Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1858-1986 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
29 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Booth White was formed in 1967 as Booth White and Company as a result of a merger between Parkin S Booth and Company, insolvency accountants of London and Liverpool, and Francis Nicholls White and Company, insolvency accountants of London. The new firm moved to 1 Wardrobe Place, Carter Lane, St Pauls, London in 1967, and to 9 Raleigh House, Admirals Way, Waterside, London in 1989. Its name was shortened to Booth White in 1989. The firm has branches at Bristol, Chatham, Chester, Ipswich, Llandudno, Liverpool, Medway, Preston, Sidcup, Southend-on-Sea and Watford. The Liverpool office of the firm still practises under the name Parkin S Booth and Company.
Francis Nicholls White and Company originated before 1858 as Robinson, Nicholls and Company of 13 Old Jewry, London. In 1863 the name was changed to Francis Nicholls White and Company, in 1866 to Nicholls and Leatherdale and, in 1885, back to Francis Nicholls White and Company. From its beginnings, the firm practised as accountants dealing only with insolvency matters; it also acted as proprietors of a debt collection business known as the British Mercantile Agency and of a number of trade associations. The practice continued at 13/14 Old Jewry Chambers until 1924 when it moved to 73 Cheapside; in 1954 it moved to 19 Eastcheap. In 1967 the firm amalgamated with Parkin S Booth and Company.
Francis Nicholls White and Company acted as proprietor of a debt collection business known as the British Mercantile Agency which had been established in 1855. The firm also owned a number of trade associations formed as specialised branches of the agency, in particular the Paper Trade Protection Association, the Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association and Cooper Craigs Limited (which dealt with the drapery, hosiery, millinery and textile trades). The aims of these associations were to safeguard their members against the risk of bad debts, to recover overdue accounts and to minimise the loss to members in insolvencies. In 1924, when Francis Nicholls White and Company moved from 13/14 Old Jewry Chambers, the British Mercantile Agency moved to 90 Queen Street, London. In 1966 it relocated to Sidcup House, Station Road, Sidcup. Subsequently the agency was acquired by Woods Management Services. They sold it to Legal and Trade who dropped the name of British Mercantile Agency, since when it has ceased to exist.
Parkin S Booth and Company, an insolvency practice, was founded by Parkin S Booth in Liverpool in 1907. The founder also acted as proprietor of the Palatine Trade Protection Office. The firm opened an office in London, at Kimberley House, Holborn Viaduct, in 1949. In 1967 it amalgamated with the insolvency practice Francis Nicholls White and Company to form Booth White and Company (now Booth White). The Liverpool office, at 5 Rumford Place, Chapel Street, Liverpool, continues to practise under the name Parkin S Booth and Company.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/026 1858-1986 Collection 29 production units. Booth White , insolvency accountants
Booth White was formed in 1967 as Booth White and Company as a result of a merger between Parkin S Booth and Company, insolvency accountants of London and Liverpool, and Francis Nicholls White and Company, insolvency accountants of London. The new firm moved to 1 Wardrobe Place, Carter Lane, St Pauls, London in 1967, and to 9 Raleigh House, Admirals Way, Waterside, London in 1989. Its name was shortened to Booth White in 1989. The firm has branches at Bristol, Chatham, Chester, Ipswich, Llandudno, Liverpool, Medway, Preston, Sidcup, Southend-on-Sea and Watford. The Liverpool office of the firm still practises under the name Parkin S Booth and Company.
Francis Nicholls White and Company originated before 1858 as Robinson, Nicholls and Company of 13 Old Jewry, London. In 1863 the name was changed to Francis Nicholls White and Company, in 1866 to Nicholls and Leatherdale and, in 1885, back to Francis Nicholls White and Company. From its beginnings, the firm practised as accountants dealing only with insolvency matters; it also acted as proprietors of a debt collection business known as the British Mercantile Agency and of a number of trade associations. The practice continued at 13/14 Old Jewry Chambers until 1924 when it moved to 73 Cheapside; in 1954 it moved to 19 Eastcheap. In 1967 the firm amalgamated with Parkin S Booth and Company.
