Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1954-2000 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
2.78 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The family business was established in the early 1800s in London and traded as pawnbrokers and jewellers. The main company, G.W. and A.E. Thomson Limited occupied premises at 36 Chalk Farm Road. The company established several branches which were situated at:
105 Uxbridge Road 'Shepherd's Bush Branch'
756 - 158 Holloway Road Branch
228 Kilburn High Street
63 Praed Street
The Holloway Road Branch was subject to an armed robbery in 1983 in which a staff assistant had been party. The branch closed the following year.
In 1954 an additional business was opened at 158 Portobello Road which was incorporated as A. E. and D. A. Thomson Limited.
In 1963 a further additional business was opened at Watford which was incorporated as D. A. Thomson and Sons Limited. This business closed in April 1982.
The companies traded as 'Thomsons.'
Saramar Limited was a mail order business run by the family. It was incorporated in 1964. The company ceased to trade in March 1998 and dissolved in 2000.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4702 1954-2000 Collection 2.78 linear metres G.W. and A.E. Thomson Limited , Pawnbrokers and jewellers
A. E. and D. A. Thomson Limited , Pawnbrokers and jewellers
D. A. Thomson and Sons Limited , Pawnbrokers and jewellers , 1963-1982
Saramar Limited , Mail Order Company , 1964-2000
The family business was established in the early 1800s in London and traded as pawnbrokers and jewellers. The main company, G.W. and A.E. Thomson Limited occupied premises at 36 Chalk Farm Road. The company established several branches which were situated at:
105 Uxbridge Road 'Shepherd's Bush Branch'
756 - 158 Holloway Road Branch
228 Kilburn High Street
63 Praed Street
The Holloway Road Branch was subject to an armed robbery in 1983 in which a staff assistant had been party. The branch closed the following year.
In 1954 an additional business was opened at 158 Portobello Road which was incorporated as A. E. and D. A. Thomson Limited.
In 1963 a further additional business was opened at Watford which was incorporated as D. A. Thomson and Sons Limited. This business closed in April 1982.
The companies traded as 'Thomsons.'
Saramar Limited was a mail order business run by the family. It was incorporated in 1964. The company ceased to trade in March 1998 and dissolved in 2000.
Donated in June 2013 and May 2014.
The collection includes ledgers showing pledges, stock and sales books; balance sheets and accounts; certificates of incorporation or memorandum and articles of agreement; correspondence covering a range of topics including the robbery of the Holloway Branch, letters from customers and matters relating to the closure or liquidisation of branches. There are also a series of auction sale catalogues (a family member was also a director of the London Bridge Auction Rooms) showing lots put for sale by Thomsons.
Arranged in six record groups as follows:
LMA/4702/01: Corporate and administrative
LMA/4702/02: Finance
LMA/4702/03: Operations
LMA/4702/04: A. E. and D. A. Thomson Limited
LMA/4702/05: D. A. Thomson and Sons Limited
LMA/4702/06: Saramar Limited
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright is held by the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
The British Library hold an oral history recorded as part of the Millennium Memory Bank project (C900/05089) of Nigel Thomson (listed as Thompson) one of the last of the family to operate the business.
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.
Added April 2016. People by occupation Personnel Workers Skilled workers Craft workers Jewellers Finance Money lending Pawnbroking People Pawnbrokers Merchants Mercantile personnel G W and A E Thomson Limited
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated in June 2013 and May 2014.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The collection includes ledgers showing pledges, stock and sales books; balance sheets and accounts; certificates of incorporation or memorandum and articles of agreement; correspondence covering a range of topics including the robbery of the Holloway Branch, letters from customers and matters relating to the closure or liquidisation of branches. There are also a series of auction sale catalogues (a family member was also a director of the London Bridge Auction Rooms) showing lots put for sale by Thomsons.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged in six record groups as follows:
LMA/4702/01: Corporate and administrative
LMA/4702/02: Finance
LMA/4702/03: Operations
LMA/4702/04: A. E. and D. A. Thomson Limited
LMA/4702/05: D. A. Thomson and Sons Limited
LMA/4702/06: Saramar Limited
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright is held by the City of London.
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
The British Library hold an oral history recorded as part of the Millennium Memory Bank project (C900/05089) of Nigel Thomson (listed as Thompson) one of the last of the family to operate the business.
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