Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
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- Textual record
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- Source of title proper: Supplied title based on provenance
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Edition area
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Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
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Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1934 - 1969 (Creation)
- Creator
- A. H. Murray
Physical description area
Physical description
4.6 m of textual records
Publisher's series area
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
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).
Custodial history
The A.H. Murray & Company (St. Anthony, N.L.) LImited fonds
Scope and content
This fonds contains the records of A.H. Murray & Company (St. Anthony) Limited, 1934-1969, a subsidiary company which was established to expand Murray's influence in the fishery on the Northern Peninsula and Labrador. It includes correspondence with suppliers 1951-64, journals 1939-57, ledgers 1934-54, profit and loss statements 1935-55, cash books 1936-55, stock books 1934-59, salt reports 1935-59, operating accounts 1935-49, insurance policies 1952-61, Workmen's Compensation Board records 1951-59, employee income tax returns 1949-52, payroll ledger 1949-58, trawler accounts with Furness Withy and Harvey & Company Limited 1957-59, CN bills of lading 1957-60, and diary extracts, 1937.
The fonds is arranged in seven series: Correspondence, 1935-1964; Financial records, 1934-1964; Insurance records, 1952-1961; Labour records, 1935-1959; Legal records, 1934-1969; Shipping records, 1957-1959; Miscellaneous records, 1936-1960.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
The A.H. Murray & Company (St. Anthony, N.L.) Limited fonds was acquired from A.H. (Bill) Crosbie, director of A.H. Murray and Company in St. John's.
Arrangement
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Restrictions on access
There are no restrictions on access to or use of the material in this collection.