IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 CLC/B/014
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: ARTHUR BROWN AND COMPANY
Date(s): 1867-1947
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 14 production units.
Name of creator(s): Arthur Brown and Co x ABCO Petroleum Ltd
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Arthur H Brown founded a company in 1860 trading in naval stores, turpentine, tallow etc. The firm is first listed in the trade directories in 1864 at 15 Rood Lane, before moving in 1867 to 44 Eastcheap. In 1871 the firm was bought by William Thompson Burningham, and moved to 26 Great St Helen's. It is listed as a firm of petroleum and colonial brokers. On Burningham's death the firm was taken on by his son, W J Burningham. It moved successively to 95 Bishopsgate Street (1880-9), 70 and 71 Bishopsgate Street (1890-1910), 91 and 93 Bishopsgate Street (1911-14), 36 Camomile Street (1915-18), 126 Bishopsgate Street (1919-25), Bevis Marks House (1926-35), Staple Hall, Stone House Court (1936-41), Bishops Avenue, N2 (1942-5), Bevis Marks House again (1946-62) and Lee House, London Wall (1963-7). Its primary concern was the trade of oil petroleum and wax. The firm expanded significantly after World War I when they became one of the first importers of Russian oil. In 1968 ABCO Petroleum Ltd, as it had become known, became a subsidiary of the Sinclair Oil Corporation.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of Arthur Brown and Company, comprising ledgers and financial material, wage books and sketch books of staff caricatures.
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.
Conditions governing access:
Available for general access.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Copyright to this collection rests with the City of London.
Finding aids:
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
Given to Guildhall Library by a private individual in January and July 2007. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: November 2010 to January 2011.