This is a collection of records of various companies involved in the trading of Ceylon [now Sri Lanka] and Indian teas. It consists of import registers for an un-named company, auction catalogues for private trade teas and photographs of tea plantations, possibly in Ceylon, and the offices and staff of R.M. Holborn and Sons Limited, tea and coffee merchants.

Records of Whitbread and Company Limited, brewers, relating to advertising, memorabilia and personal records, including substantial albums and guard books with Whitbread and Company advertising and labelling from 1935 through to 1980, newscuttings book of adverts commissioned (1921-1996), photographs of premises (1930-1979) and correspondence relating to advertising campaigns. Also included are published histories of the Company from both the nineteenth and twentieth century. This collection also includes the Whitbread Archivist's research files on public houses in the London area, subsidary companies and individuals associated with Whitbread and Company.

Records of Whitbread International Limited, a subsidiary company of Whibread and Company Limited, brewers. Records include ledgers detailing Whitbread exports and ship stocks from the 1920s through to the 1970s along with advertising from the launch of various Whitbread products abroad most notably that of Mackeson Stout and Whitbread Premium Draught Beer.

Records relating to the International Bookfair of Radical Black and Third World Books, including original programmes, stationery, correspondence and notes from members of The Alliance and from artists and those who attended the conferences. Also listings of families and individuals who provided accommodation for artists and rotas for the staffing of the Fairs.

The programmes are an excellent resource for information about the social and political issues that were of concern to Black people living in London in the 1980s and 1990s. They show the international links and connections between individuals of different artistic disciplines.

The development of the organisation and it's influence on diverse groups in the community are well documented in the correspondence and minutes; LMA/4462/M/01 and 02.

The photographs are both formal and informal. They show the Fair in action and special guests and artists performing or speaking at the different events. One album was put together by a participant as a gift to the Huntleys.

The press cuttings give valuable information on how the Fairs were being received by the Black community and others in London and internationally. There is an exclusive interview with Sonia Sanchez and an article by Margaret Busby which gives an historical overview of the Fair.

The copyright to these records rests with the depositors, Race Today Publications and New Beacon Books. Permission for the use of images for publication must be sought from all three organisations.

Records of Westways Greetings including sale catalogues and unused greeting cards published by Lip Productions Limited, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America and imported by Westways Greetings for sale in the United Kingdom. The cards depict gay and Christmas themes mainly marketed to the gay and lesbian community. Some of the cards depict Black people / people of African descent and other ethnic origin.

No administrative records of the firm are known to survive.

This collection was catalogued by Ros Hamner, volunteer, as part of Speakout London project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, supervised by Sally Bevan and Richard Wiltshire, Senior Archivists.

Mainly records of predecessor companies of Standard Chartered Bank, including African Banking Corporation; Bank of British West Africa; Bank of Nigeria; Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China; Eastern Bank Limited; E D Sassoon Banking Company Limited and related companies, London and South African Bank; P & O Banking Corporation Limited; Standard Bank of South Africa Limited and Wallace Brothers and Company (Holdings) Limited (together with Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited)

The papers include foundation papers; minutes and agendas (except signed Board and Committee minutes which are retained by the bank); annual reports and accounts; financial and taxation records; papers relating to branches and agencies; agreements; papers relating to shareholders and investments; correspondence (including a large series of letterbooks for Standard Bank of South Africa); statistics; photographs; publicity material; administrative records and original banknotes and cheques.

Records of Wallace Brothers concerning Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited, including memorandum and articles of association; board minutes; annual reports and accounts; agreements; papers relating to shareholders; correspondence; financial records; and papers relating to branches in Rangoon, Moulmein, Bangkok and Borneo.

Papers of Wallace Brothers and Company Limited, East India Merchants, bankers and London agents, later known as Wallace Brothers and Company (Holdings) Limited. Most of the records emanate from the core business of the Wallace Brothers partnership and its successors; but some emanate from the business of associated or subsidiary companies which were based in London. The latter include the records of Wyer and Hawke, London agents of Bombay Company Limited, who operated from the London office of Wallace Brothers between 1912 and 1968.

The archive does not hold the papers of Wallace Brothers' associated or subsidiary companies based overseas. No lists of the papers of these companies are held, and their whereabouts and accessibility are unknown. However the archives transferred to Guildhall from Wallace Brothers' London office include a considerable amount of information about the activities of many of these companies, including numerous copy and original documents sent to London by the companies concerned.

Besides papers created or received in the course of business, the Wallace Brothers archives include some memoirs of partners, directors or members of staff, and notes of research into the history of Wallace Brothers and its associates and subsidiaries.

The business papers date from 1862 to 1989, and relate to all aspects of Wallace Brothers' operations, although few banking records are held, and only formal business records survive from the period ca. 1966-1989.

