Collection GB 0074 CLC/B/026-2 - BRITISH MERCANTILE AGENCY

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/B/026-2

Title

BRITISH MERCANTILE AGENCY

Date(s)

  • 1858-1971 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

7 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

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. 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.

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/B/026-2 1858-1971 Collection 7 production units. British Mercantile Agency , debt collection business

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. 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.

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 the British Mercantile Agency, debt collection business, including prospectuses, financial accounts, enquiries, letters and a damping cloth used to take copies of letters and accounts.

Access is restricted to records less than 30 years old where specified and 24 hours notice is required for access to all the records.

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

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. Information sources Documents Business records Financial resources Debts Debt service Finance Public finance State budget Public debt External debt Debt relief Insolvency Francis Nicholls White and Co , insolvency accountants British Mercantile Agency , debt collection business 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 the British Mercantile Agency, debt collection business, including prospectuses, financial accounts, enquiries, letters and a damping cloth used to take copies of letters and accounts.

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

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

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