IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): BD24
Held at: Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Service
Title: Records of Lawes Chemical Company
Date(s): 1872-1970
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 150 bound volumes; 122 folders
Name of creator(s): Lawes Chemical Company
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
Lawes Chemical Company was founded by Sir John Bennet Lawes. He set up a factory for manufacture of super-phosphates at Deptford Creek, London, in 1843, and bought in 1857 100 acres at Barking Creek, Essex, on which the main factory and workmen's cottages were built. The business was purchased from Lawes by a group of businessmen in 1872 and incorporated with limited liability as Lawes Chemical Manure Co. Ltd, to manufacture artificial fertilisers, sulphuric acid and other chemical fertilisers. Branches were established in Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands, and the company traded overseas in North and South America, India, New Zealand, Australia South Africa and the Middle East. Lawes also established several subsidiary companies as artificial fertiliser merchants. Including: Gwalia Fertilisers (Briton Ferry) Ltd., Neath, Glamorgan (inc 1934), A Nightingale and Sons Ltd, Bedford (inc 1937), Thomas Fenn. Ltd, Ipswich, Suffolk (inc 1947), Seabright Chemicals Ltd (inc 1967), Jersey Trading Co Ltd (inc 1914) and Jersey Trading Co (1948) Ltd, as fruit and vegetable traders. The company became Lawes Chemical Company Ltd in 1935 and went into liquidation in 1969, the business continuing to trade under the name of Seabright Chemicals Ltd.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
This collection comprises the minute books, articles of association, account ledgers, financial journals, wages books, cash books, newspaper cuttings and liquidation papers of Lawes Chemical Company (1872-1970), as well as records of subsidiary companies, including: Acides et Superphosphates Standairt Societe Anonyme (1929-1938), Gwalia Fertilisers (Briton Ferry) Limited (1934-1969), Jersey Trading Company (1948) Limited (1914-1963), Alfred Nightingale and Sons Ltd (1937-1963) and Thomas Fenn Limited (1947-1961).
ACCESS AND USE
Language/scripts of material: English
System of arrangement:
Material arranged as received taking into consideration the format and chronology of the material.
Conditions governing access:
The material within this collection is open to research by appointment at the Barking and Dagenham Archives and Local Studies Centre. For further information about visiting the reading room please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.
Conditions governing reproduction:
Material within this collection can be reproduced at the discretion of the Borough Archivist. For further information about conditions governing reproduction please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.
Finding aids:
For additional information on the content of this collection please contact localstudies@lbbd.gov.uk or telephone 020 8227 2033.
ARCHIVAL INFORMATION
Archival history:
Immediate source of acquisition:
The collection was received via Copper and Lybrand, liquidator of Lawes Chemical Company Limited in 1981. This was organised through the Business Archives Council, Survey Manager Lesley M. Millar to Valence House Museum.
ALLIED MATERIALS
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: Catalogued on Adlib in 2008. Description added to Aim25 in April 2014.