bright and Company.

The company traded overseas under a variety of other names, as follows:
CADIZ, SPAIN: Antony Gibbs and Son, 1808; Antony Gibbs, Son and Branscombe, 1808-13; and Antony Gibbs Son and Co, 1814-27;
GIBRALTAR: Gibbs, Casson and Co, 1818-33;
PERU AND CHILE (LATER ALSO BOLIVIA AND BRAZIL): Gibbs, Crawley, Moens and Co, 1822-4; Gibbs, Crawley and Co, 1824-47; William Gibbs and Co, 1847-79; Gibbs and Co, 1880-1948; Gibbs and Cia S.A.C. from 1948 and Gibbs, Williamson Ltd, from 1933;
NEW YORK: Antony Gibbs and Co, 1913-20; and Antony Gibbs and Co Inc, from 1920.

The Gibbs archive was deposited with the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in a series of deposits in 1963-5, 1976 and 1982. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Records of Antony Gibbs and Sons Limited, merchants and foreign bankers, and their branches and subsidiaries. Records include papers relating to the Gibbs family; correspondence, letters and letter books; ledgers and other financial records; papers and correspondence of branches in Peru, Chile, Australia, the West Indies, New York, Bristol and Liverpool; memoranda; trading agreements; minutes and reports; papers relating to the guano business and papers relating to the iodine industry.

Correspondence with foreign branches will be found in a number of different points in the catalogue. A keyword search of the online catalogue by the name of the branch and 'Gibbs' is the easiest access to branch correspondence.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Available for general access.

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. Western Europe UK England Avon Bristol Oceania Australia South America Chile Antony Gibbs and Sons Ltd , merchants and foreign bankers Trade (practice) Banking Finance Banks Financial institutions Overseas banks Phytochemicals Fertilizers Guano Information sources Documents Business records People People by occupation Personnel Mercantile personnel Merchants Trade International trade Chemicals Inorganic chemicals Elements Halogens Iodine Europe Peru City of London London New York USA North America Liverpool Lancashire Caribbean Occupations

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The Gibbs archive was deposited with the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in a series of deposits in 1963-5, 1976 and 1982. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Records of Antony Gibbs and Sons Limited, merchants and foreign bankers, and their branches and subsidiaries. Records include papers relating to the Gibbs family; correspondence, letters and letter books; ledgers and other financial records; papers and correspondence of branches in Peru, Chile, Australia, the West Indies, New York, Bristol and Liverpool; memoranda; trading agreements; minutes and reports; papers relating to the guano business and papers relating to the iodine industry.

Correspondence with foreign branches will be found in a number of different points in the catalogue. A keyword search of the online catalogue by the name of the branch and 'Gibbs' is the easiest access to branch correspondence.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Available for general access.

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