Collection GB 0074 CLC/B/208 - STEEL BROTHERS LIMITED

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/B/208

Title

STEEL BROTHERS LIMITED

Date(s)

  • 1872-1974 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

26 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

In 1870 William Strang Steel launched W. Strang Steel and Company in Burma and the company's first rice mill was established in 1871. A London office - Steel Brothers and Company - was opened in partnership with James Alison Steel in 1873. In 1890 the assets of both companies were transferred to the newly incorporated Steel Brothers and Company Limited. The company was involved in the milling and shipping of rice; teak and hard wood extraction; oil; cotton; and cement. Historically much of Steel Brothers and Company Limited's trade was with Burma and India, but the Japanese invasion during World War II and the Burmese government's nationalisation policies of the late 1940s and 1950s led to expansion into other markets.

In 1970 Steel Brothers and Company became Steel Brothers Holdings and in 1987 became a subsidiary of British and Commonwealth Shipping plc.

The company had offices at 6 East India Avenue 1873-87; 6 Fenchurch Street 1887-1941; 61 Threadneedle Street 1941-2; 24 Lombard Street 1942-57; Chesterfield House, 26/28 Fenchurch Street 1957-69; and Sondes Place, Dorking, Surrey from 1969.

Archival history

The archives of Steel Brothers and Company were mostly lost during the Second World War; through bombing in London and occupation in Rangoon.

GB 0074 CLC/B/208 1872-1974 Collection 26 production units. Steel Brothers and Co Ltd , general merchants

In 1870 William Strang Steel launched W. Strang Steel and Company in Burma and the company's first rice mill was established in 1871. A London office - Steel Brothers and Company - was opened in partnership with James Alison Steel in 1873. In 1890 the assets of both companies were transferred to the newly incorporated Steel Brothers and Company Limited. The company was involved in the milling and shipping of rice; teak and hard wood extraction; oil; cotton; and cement. Historically much of Steel Brothers and Company Limited's trade was with Burma and India, but the Japanese invasion during World War II and the Burmese government's nationalisation policies of the late 1940s and 1950s led to expansion into other markets.

In 1970 Steel Brothers and Company became Steel Brothers Holdings and in 1987 became a subsidiary of British and Commonwealth Shipping plc.

The company had offices at 6 East India Avenue 1873-87; 6 Fenchurch Street 1887-1941; 61 Threadneedle Street 1941-2; 24 Lombard Street 1942-57; Chesterfield House, 26/28 Fenchurch Street 1957-69; and Sondes Place, Dorking, Surrey from 1969.

The archives of Steel Brothers and Company were mostly lost during the Second World War; through bombing in London and occupation in Rangoon.

The remaining material was presented to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in February and April 1994 by Securum Industrial Holdings and was catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

The records of general merchants Steel Brothers and Company Limited mainly comprise annual reports and accounts, photographs and unpublished histories.

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 depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

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. Plant products Cotton People People by occupation Personnel Mercantile personnel Merchants Trade International trade Agricultural products Crops Cereals Rice Materials Timber Business records Documents Information sources Overseas trade Trade (practice) Steel Brothers and Co Ltd , general merchants India South Asia Myanmar South East Asia

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The remaining material was presented to the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in February and April 1994 by Securum Industrial Holdings and was catalogued by a member of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

The records of general merchants Steel Brothers and Company Limited mainly comprise annual reports and accounts, photographs and unpublished histories.

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 depositor.

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

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area