Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1873-1979 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
312 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The company was founded in 1862 as New Rivers Company by Captain J H Williamson, a tea merchant, to transport passengers and goods on the River Ganges, expanding shortly afterwards into Assam, where the tea industry was in need of improved communications. The name changed to River Steamer Company when Williamson left in 1865.
In 1872 the management of the Company was assumed by MacNeill and Company, and in 1873 it was incorporated in London as Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited. The MacNeill and MacKinnon families were prominent shareholders in the new company.
From the 1870s onwards, the company faced much competition from India General Steam Navigation Company (which became, in 1899, India General Navigation and Railway Company Limited, whose records are also held as part of the Inchcape Group archives, see CLC/B/123-33). As a result, various working agreements between the two companies were reached in the 1880s. As a result of one such agreement, made in 1889, the two companies came generally to be known as the Joint steamer companies, operating many joint services but maintaining separate management.
During both world wars, vessels of the Joint steamer companies were impressed for military use in India, and also in Iraq during the First World War.
After the Second World War the partition of India caused difficulties in the transport of commodities from Assam to Calcutta for export, as they had to pass through Pakistan as well as India. As a result, the fleets of the Joint companies were divided and separate repair workshops set up to service the Pakistan fleet (in addition to those set up by RSN in Garden Reach, Calcutta).
In 1959 Pakistan River Steamers Limited. was formed to manage the Pakistani fleets of the Joint companies, as the government of Pakistan would only Company-operate with a company incorporated in Pakistan. The company was not effective, however, until 1961, when the Pakistani fleets of the Joint companies were actually transferred to it.
While Pakistan River Steamers was being set up, the financial position of the Joint companies in India was deteriorating, despite a substantial loan from the Indian government. In 1962 a prolonged strike by crews in Pakistan nearly caused the collapse of India General, but R.S.N. bought out its Indian assets and liabilities, I.G. retaining its Pakistani interests.
Pakistan River Steamers, however, had in the meantime established itself fairly stably, and it therefore seemed desirable to hive off RSN's Pakistani interests. Rivers Steam Navigation Company (Holdings) Limited was formed for this purpose in 1962.
By 1965, the position in India had become so much worse that the whole of the Indian assets of the company were sold to the Indian government for 1. The business of Pakistan River Steamers was also deteriorating by this time, partly because of the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, and in 1966 PRS curtailed its passenger services. Some difficulties could have been overcome with government help, but political considerations prevented this.
In 1972 Pakistan River Steamers (by this time renamed Bangladesh River Steamers Limited) was nationalised by the government of Bangladesh
Rivers Steam Navigation's Indian and Pakistani business was managed by MacNeill and Barry Limited, whose records are also held as part of the Inchcape Group archives (see CLC/B/123-42). London business was managed by Duncan MacNeill and Company Limited (CLC/B/123-23), and many of their records relating strictly to the management of R.S.N. have been catalogued as part of RSN's records. The records listed as R.S.N.'s also include much material of or relating to the Joint steamer companies.
RSN had offices successively in Lothbury, Old Broad Street, Leadenhall Street and Mincing Lane.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/123-47 1873-1979 Collection 312 production units. Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd
The company was founded in 1862 as New Rivers Company by Captain J H Williamson, a tea merchant, to transport passengers and goods on the River Ganges, expanding shortly afterwards into Assam, where the tea industry was in need of improved communications. The name changed to River Steamer Company when Williamson left in 1865.
In 1872 the management of the Company was assumed by MacNeill and Company, and in 1873 it was incorporated in London as Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited. The MacNeill and MacKinnon families were prominent shareholders in the new company.
From the 1870s onwards, the company faced much competition from India General Steam Navigation Company (which became, in 1899, India General Navigation and Railway Company Limited, whose records are also held as part of the Inchcape Group archives, see CLC/B/123-33). As a result, various working agreements between the two companies were reached in the 1880s. As a result of one such agreement, made in 1889, the two companies came generally to be known as the Joint steamer companies, operating many joint services but maintaining separate management.
During both world wars, vessels of the Joint steamer companies were impressed for military use in India, and also in Iraq during the First World War.
After the Second World War the partition of India caused difficulties in the transport of commodities from Assam to Calcutta for export, as they had to pass through Pakistan as well as India. As a result, the fleets of the Joint companies were divided and separate repair workshops set up to service the Pakistan fleet (in addition to those set up by RSN in Garden Reach, Calcutta).
In 1959 Pakistan River Steamers Limited. was formed to manage the Pakistani fleets of the Joint companies, as the government of Pakistan would only Company-operate with a company incorporated in Pakistan. The company was not effective, however, until 1961, when the Pakistani fleets of the Joint companies were actually transferred to it.
While Pakistan River Steamers was being set up, the financial position of the Joint companies in India was deteriorating, despite a substantial loan from the Indian government. In 1962 a prolonged strike by crews in Pakistan nearly caused the collapse of India General, but R.S.N. bought out its Indian assets and liabilities, I.G. retaining its Pakistani interests.
Pakistan River Steamers, however, had in the meantime established itself fairly stably, and it therefore seemed desirable to hive off RSN's Pakistani interests. Rivers Steam Navigation Company (Holdings) Limited was formed for this purpose in 1962.
By 1965, the position in India had become so much worse that the whole of the Indian assets of the company were sold to the Indian government for 1. The business of Pakistan River Steamers was also deteriorating by this time, partly because of the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965, and in 1966 PRS curtailed its passenger services. Some difficulties could have been overcome with government help, but political considerations prevented this.
