Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1881-1962 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
35 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
A large number of Grahams companies, registered in Glasgow, were trading individually in Glasgow and elsewhere, including Portugal and India, as early as the late 18th century. Grahams Trading Company Limited, however, was incorporated on 29 July 1924, as general merchants and manufacturers all over the world, with a registered office at 7 St Helen's Place, EC3. It was an amalgamation of several of the older Grahams companies and the newly acquired "Portuguese companies". The latter, Abelheira Paper Mills Limited, Boa Vista Spinning and Weaving Company Limited and Braco de Prata Printing Company Limited, had all begun in the late 19th century and were registered in Glasgow but traded in Portugal through William Graham and Company, William and John Graham and Company, and William Graham Junior and Company, who acted as their agents and held title to the real estate in Portugal.
An assets company was also formed in 1924, known as the Reserved Assets Company Limited. Its registered office also was 7 St Helen's Place. It was wound up in 1936 on the reduction and reorganisation of the capital of the trading company. West European Industries Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary, was incorporated on 26 March 1930. Its registered office was 7 St Helen's Place, moving to 5 St Helen's Place in 1947. The Portuguese business of Grahams Trading Company Limited was held through West European Industries Limited. In 1947, the "Portuguese companies" went into voluntary liquidation, and the various mills and factories were gradually closed down and sold off in the 1950s. Grahams Trading Company Limited was taken over by Camp Bird Limited in 1957 and went into voluntary liquidation in 1960.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/036-07 1881-1962 Collection 35 production units. Grahams Trading Co Ltd , general merchants and manufacturers
A large number of Grahams companies, registered in Glasgow, were trading individually in Glasgow and elsewhere, including Portugal and India, as early as the late 18th century. Grahams Trading Company Limited, however, was incorporated on 29 July 1924, as general merchants and manufacturers all over the world, with a registered office at 7 St Helen's Place, EC3. It was an amalgamation of several of the older Grahams companies and the newly acquired "Portuguese companies". The latter, Abelheira Paper Mills Limited, Boa Vista Spinning and Weaving Company Limited and Braco de Prata Printing Company Limited, had all begun in the late 19th century and were registered in Glasgow but traded in Portugal through William Graham and Company, William and John Graham and Company, and William Graham Junior and Company, who acted as their agents and held title to the real estate in Portugal.
An assets company was also formed in 1924, known as the Reserved Assets Company Limited. Its registered office also was 7 St Helen's Place. It was wound up in 1936 on the reduction and reorganisation of the capital of the trading company. West European Industries Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary, was incorporated on 26 March 1930. Its registered office was 7 St Helen's Place, moving to 5 St Helen's Place in 1947. The Portuguese business of Grahams Trading Company Limited was held through West European Industries Limited. In 1947, the "Portuguese companies" went into voluntary liquidation, and the various mills and factories were gradually closed down and sold off in the 1950s. Grahams Trading Company Limited was taken over by Camp Bird Limited in 1957 and went into voluntary liquidation in 1960.
The archives of Grahams Trading Company Limited and of some of its subsidiaries were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in May 1987 by the Official Receiver, together with the archives of Camp Bird Limited. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
The records of Grahams Trading Company Limited consist of constitutional documents, minutes of the Board, executive committee, and annual general meetings, annual reports and accounts, financial material, register of directors, press cuttings and title deeds. This collection is held offsite and requires 24 hours notice for access.
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
CLC/B/036-01: Camp Bird Limited;
CLC/B/036-02: Abelheira Paper Mills Limited;
CLC/B/036-03: Boa Vista Spinning and Weaving Company;
CLC/B/036-04: Braco de Prata Printing Company;
CLC/B/036-05: Davis and Soper Limited;
CLC/B/036-06: Grahams (Lisbon) Limited;
CLC/B/036-07: Grahams Trading Company;
CLC/B/036-08: Reserved Assets Company;
CLC/B/036-09: Tekka Taiping Limited;
CLC/B/036-10: West European Industries Limited;
CLC/B/036-11: William Graham and Company;
CLC/B/036-12: William Graham Junior and Company.
A number of other records relating to the Company, [1925-1933] are held by the Archives Section of Lloyds TSB Group Plc, see staff for address and further details.
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. Portugal Grahams Trading Co Ltd , general merchants and manufacturers Industry Manufacturing industry Trade (practice) Overseas trade Information sources Documents Business records Enterprises Companies Trading companies Export trading companies Trade International trade Exports People People by occupation Personnel Mercantile personnel Merchants Western Europe Europe City of London London England UK
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The archives of Grahams Trading Company Limited and of some of its subsidiaries were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in May 1987 by the Official Receiver, together with the archives of Camp Bird Limited. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
The records of Grahams Trading Company Limited consist of constitutional documents, minutes of the Board, executive committee, and annual general meetings, annual reports and accounts, financial material, register of directors, press cuttings and title deeds. This collection is held offsite and requires 24 hours notice for access.
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
CLC/B/036-01: Camp Bird Limited;
CLC/B/036-02: Abelheira Paper Mills Limited;
CLC/B/036-03: Boa Vista Spinning and Weaving Company;
CLC/B/036-04: Braco de Prata Printing Company;
CLC/B/036-05: Davis and Soper Limited;
CLC/B/036-06: Grahams (Lisbon) Limited;
CLC/B/036-07: Grahams Trading Company;
CLC/B/036-08: Reserved Assets Company;
CLC/B/036-09: Tekka Taiping Limited;
CLC/B/036-10: West European Industries Limited;
CLC/B/036-11: William Graham and Company;
CLC/B/036-12: William Graham Junior and Company.
A number of other records relating to the Company, [1925-1933] are held by the Archives Section of Lloyds TSB Group Plc, see staff for address and further details.
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