A.H. Murray & Company Limited, St. John's, was a leading Newfoundland mercantile firm for most of the twentieth century. The company engaged in the general supply trade of the inshore and Labrador cod fisheries. The company was also involved in exporting and importing, the offshore sealing industry, shipping, as well as a dealer in marine engines. In more recent times, the company has been strongly associated with building supplies.
James Murray (1864), a Scottish emigrant and member of the House of Assembly (MHA), immigrated to St. John's in the 1830s. A broker, his first venture was in making hard bread (or sea biscuit), but by 1845 he was also involved in more general trading in the cod fisheries and sealing. This trade expanded under the direction of his son, James Murray Jr. (1843-1900). He went bankrupt following the loss of his company's assets and records in the Great Fire of 1892.
In 1918, Andrew H. Murray (1879-1965) and his brother David (ca. 1877-1971) re-established the family business and incorporated it as A.H. Murray & Co. Ltd. A.H. (Bill) Crosbie, Murray's son-in-law, and the youngest son of Sir John Crosbie, joined the company in 1952. When A.H. Murray died in 1965, Crosbie became managing director. On 1 January 1979, A.H. Murray & Co. Ltd. restructured and amalgamated its subsidiary companies - Murray & Co. (St. Anthony) Ltd. and Murray Agencies and Transport Co. Ltd. - as Murray Industrial Ltd.
Over the years A.H. Murray formed a number of subsidiary shipping companies. These included Newfoundland Shipping Company Ltd. (1911-25), Annzac Steamships Company Limited (1916-23), Baccalieu Shipping Company Ltd.(1917-22), and Salmonier Shipping Company Ltd.(1947-62). Other enterprises with which the company was involved included: Salt Importers Association (1940-66), Newfoundland Coal Company (1948-63), Blu-Flame Gas Company Ltd., (1963), Newfoundland Agency Ltd., and Colonial Cordage Company (1959-62).
published
Partial
Draft
This fonds contains the operational records of the business of A.H. Murray and Company Limited, 1902-1970. It includes correspondence with customers and suppliers from 1904-70; extensive financial records for 1902-66, including account books, journals, ledgers, bank books, cash books, Dunn's Bulletins, etc., insurance policies and correspondence for vessels cargo and property; labour records, payroll ledgers, files covering a dispute between the Newfoundland Employers Association and the Longshoremen's Protective Union, 1964-65, and a list of Newfoundland trade unions, 1958-59; advertising accounts, maps and plans; schooner accounts for fishing voyages, vessel mortgages and bills of sale; ship manifests and sharemen's agreements; records relating to the HMS Briton; catalogues and price lists.
The fonds also documents A. H. Murray's involvement as a director in the Salt Importers Association,1940-66, Newfoundland Agency Ltd., Colonial Cordage Company, 1959-63, Blu-Flame Gas Co. Ltd., 1962-63, Newfoundland Coal Company, 1946-63, Baccalieu Shipping Co., 1917-22, Newfoundland Shipping Co., 1911-14, Annzac Steamship Company Limited, 1916-25, Salmonier Shipping Co. Ltd., 1947-65, and Sound Island Stores Ltd., 1925-32.
The A.H. Murray & Company Limited fonds was acquired from A.H. (Bill) Crosbie, director of A.H. Murray and Company in St. John's.
The A.H. Murray and Company Limited business records were retained by the firm in the Murray Premises on Water Street until the buildings were vacated in 1980, when they were transferred to the Maritime History Archive.
Edited - May 1, 2013
See also the records for A. H. Murray (St. Anthony) fonds and Murray Agencies and Transport Company Ltd. fonds.
No restrictions.
It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain copyright status and clearance.
Finding aid is available.