Access is subject to a 45-year closure period (70 years in the case of personnel records). Annual reports and other published documents are not subject to closure.

The associated and subsidiary companies whose activities are known to be reflected in the Wallace Brothers archives are (provisionally) listed below, in the order in which the records will be arranged in the catalogue:

• Arrancan Company Limited, Burma rice merchants;
  • Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associaties of Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Limited: Amalgamated Saw Mills Limited, Anamallais Ropeway Company Limited, Bombay Burmah Plantations Limited, East India Rubber Corporation Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associates of East India Rubber Corporation Limited (Bombay-Java Trading Company, Indo-Java Rubber Planting and Trading Company Limited), Joint Timber Company Limited, Thailand, North Borneo Timbers Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associates of North Borneo Timbers Limited (Wallace Bay Limited), Rangoon Mining Company, Sumatra Petroleum Company, Thai Tapioca Limited;
  • Bombay Company Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associates of Bombay Company Limited: BCL Limited, BMD Agency Limited, Dymes and Company, cotton mill owners and oilseed processors, Madras, Karachi Company Limited (formerly the Karachi branch of Bombay Company Limited; established as a separate company in 1952), Lakhshmi Cotton Manufacturing Company, Sholapur, India, Wyer and Hawke, London agents of Bombay Company Limited;
  • Chrestian and Company, mica producers, India;
  • DP Investments Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associates of DP Investments Limited: Development Participations Limited;
  • Glazebrook, Steel and Company Limited, textile manufacturers, Manchester;
  • Hermes Securities Limited;
  • subsidiaries and associates of Hermes Securities Limited: Hermes Credit Corporation Limited;
  • Kerosene Oil Company Limited;
  • Leslie and Anderson Limited;
  • Malaysian Company Limited;
  • Tannadine Company Limited, Sumatra;
  • Wallace and Adam Limited, agricultural equipment importers, Kenya;
  • subsidiaries and associates of Wallace and Adam Limited: Kiu Estate Limited, Ol Pejeta Ranching Company Limited, Pyrita Limited;
  • Wallace and Company, Bombay;
  • Wallace Brothers Developments Limited;
  • Wallace Brothers Finance Limited;
  • Wallace Brothers Nominees Limited;
  • Wallace Evans and Company Limited (known as Wallace Brothers Commodities Limited from 1967).

Records of Arnhold and Company Limited including a profit and loss book, ledgers mainly relating to the business in China, journals and cash books.

Records of Arnhold and Company Limited including records relating to the employees provident fund.

Records of E D Sassoon and Company Limited including records relating to the foundation of the company such as memoranda and articles of association, certificates of incorporation and special resolutions; a board minute book and power of attorney.

Records of E D Sassoon and Company Limited including combined register of shares.

Records of E D Sassoon and Company Limited including correspondence files relating to business links and investment in South Africa; and copy judgement.

Records of E D Sassoon and Company Limited including accounts, balance sheets and reports.

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

Records of merchants Stratton and Gibson (later known as Stratton, Gibson and Fuller) comprising two series of account books, 1798-1817.

Records of T Wiggin and Company, merchants, comprising ledgers 1858-74; waste books 1864-72; out-letter book 1865; correspondence and accounts 1865-72.

Records of Thorne and Company Limited, merchants, including letter books; financial records; partnership deeds; share certificates; insurance policies and papers relating to land leased by the company in Shanghai.

Records of East India and general merchants Tribble, Pearson and Company. The records comprise partnership and tenancy agreements 1914-1957, financial records 1940-72, records of sales and purchases, including correspondence and ledgers, 1929-72, correspondence regarding finance and insurance 1933-70, correspondence with customers 1941-1975, records relating to trade, including papers regarding trademarks, specification books of products and a trade association membership certificate, 1900-1970, correspondence regarding the destruction of the company office 1941-1943, advertising material c 1942 and c 1950, cable books, telegraphic code book and postage book 1897-1959.

The collection also includes a register of members of the International Produce Exchange (1926) Limited 1926-1927 and 1955-1956; its connection with the firm is unknown.

Letters to William Hurt from Thomas Rogers, writing from Surrat (Surat), Mesulapatam (Masulipatam) and Gulcondah (Golconda, now Hyderabad).

Business papers of merchant Abraham Jalfon, including various accounts, invoices and receipts, accounts of packing charges on bales and cases, and annotated catalogues of sales at East India House of spices and textiles.

Papers of merchants John Hubbard and Company, including correspondence, reports and financial accounts.

Papers of John Motteux and Company, merchants, comprising letters from the company's agent in L'Orient (Brittany) and Paris.

Accounts ledger of Lewis and Baily, merchants and shippers, 1711-12; with accounts of John Pope, merchant, 1716-17.

Outgoing letters of John March, merchant trading with Turkey.

