Corporate entry: The Australian EStates Company Limited
Summary
Records, 1884-1976. The business probably originated as the Melbourne stock and station agency of William Sloane, in 1858. In ca.1861 a partnership was established of William Sloane & Co., which in 1884 became the Union Mortgage and Agency Co. of Australia Ltd. During 1885 the U.M. & A. Co. acquired additional pastoral and wool selling businesses, it was also involved in sugar, and had representatives in Sydney, Brisbane and Rockhampton. In 1886 the company's domicile was transferred to the U.K. where a new company was formed with its Australian head office in Melbourne and branches in Sydney, Brisbane, Rockhampton and later Townsville. Following a period of depression, a subsidiary the Australian Estates & Mortgage Co. Ltd, was formed in 1894, to support the parent company and eventually take over its assets and liabilities, while the parent company retained the agency business. Continuing depression and drought forced the amalgamation of the two companies 1899-1902, and the eventual liquidation of the U.M. & A. Co. In 1924 the company's sugar mill 'The Palms' at Mackay amalgamated with nearby 'Pleystowe' mill, thereby forming the Amalgamated Sugar Mills Ltd. This company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Australian Estates in 1960. In 1936 the company title was changed to the Australian Estates Co. Ltd. After the Second World War the company underwent extensive growth. In Queensland it acquired Kamilaroi Pastoral Co. in 1946, the Australian Estates Co. (Queensland) Pty Ltd., was established in 1955 to acquire new agency branches, and in 1960 Amalgamated Sugar Mills were acquired. Estates Stevedoring was formed in 1964 to secure the parent company's interest in the Central Queensland Stevedoring Co., of Rockhampton, and 1972 saw an expansion of company interest in the Haughton Sugar Co. Ltd at Giru, and holdings acquired in Calcium Products Pty. Ltd., to ensure lime supplies, especially for the Kalamia Mill. Meanwhile in 1959 the Australian Estates (Pastoral) Pty Ltd had been established to hold any new pastoral properties held by the company in Australia. By 1974 however the company suffered serious internal problems; it became vulnerable to speculative purchase and was finally taken over by C.S.R. Ltd in 1975. Records are of the London and Australian offices; there are four deposits, comprising 28.31 meters and 4 reels of microfilm. What follows is:
1. A list of Central and Northern Queensland stations and sugar estates held by Australian Estates and its subsidiaries during the period 1895-1972,
2. A list of agency branches,
3. Descriptions of the four deposits of company records held.
1. STATIONS AND SUGAR ESTATES
Alcala, Canobie, Granada and Wurung via Cloncurry; Boremba, Burleigh and Cambridge Downs, via Richmond; Chatsworth and Noranside via Selwyn; Dagworth and Elderslie via Winton; Dalgonally and Penola Downs via Gilliat; Kalamia via Ayr (sugar); Kamilaroi via Kajabbi; Kilcummin via Clermont; Mackay Estate and Palms Estate via Mackay (sugar); Manuka via Corfield; Millungera via Julia Creek; Tarbrax via Maxwelton.
2. AGENCY BRANCHES
Bowen, Julia Creek, Longreach, Richmond, Rockhampton, Townsville and Winton.
3. AUSTRALIAN ESTATES RECORDS Australian Office, 1885-1950.
Station annual reports indicating the state of station accounts, shearing and lambing returns, land and stock statements. Reports include Cambridge Downs 1895-1926, Boremba, Manuka, Tarbrax ca. 1936-1940, Elderslie 1937-1940, Kilcummin 1936-1939. Station papers, a miscellaneous collection of letters, memos and notes, often containing statistical comparisons between various stations or between various years on the one station; include Kilcummin 1909-1915 and Manuka 1909-1910.
Photographs and map (1885), of Terrick Terrick station via Blackall. Extracts from the Central Queensland Herald, relating to the Blackall Centenary, 1946. Material in this deposit was held in the head office, Melbourne. A.B.L. 5.
Australian Office, 1889-1940. Station annual reports, including reports of Dagworth 1936-1940, Penola Downs 1912-1939, Tarbrax 1938 and Elderslie 1940. Material in this deposit was held in the head office, Melbourne. A.B.L. M.2.
London Office, 1899-1970. Financial papers and reports held at the company's head office in London: Annual accounts, financial statements and reports from Australian head office and branch offices as well as accounts and reports from stations. The Financial Statements series consist basically of copies of the annual accounts in the Annual Accounts series though some of these duplicates are annotated, and after 1954 additional material relating to subsidiary companies is also included, which is not included in the Annual Account series. The station annual reports show the state of station accounts, shearing and lambing returns, land and stock statements and reports from station managers and inspectors. The deposit also contains head office, (London) ledgers, cash books and journals, and a cash book of the Union Mortgage & Agency Co. A.B.L. 158.
London Office, 1885-1976. This extensive deposit consists of records of the U.M. & A. Co. (both of the old Melbourne company and new London company) and the A.E. Co. and subsidiaries, head office London: Memoranda and articles of association, certificates of registration, trust deeds, amalgamation papers (1899-1902) and other legal documents (powers of attorney, service agreements etc.) and papers relating to the capitalisation of the company, from 1886. Minutes of meetings of the boards of directors, general meetings and committee meetings, 1886-1970. Note some of the minute books are locked, thus cannot be used. Various registers - of directors and managers, of seals, of mortgages. Correspondence records are divided into two groups: the first being mail letter books (1890-1934), and the second office files (from 1889). Office files are arranged in alphabetical order of subject title. There are also some papers specifically relating to L.E. Pickin, secretary of the company 1939-1940. Financial records consist of annual accounts papers, balance sheets etc. and other financial statistics. There are office copies of annual returns and also annual reports and accounts. There are bound volumes of annual accounts and also financial statements, which continue the same series in deposit 158. Papers relating to taxation, directors' fees, investments, etc. and some historical notes. Note the office files series contain considerable financial material. Material relating to the Lowson 1972 share sale investments (1973-1974) is included. The Station Records contain bound volumes of station accounts and managers' reports, which continue the same series in deposit 158. Wool records comprise material relating to wool results, wool consignments, average prices, wool specifications, details of wool clips with comparative figures etc. ca. 1887-1939. Material on sugar interests are interspersed throughout the deposit, notably in various reports, correspondence files and financial records. There is also a series of amalgamation files, relating to The Palms and Pleystowe Mills containing comprehensive business records, 1907-1940. The following are also held:
Custom House Clearance book, 1884-1914, of Young, Ehler & Co. U.M. & A. Co.'s London agents, one volume.
Newspaper extracts compiled by Street's Financial Advertising Service.
Australian Estates Co. Staff Journal, 1928-1937, 1950-1967.
A large collection of maps and plans, mostly relating to Melbourne and Queensland, ca. 1912-1956.
Photograph Collection: numerous albums relating to stations and sugar estates, including Dagworth n.d., Granada from ca. 1914, Kalamia from 1903, The Palms from 1920; also albums entitled Rockhampton (from ca. 1918), Townsville (from 1918). Amalgamated Sugar Mills (n.d.), and one untitled album inscribed: 'To Mr L.E. Pickin with compliments. As a reminder of our pleasant trip through Central West Queensland, 1927'.
The Australian Estates company seal, and two keys. A.B.L. 165. A.B.L. total company deposits: 5, 158, 1GQ; Micro film M2.