Arthur Brown and Co x ABCO Petroleum Ltd

Arthur H Brown founded a company in 1860 trading in naval stores, turpentine, tallow etc. The firm is first listed in the trade directories in 1864 at 15 Rood Lane, before moving in 1867 to 44 Eastcheap. In 1871 the firm was bought by William Thompson Burningham, and moved to 26 Great St Helen's. It is listed as a firm of petroleum and colonial brokers. On Burningham's death the firm was taken on by his son, W J Burningham. It moved successively to 95 Bishopsgate Street (1880-9), 70 and 71 Bishopsgate Street (1890-1910), 91 and 93 Bishopsgate Street (1911-14), 36 Camomile Street (1915-18), 126 Bishopsgate Street (1919-25), Bevis Marks House (1926-35), Staple Hall, Stone House Court (1936-41), Bishops Avenue, N2 (1942-5), Bevis Marks House again (1946-62) and Lee House, London Wall (1963-7). Its primary concern was the trade of oil petroleum and wax. The firm expanded significantly after World War I when they became one of the first importers of Russian oil. In 1968 ABCO Petroleum Ltd, as it had become known, became a subsidiary of the Sinclair Oil Corporation.