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London Metropolitan Archives

BALTIC EXCHANGE


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0074 CLC/B/021-1

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: BALTIC EXCHANGE

Date(s): 1821-1994

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 1100 production units.

Name of creator(s): Virginia and Baltic Coffee House | 1744-1823 x Baltic Coffee House | 1823-1900 x Baltic Mercantile & Shipping Exchange Ltd | 1900-1982 x Baltic Exchange | 1982-

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

The Baltic Exchange was based successively at Threadneedle Street and St Mary Axe. It was founded in 1744 as the Virginia and Baltic Coffee House, established as a meeting place for merchants trading with Virginia or the Baltic. From 1823, it was known as the Baltic Coffee House; later becoming the Baltic Mercantile and Shipping Exchange Limited (1900-1981/2). In 1857 the Exchange formed the Baltic Company Limited to purchase South Sea House (wound up in 1899). In 1899 the Exchange formed a committee called the City of London Exchange Syndicate to purchase a site in Jeffrey's Square (wound up in 1900). From the late 19th century to the end of the 20th century, the Exchange became a worldwide centre for freight and records of many thousand ship charters are held.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of the Baltic Exchange, comprising: corporate records (mainly minutes and agendas of committees), 1857-1987 (Ms 39476-91); financial records, 1857-1994 (Ms 39492-524); administrative records (including correspondence), 1858-1977 (Ms 39525-43); membership records, 1837-1985 (Ms 39544-70); operational records, 1877-1971 (Ms 39571-612); staff records, 1902-60 (Ms 39613-20); premises records, 1854-1971 (Ms 39621-40); miscellaneous papers, 1889-1987 (Ms 39641-5); records of the Airbrokers Association, 1947-76 (Ms 39646), the Institute of Shipbrokers, 1917-87 (Ms 39647-51), and St Andrew Undershaft parish magazines, 1961-72 (Ms 39663).

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:

Access by appointment only. Please contact 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 were deposited in Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section by the Baltic Exchange in 1994 (except board minutes from 1903 and printed annual lists of members from ca. 1860 which are retained by the Baltic). The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

ALLIED MATERIALS

DESCRIPTION NOTES 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: November 2010 to January 2011.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Business records | Documents | Information sources
Coffee houses | Commercial premises
Exchanges | Financial markets | Investment | Finance
Freight services | Distribution services
Merchant companies | Companies | Enterprises
Merchants | Mercantile personnel | Personnel | People by occupation | People
Merchants associations | Professional associations | Associations | Organizations
Shipping | Maritime transport | Transport
Water transport

Personal names

Corporate names
Virginia and Baltic Coffee House | 1744-1823 x Baltic Coffee House | 1823-1900 x Baltic Mercantile & Shipping Exchange Ltd | 1900-1982 x Baltic Exchange | 1982-

Places
City of London | London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe
Baltic Sea