JAMES VICKERS AND COMPANY

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 CLC/B/135
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: JAMES VICKERS AND COMPANY
Date(s)	: 1863-1912
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 25 production units.
Name of creator(s)	: James Vickers and Co | wine and spirit merchants

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

This company began trading as wine and spirit merchants, spirit distillers, and isinglass manufacturers and rectifiers, specialising later on in the manufacture of isinglass and wine filtration aids. The company began trading in 1841 from 11 Mark Lane. By 1842 it had moved to premises at 6 Devonshire Square which housed a distillery, a warehouse and one of the family homes. The family remained there until 1940. The company then moved to Coggeshall, Essex. The company also had premises at 23 Little Britain, 1851-79, and 74 Aldersgate Street, 1856-80. James Vickers appears to have been a substantial City business man. In addition to his business premises, he also owned or rented the following private addresses: 52 Parliament Street, Westminster; 41 Holland Park; and Woodlands, Tooting

James Vickers and his brother Edward were partners between circa 1841 and 1863 when the partnership was legally dissolved. Upon James Vickers' death (30 April 1877), Edward Vickers was once more actively involved with the company for a short time, primarily with the premises at 74 Aldersgate Street. Some of the Vickers papers are family and household papers relating to the division of James Vickers' estate and the provisions he had made for his children. His widow, Mrs Frances Vickers, became a partner with John Watney and oversaw the company as executors of James Vickers' estate until October 1887 when their partnership was legally dissolved. In 1887 John Watney retired from his position in favour of S.F. Vickers.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of James Vickers and Company, wine and spirit merchants, comprising financial records 1867-87 (Mss 24588-91); records drawn up on the transfer of the business to Edward Vickers including trade ledger balances, stock records and lists of fixtures and fittings 1877-87 (Mss 24592-5); deed dissolving the partnership of E and J Vickers with other papers 1863 and 1877 (Ms 24596); family and business papers and correspondence 1869-1912 (Mss 24597-602); and plans, leases and sales particulars relating to various properties 1867-91 (Mss 24603-5).

Access & 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 depositor.

Finding aids:

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

Archival Information

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The archives of James Vickers and Co were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1991 by the Midland Bank and catalogued shortly afterwards by a member of Guildhall Library staff. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Allied Materials

Related material:

The LMA holds several collections relating to the Watney brewing company and its successors. For records of Watney Combe Reid at the LMA see ACC/1399 and ACC/0735. For records of Watney Mann held at the LMA, see ACC/1311, ACC/1320, ACC/1348 and ACC/1290.

Publication note:

Description Notes

Archivist's note:

Rules or conventions:
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.

Date(s) of descriptions:
January to May 2011.