Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1856-1974 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
35 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Guinness and Mahon, land agents, was established in Dublin in 1836 by Robert Rundell Guinness (1789-1857) and John Ross Mahon (1814-1887). Within a short time, banking became the firm's main concern. It was renamed Guinness, Mahon and Company in 1851 and a London agency was opened in 1873. In 1916 three of Robert Rundell Guinness's grandsons retired from the firm following the death of their father, Richard Seymour Guinness, and the London office was closed. Their cousin, Howard Rundell Guinness was left with the small banking firm in Dublin. The London office was reopened in 1923 by Howard Rundell Guinness and his three sons (Henry Samuel Howard Guinness, Edward Douglas Guinness and Arthur Rundell Guinness, who became partners in the firm).
The firm in Ireland was registered as a private unlimited company in 1942, with the name Guinness and Mahon. The London business was henceforth called Guinness, Mahon and Company. In 1963 Viking International Corporation Limited (previously known as Viking Tanker Company Limited) acquired all the share capital of Guinness, Mahon and Company. Viking International Corporation Limited was renamed Guinness Mahon Holdings Limited. In 1973 Guinness Mahon Holdings Limited and Guinness, Mahon and Company Limited were acquired by Lewis and Peat Limited. The new holding company was called Guinness Peat Group Limited. The merchant bank, Guinness, Mahon & Company, continued business under the same name. In 1988 Guinness Peat Group was demerged into three groups: Guinness Mahon Holdings comprising the Guinness Mahon merchant bank and related investment management; Fenchurch Insurance; and off-shore activities. In 1991 the Bank of Yokohama acquired full ownership of Guinness Mahon Holdings. In 1998 it was sold to Investec of South Africa.
The London firm was based at St Swithin's Lane ([1873]-1901), 81 Lombard Street (1902-1916), 20 Bishopsgate ([1923]-1926), 53 Cornhill (1927-1964), 3 Gracechurch Street (1964-[1976]), 32 St Mary at Hill ([1976]-).
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/108 1856-1974 Collection 35 production units. Guinness, Mahon and Co , bankers
Guinness and Mahon, land agents, was established in Dublin in 1836 by Robert Rundell Guinness (1789-1857) and John Ross Mahon (1814-1887). Within a short time, banking became the firm's main concern. It was renamed Guinness, Mahon and Company in 1851 and a London agency was opened in 1873. In 1916 three of Robert Rundell Guinness's grandsons retired from the firm following the death of their father, Richard Seymour Guinness, and the London office was closed. Their cousin, Howard Rundell Guinness was left with the small banking firm in Dublin. The London office was reopened in 1923 by Howard Rundell Guinness and his three sons (Henry Samuel Howard Guinness, Edward Douglas Guinness and Arthur Rundell Guinness, who became partners in the firm).
The firm in Ireland was registered as a private unlimited company in 1942, with the name Guinness and Mahon. The London business was henceforth called Guinness, Mahon and Company. In 1963 Viking International Corporation Limited (previously known as Viking Tanker Company Limited) acquired all the share capital of Guinness, Mahon and Company. Viking International Corporation Limited was renamed Guinness Mahon Holdings Limited. In 1973 Guinness Mahon Holdings Limited and Guinness, Mahon and Company Limited were acquired by Lewis and Peat Limited. The new holding company was called Guinness Peat Group Limited. The merchant bank, Guinness, Mahon & Company, continued business under the same name. In 1988 Guinness Peat Group was demerged into three groups: Guinness Mahon Holdings comprising the Guinness Mahon merchant bank and related investment management; Fenchurch Insurance; and off-shore activities. In 1991 the Bank of Yokohama acquired full ownership of Guinness Mahon Holdings. In 1998 it was sold to Investec of South Africa.
The London firm was based at St Swithin's Lane ([1873]-1901), 81 Lombard Street (1902-1916), 20 Bishopsgate ([1923]-1926), 53 Cornhill (1927-1964), 3 Gracechurch Street (1964-[1976]), 32 St Mary at Hill ([1976]-).
These papers were donated to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 2006 by a descendant of the Guinness family. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of Guinness, Mahon and Company, mainly comprising correspondence between partners, but there are also memorandum and articles of association, 1956-1966 (Ms 38588); agreements and related papers, 1856-1893 (Ms 38589); board minutes and interim accounts, 1966-8 (Ms 38590); and papers relating to the Guinness family, 1924-69 (Ms 38612).
Henry Samuel Howard Guinness (1888-1975), usually referred to in the papers as "S.G.", was a director of Guinness and Mahon Limited, Dublin, and a senior partner in Guinness, Mahon and Company, London. It appears that he wrote many of the notes on the history of the firm and the Guinness family which can be found in this collection. Some of the bundles and files of papers may also have been compiled by him.
Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.
Available for general access.
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
The National Library of Ireland holds letterbooks 1837-1925 of Guinness, Mahon & Company.
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. Documents Business records Finance Financial institutions Banks People People by occupation Business people Bank employees Bankers Information sources Banking Guiness , Mahon and Co , bankers Dublin Ireland Western Europe Europe City of London London England UK Occupations
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These papers were donated to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 2006 by a descendant of the Guinness family. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Guinness, Mahon and Company, mainly comprising correspondence between partners, but there are also memorandum and articles of association, 1956-1966 (Ms 38588); agreements and related papers, 1856-1893 (Ms 38589); board minutes and interim accounts, 1966-8 (Ms 38590); and papers relating to the Guinness family, 1924-69 (Ms 38612).
Henry Samuel Howard Guinness (1888-1975), usually referred to in the papers as "S.G.", was a director of Guinness and Mahon Limited, Dublin, and a senior partner in Guinness, Mahon and Company, London. It appears that he wrote many of the notes on the history of the firm and the Guinness family which can be found in this collection. Some of the bundles and files of papers may also have been compiled by him.
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
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
The National Library of Ireland holds letterbooks 1837-1925 of Guinness, Mahon & Company.
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