Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1903-1972 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
75 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
John Binny established himself in business in South India in 1799. In the early years banking was the mainstay of his business, but from the mid 19th century Binnys began to acquire steamship agencies and to diversify into trade in general commodities, particularly coffee. In the last quarter of the 19th century the company turned its attention to textiles, establishing the Buckingham Mill Company and the Carnatic Mill, both near Madras, in 1876 and 1881 respectively. A little later, they took over the managing agency of the Bangalore Woollen, Cotton and Silk Mill.
In 1906 the collapse of the banking house of Arbuthnot and Company in Madras caused a run on Binnys which forced it to wind up. Sir James Mackay, then managing director of British India Steam Navigation Company, and later first Earl of Inchcape, bought the old firm and formed a new public company, incorporated in London as Binny and Company Limited, which took over the agencies formerly held by Binnys. The new head office was in London, rather than Madras, located in the offices of BISN, and former partners were appointed as managers in Madras.
In 1920, Binny hived off all its Indian interests to a new company, incorporated in India as Binny and Company (Madras) Limited. Binnys in London acted as agent for its Madras associate. At about the same time, the Buckingham and Carnatic Company Limited was incorporated in India to consolidate the two Madras mill companies.
In 1924 Binny and Company (Madras) Limited became Madras agents for the P & O Company, thus bringing closer the connection with Lord Inchcape. Binny and Company (Madras) Limited also formed an engineering department, dealing chiefly with ship repairs at first, but later extending to structural steel work and becoming a subsidiary company, Binny's Engineering Works (Private) Limited.
Binny and Company Limited joined the Inchcape Group in 1958. The company had offices successively in East India Avenue, Fenchurch Street, Throgmorton Avenue and Leadenhall Street.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/123-10 1903-1972 Collection 75 production units. Binny and Co Ltd , steamship agency, traders and mill operators
Binny and Co (Madras) Ltd , steamship agency, traders and engineers
Buckingham and Carnatic Co Ltd , textile mills
John Binny established himself in business in South India in 1799. In the early years banking was the mainstay of his business, but from the mid 19th century Binnys began to acquire steamship agencies and to diversify into trade in general commodities, particularly coffee. In the last quarter of the 19th century the company turned its attention to textiles, establishing the Buckingham Mill Company and the Carnatic Mill, both near Madras, in 1876 and 1881 respectively. A little later, they took over the managing agency of the Bangalore Woollen, Cotton and Silk Mill.
In 1906 the collapse of the banking house of Arbuthnot and Company in Madras caused a run on Binnys which forced it to wind up. Sir James Mackay, then managing director of British India Steam Navigation Company, and later first Earl of Inchcape, bought the old firm and formed a new public company, incorporated in London as Binny and Company Limited, which took over the agencies formerly held by Binnys. The new head office was in London, rather than Madras, located in the offices of BISN, and former partners were appointed as managers in Madras.
In 1920, Binny hived off all its Indian interests to a new company, incorporated in India as Binny and Company (Madras) Limited. Binnys in London acted as agent for its Madras associate. At about the same time, the Buckingham and Carnatic Company Limited was incorporated in India to consolidate the two Madras mill companies.
In 1924 Binny and Company (Madras) Limited became Madras agents for the P & O Company, thus bringing closer the connection with Lord Inchcape. Binny and Company (Madras) Limited also formed an engineering department, dealing chiefly with ship repairs at first, but later extending to structural steel work and becoming a subsidiary company, Binny's Engineering Works (Private) Limited.
Binny and Company Limited joined the Inchcape Group in 1958. The company had offices successively in East India Avenue, Fenchurch Street, Throgmorton Avenue and Leadenhall Street.
These archives were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1987-8 by Inchcape Plc. They were catalogued in 1988-9. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of Binny and Company Limited, steamship agency, traders, textile mill operators and engineers, including articles of association; annual reports; financial accounts; investment ledgers; correspondence; memoranda; papers regarding company history; and photographs of staff, offices and works.
Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.
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
This collection is a sub-fond within the Inchcape Group fonds. See CLC/B/123 for a list of all the companies represented in this collection and a history of the Inchcape Group.
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.
January to May 2011. Ships Steamships People People by occupation Personnel Industrial personnel Manufacturers Textile manufacturers Silk manufacturers Documents Information sources Business records Transport engineering Marine engineering Shipbuilding Industry Manufacturing industry Textile industry Cotton textile industry Cotton weaving Vehicles Transport Wool industry Construction engineering Buckingham and Carnatic Co Ltd , textile mills Binny and Co (Madras) Ltd , , steamship agency , traders and engineers Binny and Co Ltd , steamship agency , traders and mill operators India South Asia
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These archives were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1987-8 by Inchcape Plc. They were catalogued in 1988-9. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Binny and Company Limited, steamship agency, traders, textile mill operators and engineers, including articles of association; annual reports; financial accounts; investment ledgers; correspondence; memoranda; papers regarding company history; and photographs of staff, offices and works.
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
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
This collection is a sub-fond within the Inchcape Group fonds. See CLC/B/123 for a list of all the companies represented in this collection and a history of the Inchcape Group.
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
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
- Vehicles » Ships
- Personnel
- Documents
- Information sources
- Transport engineering
- Transport engineering » Marine engineering
- Transport engineering » Marine engineering » Shipbuilding
- Industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry
- Industry » Manufacturing industry » Textile industry
- Vehicles
- Transport
- Construction engineering
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
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