Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1711-1764 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
One production unit.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
The South Sea Company was established in 1711, ostensibly to trade with Spanish South America, but, in fact, as a vehicle for managing government debt incurred during the War of the Spanish Succession. Holders of government debt were persuaded to exchange it for shares in the new Company which by 1720 had made only one, moderately successful, trading voyage and held around £20m of government debt. Company directors continued to talk up the potential of the scheme, provoking feverish speculation followed by a share price collapse in which thousands were ruined.
A Parliamentary investigation uncovered massive fraud by the directors, but the South Sea Company itself survived and continued to trade into the 1760s. It retained a role in the management of the National Debt until effectively abolished in 1854.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/227-171 1711-1764 Collection One production unit. South Sea Company x Corporation for carrying on trade to the South Seas
The South Sea Company was established in 1711, ostensibly to trade with Spanish South America, but, in fact, as a vehicle for managing government debt incurred during the War of the Spanish Succession. Holders of government debt were persuaded to exchange it for shares in the new Company which by 1720 had made only one, moderately successful, trading voyage and held around £20m of government debt. Company directors continued to talk up the potential of the scheme, provoking feverish speculation followed by a share price collapse in which thousands were ruined.
A Parliamentary investigation uncovered massive fraud by the directors, but the South Sea Company itself survived and continued to trade into the 1760s. It retained a role in the management of the National Debt until effectively abolished in 1854.
These items were extracted from miscellaneous manuscripts in the Noble Collection (Guildhall Library Print Room). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of the South Sea Company comprising correspondence and receipts.
One file.
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
Further records of the South Sea Company are held at the British Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science, the Parliamentary Archives (formerly the House of Lords Record Office), and the University of London Library. There are also other records relating to the Company held at London Metropolitan Archives.
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. Information sources Documents Business records Enterprises Companies Merchant companies Financial resources Debts Investment Finance Public finance South Sea Company x Corporation for carrying on trade to the South Seas City of London London England UK Western Europe Europe
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
These items were extracted from miscellaneous manuscripts in the Noble Collection (Guildhall Library Print Room). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the South Sea Company comprising correspondence and receipts.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
One file.
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
Further records of the South Sea Company are held at the British Library, the British Library of Political and Economic Science, the Parliamentary Archives (formerly the House of Lords Record Office), and the University of London Library. There are also other records relating to the Company held at London Metropolitan Archives.
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