ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS CORPORATION LIMITED

Identity Statement

Reference code(s)	: GB 0074 CLC/B/015
Held at	: London Metropolitan Archives   Click here to find out how to view this collection at https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/lma ›
Full title	: ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS CORPORATION LIMITED
Date(s)	: 1895-2001
Level of description	: Collection
Extent	: 388 production units.
Name of creator(s)	: Ashanti Goldfields Corporation Ltd x AngloGold Ashanti

Context

Administrative/Biographical history:

Ashanti Goldfields Corporation Limited was incorporated in May 1897 as a company to work the concession acquired by Edwin Cade in 1895. A small company, the Cote d'Or Company, had been established to provide funds for an expedition by Cade to Ashanti, during which he had signed an agreement with local chiefs and had secured the concession to mine for gold. In 1896 Ashanti had been annexed by the British Government and negotiations secured agreement whereby the concession to mining, trading and agricultural rights over a square mile area was recognised by the Government for 90 years, and the Ashanti Goldfields Corporation Limited was registered.

Edwin Cade and John Daw were members of the first expedition to work the concession and both were important figures in the early development of the Corporation, the former as a director until his death in 1903, the latter as consultant engineer, general manager, and eventually director until 1906. In 1972 Lonrho acquired an interest in the company which became jointly owned by them and the Ghanian Government until 1996. In 2000 the company entered into a strategic alliance with AngloGold which resulted in merger in 2004. The new company is called AngloGold Ashanti and continues to mine in Ghana. The Corporation had offices at 9 Broad Street in 1900; 6 Southampton Street 1902-1935; 10 Old Jewry 1936-1963; Moor House, London Wall 1964-1970; Cheapside House, 138 Cheapside from 1971; and Roman House, 4Wood Street from 1996. In 2004, the company closed its London offices.

Content

Scope and content/abstract:

Ashanti Goldfields Corporation Limited archives comprising minutes, correspondence, accounts, staff registers and photographs. Please note that the White Staff Agreement Registers, 1897-2001 (Ms 35350) contain sensitive personal information and are closed for 75 years.

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:

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:

Deposited in 1970, 1991 and 2004 in the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section, which merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Allied Materials

Related material:

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:
November 2010 to January 2011.