IDENTITY STATEMENT
Reference code(s): GB 0074 CLC/B/112-151
Held at: London Metropolitan Archives
Title: TAIT AND COMPANY LIMITED
Date(s): 1939-1980
Level of description: Collection
Extent: 21 production units comprising 21 envelopes.
Name of creator(s): Tait and Co Ltd | tea merchants
CONTEXT
Administrative/Biographical history:
This firm was established as tea merchants and commission agents in Amoy, China, in 1846. An interest in the company was acquired by Irwin Harrisons and Whitney (CLC/B/112-089) in 1922. In 1926 it became a limited company. Irwin Harrisons and Whitney purchased the Taipeh part of the business in 1927. The Amoy part of the business continued as an unlimited partnership but later went bankrupt.
In 1947 Harrisons, King and Irwin (CLC/B/112-083) acquired share capital from Harrisons and Crosfield Limited and Irwin Harrisons and Whitney. Tait and Company was a wholly owned subsidiary of Harrisons, King and Irwin until it was liquidated in 1963, after which it was owned by Harrisons and Crosfield Limited (CLC/B/112). In 1990 the company was sold by Harrisons and Crosfield Limited as part of its general trading division.
For historical notes on Tait and Co see CLC/B/112/MS37392 and CLC/B/112/MS38199. For staff lists see CLC/B/112/MS37340-1.
CONTENT
Scope and content/abstract:
Records of Tait and Company Limited, tea merchants, including correspondence; minutes; memoranda; financial accounts; and press cuttings.
Access to records less than 30 years old (or records less than 70 years old which relate to staff) should be sought from Elementis plc (contact details may be obtained from a member of staff).
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:
Restricted access: please see staff.
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 records of Harrisons and Crosfield and its subsidiary and secretarial companies were transferred to Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section between 1990 and 1998. The records were presented as a gift to the Library, except the minute books of some subsidiary companies which are held as a deposit. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.
ALLIED MATERIALS
Related material:
The Harrisons and Crosfield Ltd collection has been divided into 167 sub-fonds; CLC/B/112-001 to CLC/B/112-167. 001 to 016 are records relating to Harrisons and Crosfield (such as operational records, staff records, property records and so on), and 017 to 167 are the records of subsidiaries, plantations and associated organisations.
DESCRIPTION NOTES
Date(s) of descriptions: November 2010 to January 2011.