In 1972 Pakistan River Steamers (by this time renamed Bangladesh River Steamers Limited) was nationalised by the government of Bangladesh
Rivers Steam Navigation's Indian and Pakistani business was managed by MacNeill and Barry Limited, whose records are also held as part of the Inchcape Group archives (see CLC/B/123-42). London business was managed by Duncan MacNeill and Company Limited (CLC/B/123-23), and many of their records relating strictly to the management of R.S.N. have been catalogued as part of RSN's records. The records listed as R.S.N.'s also include much material of or relating to the Joint steamer companies.
RSN had offices successively in Lothbury, Old Broad Street, Leadenhall Street and Mincing Lane.
The records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1987-88 by Inchcape Plc. They were catalogued in 1988-9. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited, including:
1) Corporate records, Mss 27910-20;
2) Internal accounting and financial records, Mss 27921-39;
3) General correspondence, Mss 27940-5;
4) Papers concerning the operation of transport services and the development of transport generally, and the transport of particular commodities:
i) general-river, rail and road, Mss 27946-53;
ii) river transport, Mss 27954-66;
iii) rail transport, Mss 27967-72;
iv) road transport, Mss 27973-8;
v) passenger services, Mss 27979-82;
vi) tea, Mss 27983-90;
vii) coal, Mss 27991-5;
viii) jute, Mss 27996-9;
ix) miscellaneous (oil, sugar, mail), Mss. 28000-2;
5) Papers concerning post war operations and the reconstruction of the company, Mss 28003-13;
6) Fleet records, i.e. fleet lists, and records of shipbuilding, repair, losses and casualties. (NB see records of subsidiaries for Garden Reach Workshops, R.S.N.'s shipbuilding subsidiary), Mss 28014-37;
7) Records concerning co-operation and competition with Assam Railway and Trading Co, Mss 28038-43;
8) Competition with other companies, Mss 28044-54;
9) Records of terms and conditions of work, pension funds and trade unions, Mss 28055-67;
10) Investment in other companies, Mss 28068-72;
11) Maps, photographs, historical notes, Mss 28073-8;
12) Subsidiary companies:
i) Pakistan River Steamers Ltd, Mss 28079-91;
ii) Rivers Steam Navigation Co (Holdings) Ltd, Mss 28092-5;
iii) Garden Reach Workshops Ltd, Mss 28096-9;
iv) India Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Ms 28100;
v) Pakistan Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Ms 28101.
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
This collection is a sub-fond within the Inchcape Group fonds. See CLC/B/123 for a list of all the companies represented in this collection and a history of the Inchcape Group.
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.
January to May 2011. Pakistan River Steamers Ltd Rivers Steam Navigation Co (Holdings) Ltd Assam Railway and Trading Co Garden Reach Workshops Ltd Water transport Manufacturing industry Jute industry Vehicles Ships Steamships People Business people People by occupation Commercial agents Shipping agents Maritime transport Shipping Information sources Documents Business records Transport infrastructure Waterways Navigable rivers Transport engineering Marine engineering Shipbuilding Trade (practice) Food trade Tea trade Road transport Extractive industry Transport Railway transport Industry Coal industry Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd India Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd Pakistan Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd Assam India South Asia Calcutta West Bengal Pakistan
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1987-88 by Inchcape Plc. They were catalogued in 1988-9. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited, including:
1) Corporate records, Mss 27910-20;
2) Internal accounting and financial records, Mss 27921-39;
3) General correspondence, Mss 27940-5;
4) Papers concerning the operation of transport services and the development of transport generally, and the transport of particular commodities:
i) general-river, rail and road, Mss 27946-53;
ii) river transport, Mss 27954-66;
iii) rail transport, Mss 27967-72;
iv) road transport, Mss 27973-8;
v) passenger services, Mss 27979-82;
vi) tea, Mss 27983-90;
vii) coal, Mss 27991-5;
viii) jute, Mss 27996-9;
ix) miscellaneous (oil, sugar, mail), Mss. 28000-2;
5) Papers concerning post war operations and the reconstruction of the company, Mss 28003-13;
6) Fleet records, i.e. fleet lists, and records of shipbuilding, repair, losses and casualties. (NB see records of subsidiaries for Garden Reach Workshops, R.S.N.'s shipbuilding subsidiary), Mss 28014-37;
7) Records concerning co-operation and competition with Assam Railway and Trading Co, Mss 28038-43;
8) Competition with other companies, Mss 28044-54;
9) Records of terms and conditions of work, pension funds and trade unions, Mss 28055-67;
10) Investment in other companies, Mss 28068-72;
11) Maps, photographs, historical notes, Mss 28073-8;
12) Subsidiary companies:
i) Pakistan River Steamers Ltd, Mss 28079-91;
ii) Rivers Steam Navigation Co (Holdings) Ltd, Mss 28092-5;
iii) Garden Reach Workshops Ltd, Mss 28096-9;
iv) India Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Ms 28100;
v) Pakistan Rivers Steam Navigation Co Ltd, Ms 28101.
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
This collection is a sub-fond within the Inchcape Group fonds. See CLC/B/123 for a list of all the companies represented in this collection and a history of the Inchcape Group.
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
- Industry » Manufacturing industry
- Vehicles
- Vehicles » Ships
- Transport » Maritime transport
- Information sources
- Documents
- Transport infrastructure
- Transport engineering
- Transport engineering » Marine engineering
- Transport engineering » Marine engineering » Shipbuilding
- Transport » Road transport
- Transport
- Transport » Railway transport
- Industry
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