Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1860-1968 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
198 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Brown, Shipley and Company, merchant bankers, of Founders' Court, Lothbury, originated with the establishment of William Brown and Company, merchants and shippers, in Liverpool in 1810, by William Brown. In 1814 William was joined by his brother James to form William and James Brown and Company. Joseph Shipley became a partner in 1825 and in 1837 the company changed its name to Brown, Shipley and Company. Although originally formed to act as agents for the American business interests of Alexander Brown (William and James' father), the company soon became involved in the exchange and credit business. Its merchant banking interests developed rapidly and by 1860 had become more important than its mercantile and shipping interests. Consequently a London office was opened at Founders' Court, Lothbury, in 1863, where the company has remained ever since. It changed its name to Brown, Shipley and Company Limited upon incorporation in 1946. The Liverpool office was closed in 1888. The surviving archive of the London office dates from 1864.
Until 1914 the company was a branch of the American company Brown Brothers and Company, and partners were individually members of both the American and English companies. In 1914 the articles of association were changed so that each company became a partner in the other. This arrangement became impossible after the Registration of Business Names Act became law in 1916 in England, and new taxation laws became effective in the United States, so on January 1st 1918 Brown, Shipley and Company withdrew from Brown Brothers and Company, and the latter withdrew from Brown, Shipley; but they continued to work in close co-operation as correspondents and agents.
In April 1900 the company opened an office at 123 Pall Mall to deal primarily with letters of credit for American travellers. Records of this branch are catalogued as Ms 20151-153 (CLC/B/032-02). The decline in the issue of letters of credit due to the growth in the use of travellers cheques led to the closure of the branch in 1955.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/032 1860-1968 Collection 198 production units. Brown, Shipley and Co Ltd , merchant bankers
Brown, Shipley and Company, merchant bankers, of Founders' Court, Lothbury, originated with the establishment of William Brown and Company, merchants and shippers, in Liverpool in 1810, by William Brown. In 1814 William was joined by his brother James to form William and James Brown and Company. Joseph Shipley became a partner in 1825 and in 1837 the company changed its name to Brown, Shipley and Company. Although originally formed to act as agents for the American business interests of Alexander Brown (William and James' father), the company soon became involved in the exchange and credit business. Its merchant banking interests developed rapidly and by 1860 had become more important than its mercantile and shipping interests. Consequently a London office was opened at Founders' Court, Lothbury, in 1863, where the company has remained ever since. It changed its name to Brown, Shipley and Company Limited upon incorporation in 1946. The Liverpool office was closed in 1888. The surviving archive of the London office dates from 1864.
Until 1914 the company was a branch of the American company Brown Brothers and Company, and partners were individually members of both the American and English companies. In 1914 the articles of association were changed so that each company became a partner in the other. This arrangement became impossible after the Registration of Business Names Act became law in 1916 in England, and new taxation laws became effective in the United States, so on January 1st 1918 Brown, Shipley and Company withdrew from Brown Brothers and Company, and the latter withdrew from Brown, Shipley; but they continued to work in close co-operation as correspondents and agents.
In April 1900 the company opened an office at 123 Pall Mall to deal primarily with letters of credit for American travellers. Records of this branch are catalogued as Ms 20151-153 (CLC/B/032-02). The decline in the issue of letters of credit due to the growth in the use of travellers cheques led to the closure of the branch in 1955.
These records were deposited by the Company in 1981.
Records of Brown, Shipley and Company Limited, merchant bankers. These archives relate to the Founders' Court and Pall Mall offices. They comprise some articles of partnership, minutes, correspondence, customer account records, financial material and some office plans.
Material arranged in two sections: CLC/B/032-01: Brown, Shipley and Company Limited; CLC/B/032-02: Brown, Shipley and Company Limited Pall Mall Branch.
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
Some records, mainly modern, are retained by the company, and the records of the Liverpool office are in the custody of Liverpool Record Office, City Libraries, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EW.
A history of the company can be found in Heir of Adventure . The Story of Brown, Shipley and Co, Merchant Bankers, 1810-1960 by Aytoun Ellis (privately published by the company, 1960).
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. Finance Financial institutions Banks Banking Merchant banking People People by occupation Business people Bank employees Bankers Business records Documents Information sources Brown , Shipley and Co Ltd , merchant bankers City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe Occupations
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These records were deposited by the Company in 1981.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Brown, Shipley and Company Limited, merchant bankers. These archives relate to the Founders' Court and Pall Mall offices. They comprise some articles of partnership, minutes, correspondence, customer account records, financial material and some office plans.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Material arranged in two sections: CLC/B/032-01: Brown, Shipley and Company Limited; CLC/B/032-02: Brown, Shipley and Company Limited Pall Mall Branch.
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
Some records, mainly modern, are retained by the company, and the records of the Liverpool office are in the custody of Liverpool Record Office, City Libraries, William Brown Street, Liverpool L3 8EW.
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