Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1877-1969 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
92 production units.
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Wilson, Sons and Company Limited has its origins in the coal and steamship agency started in 1837 in Bahia, Brazil, by the brothers Edward and Fleetwood Pellew Wilson. This business grew rapidly throughout the South Atlantic, being concerned with coaling, stevedoring, lighterage, towage, ship repairs and general trading. A London office was established in 1845 and incorporation as a British limited company took place in 1877. The records relate to the British company and start in 1877.
Wilsons traded from 57 Gracechurch Street (1873-8); 7 Draper's Gardens, Throgmorton Avenue (1879-1901); Salisbury House, London Wall (1902-59); 5 Queen Street (1960-82); and moved to 14 King Street in 1982.
Wilsons obtained their supplies of Welsh steam coal from the Ocean group of companies and had contracts to supply the Royal Navy and many commercial steamship lines. In 1908 a new British company, Ocean Coal and Wilsons, was formed to formalise this arrangement, and acquired both Wilsons and the Ocean group. Ocean Coal and Wilsons traded from Salisbury House, London Wall, 1909-55.
All these companies traded profitably until the early 1950s, when a recession in South American trade, and the change from coal to oil bunkering, led the group to withdraw from all countries except Brazil. The head office of the group has been in Brazil since 1971.
The collection includes records of several other companies owned or taken over by Ocean Wilsons (including Ocean Coal and Wilsons Limited, British Italian Shipping and Coal Company Limited, Burnyeat, Brown and Company Limited, Glenavon Garw Collieries Limited, Peacock Iberia Coal Company Limited, Petsaly Coal Company Limited, Rio de Janeiro Lighterage Company Limited, Taff Merthyr Steam Coal Company Limited, United National Collieries Limited and Citygate Investment Company).
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 CLC/B/225 1877-1969 Collection 92 production units. Wilson, Sons and Co Ltd , coal and steamship agency
Wilson, Sons and Company Limited has its origins in the coal and steamship agency started in 1837 in Bahia, Brazil, by the brothers Edward and Fleetwood Pellew Wilson. This business grew rapidly throughout the South Atlantic, being concerned with coaling, stevedoring, lighterage, towage, ship repairs and general trading. A London office was established in 1845 and incorporation as a British limited company took place in 1877. The records relate to the British company and start in 1877.
Wilsons traded from 57 Gracechurch Street (1873-8); 7 Draper's Gardens, Throgmorton Avenue (1879-1901); Salisbury House, London Wall (1902-59); 5 Queen Street (1960-82); and moved to 14 King Street in 1982.
Wilsons obtained their supplies of Welsh steam coal from the Ocean group of companies and had contracts to supply the Royal Navy and many commercial steamship lines. In 1908 a new British company, Ocean Coal and Wilsons, was formed to formalise this arrangement, and acquired both Wilsons and the Ocean group. Ocean Coal and Wilsons traded from Salisbury House, London Wall, 1909-55.
All these companies traded profitably until the early 1950s, when a recession in South American trade, and the change from coal to oil bunkering, led the group to withdraw from all countries except Brazil. The head office of the group has been in Brazil since 1971.
The collection includes records of several other companies owned or taken over by Ocean Wilsons (including Ocean Coal and Wilsons Limited, British Italian Shipping and Coal Company Limited, Burnyeat, Brown and Company Limited, Glenavon Garw Collieries Limited, Peacock Iberia Coal Company Limited, Petsaly Coal Company Limited, Rio de Janeiro Lighterage Company Limited, Taff Merthyr Steam Coal Company Limited, United National Collieries Limited and Citygate Investment Company).
The records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1982 and 1985 by Ocean Wilsons (Holdings) plc, 14 King Street (the accession of 1985 was transferred from University College Library). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Records of Wilson, Sons and Company Limited, coal and steamship agency, and associated companies. The records include minutes; financial accounts; letter books; constitutional documents; historical notes; registers of members; annual reports; and agreements.
CLC/B/255-01: Wilson, Sons and Co Ltd;
CLC/B/255-02: British Italian Shipping and Coal Co;
CLC/B/255-03: Burnyeat, Brown and Co;
CLC/B/255-04: Glenavon Garw Collieries;
CLC/B/255-05: Ocean Coal and Wilsons;
CLC/B/255-06: Peacock Iberia Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-07: Petsaly Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-08: Rio de Janiero Lighterage Company;
CLC/B/255-09: Taff Merthyr Steam Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-10: United National Collieries;
CLC/B/225-11: Wilson, Sons S.A.
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
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 People People by occupation Personnel Mercantile personnel Merchants Coal merchants Transport Maritime transport Shipping Extractive industry Industry Coal industry Steamships Ships Vehicles Water transport Wilson , Sons and Co Ltd , coal and steamship agency London England UK Western Europe Europe Wales Brazil South America
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
The records were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1982 and 1985 by Ocean Wilsons (Holdings) plc, 14 King Street (the accession of 1985 was transferred from University College Library). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of Wilson, Sons and Company Limited, coal and steamship agency, and associated companies. The records include minutes; financial accounts; letter books; constitutional documents; historical notes; registers of members; annual reports; and agreements.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
CLC/B/255-01: Wilson, Sons and Co Ltd;
CLC/B/255-02: British Italian Shipping and Coal Co;
CLC/B/255-03: Burnyeat, Brown and Co;
CLC/B/255-04: Glenavon Garw Collieries;
CLC/B/255-05: Ocean Coal and Wilsons;
CLC/B/255-06: Peacock Iberia Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-07: Petsaly Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-08: Rio de Janiero Lighterage Company;
CLC/B/255-09: Taff Merthyr Steam Coal Company;
CLC/B/255-10: United National Collieries;
CLC/B/225-11: Wilson, Sons S.A.
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
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