Francis Nicholls White and Company acted as proprietor of a debt collection business known as the British Mercantile Agency which had been established in 1855. The firm also owned a number of trade associations formed as specialised branches of the agency, in particular the Paper Trade Protection Association, the Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association and Cooper Craigs Limited (which dealt with the drapery, hosiery, millinery and textile trades). The aims of these associations were to safeguard their members against the risk of bad debts, to recover overdue accounts and to minimise the loss to members in insolvencies. In 1924, when Francis Nicholls White and Company moved from 13/14 Old Jewry Chambers, the British Mercantile Agency moved to 90 Queen Street, London. In 1966 it relocated to Sidcup House, Station Road, Sidcup. Subsequently the agency was acquired by Woods Management Services. They sold it to Legal and Trade who dropped the name of British Mercantile Agency, since when it has ceased to exist.
Parkin S Booth and Company, an insolvency practice, was founded by Parkin S Booth in Liverpool in 1907. The founder also acted as proprietor of the Palatine Trade Protection Office. The firm opened an office in London, at Kimberley House, Holborn Viaduct, in 1949. In 1967 it amalgamated with the insolvency practice Francis Nicholls White and Company to form Booth White and Company (now Booth White). The Liverpool office, at 5 Rumford Place, Chapel Street, Liverpool, continues to practise under the name Parkin S Booth and Company.
The archives of Booth White together with those of Nicholls and Leatherdale, Francis Nicholls White and Company, the British Mercantile Agency and its trade protection associations, and Parkin S Booth and Company were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library on 12 November 1992 by Booth White through P. Granville White via the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of Booth White, insolvency accountants, and subsidiaries Nicholls and Leatherdale; Francis Nicholls White and Company; the British Mercantile Agency; Cooper Craigs Limited; the Paper Trade Protection Association; the Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association; and Parkin S Booth and Company.
Access is restricted to records less than 30 years old where specified and 24 hours notice is required for access to all the records.
The archives are catalogued under the names of the individual companies and organisations as follows: Nicholls and Leatherdale (Ms 28871); Francis Nicholls White and Company (Ms 28872- 28879); British Mercantile Agency (Ms 28880- 28886); Cooper Craigs Limited (Ms 28887- 28888); Paper Trade Protection Association (Ms 28889- 28890); Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association (Ms 28891- 28893); Parkin S Booth and Company (Ms 28894- 28896); Booth White (Ms 28897- 28900).
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
For a brief history of Booth White and its constituent bodies see P. Granville White, Booth White & Co (1983) (available in the collection, see CLC/B/026/MS28898).
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. Parkin S Booth and Co , insolvency accountants Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association Finance Insolvency Information sources Documents Business records People People by occupation Business people Accountants Occupations Accountancy Paper Trade Protection Association Nicholls and Leatherdale , insolvency accountants Francis Nicholls White and Co , insolvency accountants British Mercantile Agency , debt collection business Booth White , insolvency accountants London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The archives of Booth White together with those of Nicholls and Leatherdale, Francis Nicholls White and Company, the British Mercantile Agency and its trade protection associations, and Parkin S Booth and Company were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library on 12 November 1992 by Booth White through P. Granville White via the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Booth White, insolvency accountants, and subsidiaries Nicholls and Leatherdale; Francis Nicholls White and Company; the British Mercantile Agency; Cooper Craigs Limited; the Paper Trade Protection Association; the Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association; and Parkin S Booth and Company.
Access is restricted to records less than 30 years old where specified and 24 hours notice is required for access to all the records.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
The archives are catalogued under the names of the individual companies and organisations as follows: Nicholls and Leatherdale (Ms 28871); Francis Nicholls White and Company (Ms 28872- 28879); British Mercantile Agency (Ms 28880- 28886); Cooper Craigs Limited (Ms 28887- 28888); Paper Trade Protection Association (Ms 28889- 28890); Wholesale Chemists and Allied Trades Protection Association (Ms 28891- 28893); Parkin S Booth and Company (Ms 28894- 28896); Booth White (Ms 28897- 28900).
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
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
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