Title and statement of responsibility area
Title proper
General material designation
- Textual record
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Title statements of responsibility
Title notes
- Source of title proper: Supplied title based on contents of the fonds
Level of description
Reference code
Edition area
Edition statement
Edition statement of responsibility
Class of material specific details area
Statement of scale (cartographic)
Statement of projection (cartographic)
Statement of coordinates (cartographic)
Statement of scale (architectural)
Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)
Dates of creation area
Date(s)
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1861-1958 (Creation)
- Creator
- Harvey & Co.
Physical description area
Physical description
2.5 m of textual records
Publisher's series area
Title proper of publisher's series
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Archival description area
Name of creator
Administrative history
For more than three centuries, Harvey & Company Limited has been one of Newfoundland's most successful business enterprises. Initially, the company was primarily engaged in the fish trade, but it also became involved in various manufacturing enterprises such as the production of furniture, margarine, soap, matches, and tobacco. The company also constructed Newfoundland's first pulp mill at Black River, Placentia Bay, in 1898, and operated a slate quarry at Britannia. In the 1890s, Harvey & Company Limited became directly involved in the Fortune Bay fishery and was a major player in the south coast fishery, shipping fish to foreign markets in Europe and the West Indies on their foreign-going vessels. The firm owned extensive premises at 87-91 Water Street, on the north side of St. John's Harbour. From this location, it carried on business as shipowners and steamship agents. Throughout the 1930s, it was also Newfoundland's largest exporter of frozen fish.
The company was founded by Eugenius Harvey, who came to St. John's from Bermuda in 1820 to work at one of the last surviving branches of the Bermuda Trading Company. A. W. Harvey, Eugenius' nephew, arrived from Bermuda in 1860 to join the company one year before the firm changed its name to Harvey, Tucker and Company. The firm became incorporated as Harvey & Company Limited in 1913. A. Harvey & Company Limited -- a sister company formed by Alexander J. Harvey in 1865 -- was incorporated in 1914. Harvey & Company Limited was re-incorporated in 1937 and in 1947, with A. Harvey & Company Limited maintaining the majority of shares in both instances; After confederation, Harvey & Company Limited withdrew from the fishery and diversified its interests. The firm began a wholesale grocery business and, in 1953, opened a heavy-equipment sales and repair business. The company abandoned the grocery trade in the 1970s, but the heavy-equipment business continued. Harvey & Company Limited formed Harvey's Travel Agency in 1935 as a subsidiary company and opened branch operations throughout Newfoundland and Atlantic Canada
Custodial history
The custodial history of this collection is unknown, but the records obviously originate from a number of different sources. Most of the later material (1940s and 1950s) is original, and was acquired during the 1970s by Dr. Keith Matthews. The W.G. Gosling letter books are typed transcripts. The location of the originals is not known at this time. The 1885 diary is a photocopy; the location of the original is not known.
Scope and content
The records of Harvey & Company Limited, St. John's, covers at least two distinct periods in the firm's evolution and have been acquired at different times and from different sources. Most of the original material covers the post-confederation period, and consists of correspondence (1955-1956) and some loose leaf ledgers and journals. There are transcripts of two letter books, dated 1902-1910, by W. G. Gosling, (1863-1930), a shareholder and long time manager for Harvey's. The letterbooks give valuable insight into both the business and other interests in Gosling's life. There is also a photocopy of a diary, dated 1885. Other records relate to the Bay Bulls Development Syndicate, a subsidiary of Harvey's which was established in 1925.
The fonds is arranged in five series: Correspondence and diaries, 1885-1956; Financial records, 1925-1958; Legal documents, 1861-1925; Bay Bulls Development Syndicate, 1925-1934; Miscellaneous.
Notes area
Physical condition
Immediate source of acquisition
Arrangement
Language of material
- English
Script of material
Location of originals
Availability of other formats
Restrictions on access
No restrictions
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Finding aids
Finding aid is available
Associated materials
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Standard number
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Dates of creation, revision and deletion
Created - May 16, 2013
Language of description
- English