Outgoing letter book of Thomas March, merchant trading with Turkey. This is a photocopy made in 1968; the original letter-book was in the possession of Squire de Lisle in 1968. Contains copies of letters concerning general financial matters and his estates at Garendon, Leicestershire.

Letters from Norris and Collet, merchants, to their factor Henry Norris in Sweden.

Out-letter book of John Oldbury and Henry Stanley, merchants, containing copies of letters to ships' masters, agents, contacts and consignees, relating to business and private affairs.

Please note these are photostat copies; the whereabouts of the original is unknown.

Outgoing letter book of Peter Bond Burgoyne and Company, wine importers.

Daybooks of Sir Charles Peers, relating to his business as London partner of William Morley and Company, of Malaga, merchants and importers.

Particulars of expenses incurred on the account of Thomas Pengelly, merchant of London, by the purchase of broadcloths at Aleppo [Syria], 8 Dec 1656.

Account book of an unidentified Dutch merchant in London, apparently trading mainly with Antwerp, Belgium.

Agreements for the hire of vessels at Bathurst, Australia, to the River Gambia Trading Company Limited.

Legal and business papers of Thomas Vyse and Sons, merchants.

Business papers of Christopher Müller and son, dealers in furs and pelts, 1871-1923, including testimonials, correspondence and letter books, financial accounts, stock books, tax returns and property lease.

Sales records of Barclay Perkins and Company Limited, including sales books and ledgers; sales comparisons; gains and losses book; trade sales; sales to Bottling Department; registers of customers; papers relating to the duty on beer; and circulars book.

Sales and production records for Blue Nile Brewery Limited, including wine and spirit trade files; sales files and technical consultancy agreement.

Sales records of Courage and Company Limited, including Sales Committee minutes; trading figures; trade books; records of supplies; prices and charges; records of beer bought and sold; records of beer recieved; purchase and adjustment account papers; sales summaries; delivery records; licences, agreements and contracts.

Records of Courage (Export) Limited, brewers, comprising board meeting minutes.

Sales records of Harmans Uxbridge Brewery Limited, including papers relating to beer sales; sales summary sheets; sales journals; records of free trade and tied trade; records regarding wines and spirits; customer accounts; sales representatives expenses and sales records; stock and debt books; Building Department stock lists; price lists; papers relating to lager sales.

Records of Slough Retail Centre Limited, comprising correspondence and papers relating to formation of company ('HPIC - Slough Retail Centre Ltd') and memorandum and articles of association.

Records of Saccone and Speed Limited, wine and spirits merchants, comprising papers and correspondence, mainly related to purchase by Courage, Barclay and Simonds and subsequent re-organisations.

Records of Lawn and Alder Limited, wine merchants, including Board and general meeting minutes; register of members, directors, etc, annual returns under Companies Acts, and including register of seals; share transfer certificates; memorandum and articles of association and papers in liquidation with returns to Registrar of Companies and accounts.

Records of Wolton and Attwood Limited, wholesalers in beer and spirits, including papers relating to the acquisition of the Company; memorandum and articles of association; balance sheet; copy board and extraordinary general meeting minutes; draft service agreements; stock transfer forms and financial accounts.

Records of the Bournemouth Wine Company Limited, comprising register of seals; papers and correspondence, including those relating to change of name and memorandum and articles of association.

Records of Santovin Limited, wine and spirits merchants, comprising Directors' and general meeting minutes; copy minutes of Yardley's London and Provincial Stores and of Santovin about withdrawal of authority to sign cheques; copy special resolution of extraordinary general meeting and certificate of incorporation.

Records of Herbert Stebbings and Sons Limited, beer, wine and spirits merchants, including Directors' and annual general meeting minutes; register of members; acquisition papers; financial papers; Stephenson Developments (Holdings) Ltd report and accounts; draft return of allotments and other papers under Companies Acts; agreement about Crown Hotel, High Street, Lowestoft.

Records relating to Bartholomew Fair, inclduing pie powder court book, 1790-1854; historical notes, press cuttings and other notes, ca. 1641-ca. 1848; and accounts of receipts and expenditure for Bartholomew Fair, 1671. They were catalogued at various dates by members of Guildhall Library staff.

Papers of Thomas Bowrey, sea captain and merchant, including ledger; correspondence; diaries; drawings; charts; and maps; relating to travel and trade in India, Africa, Holland, France, Batavia (Jakarta) and Persia (Iran); the "Coffree" language of Delagoa and the Telenga language; shipping insurance and Lloyd's coffee house; whaling; and piracy.

Records of Agassiz, Son and Company, merchants, including partnership agreements; personal papers of Lewis Agassiz; yearly accounts and account books; bills and receipts; business letters from diverse suppliers including from Switzerland, France, Argentina, Uruguay, India, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Italy; and inventory of the offices.