Archive / Papers / Barlow Family: Box 13

Description

Thomas Bradwall Barlow

 

13/1: Business correspondence and letters to managers 24 July 1924 – 31 December 1930. Comprising:

  • general business correspondence (1924-25) relating to sale and purchase of rubber shares, formation of new rubber companies (1925 rubber boom), negotiation of new forward rubber contracts, letter to the Manchester Guardian in defence of the Stevenson Restriction Scheme (3 NOV 1925);
  • letters to D. M. Montgomerie, manager, Barlow and Co., Kuala Lumpur, concerning general rubber estate management, fluctuations in price of rubber, from 10d per pound down to below 4d per pound, leading to economy in estate management, cut backs in staff levels, rationalisation and consolidation in the industry, removal of Stevenson Scheme, November 1928);
  • talks between Rubber Growers’ Association and Dutch growers about voluntary scheme of restriction, temporary shut downs of rubber estates, discussion about reconstruction of Torkington estate as a public company domiciled in Kuala Lumpur;
  • letters to J. S. Thomson, manager, Barlow and Co., Singapore, concerning survival of Singapore office following onset of the economic recession, general estate management and agency business;
  • letters to F. Doxey, manager, Barlow and Co., Calcutta, relating to agency business and Chingoor and Loonsoong tea estates;
  • letters to A. D. Bell, manager, Barlow and Co., Shanghai, concerning general agency business and electrical supply company scheme;
  • letters to K. H. Mackenzie, manager of the Muar River estate; letters to H. H. Wardlaw, manager of the Chersonese rubber estate.
  • 13/2: Business correspondence and letters to managers 8 January 1931 – 29 December 1932. Comprising:

    • letters to D. M. Montgomerie, manager, Barlow and Co., Kuala Lumpur and his temporary replacement Duncumbe Sear, including discussions over manufacture of soap on the Highlands estate from palm oil;
    • the general question of cultivation of rubber plants from cuttings or from bud-grafting, use of mixed or mono clones;
    • scientific advice relating to the rubber road tile experiments of G. Parry-Davis, falling price of rubber leading to further economies in estate management and tapping systems, Montgomerie’s resignation in the Autumn of 1931 due to staff cutbacks;
    • letters to F. H. Williams, Barlow and Co., Singapore and later Kuala Lumpur, including formation of Associated Holdings Ltd to hold Barlow property in Singapore and elsewhere, question of possible market for soap produced from palm oil in Singapore or England, investigations into viability of experiments by G. Parry Davis into rubber road tiles, possible return of scheme of restriction by end of Summer 1931, looking to generate new agency business in place of declining piece goods trade, attempts to develop a trade in rubber between Singapore and Shanghai agencies from August 1932 on, returning optimism in rubber market from August 1932, slowly rising prices from historic lows;
    • letters to G. H. Bowen, Barlow and Co., Singapore relating to formation of the Malayan Palm Oil Bulking Co. Ltd in Singapore to handle bulk shipments of palm oil, general agency business;
    • letters to F. Doxey, manager, Barlow and Co., Calcutta concerning general agency business, possible markets for soap manufactured from palm oil, unwillingness to keep Calcutta agency open in face of losses;
    • letter to E. L. Fraser, Carson and Co., Colombo, Ceylon relating to the Brae group of tea estates;
    • letters to A. D. Bell and his successor, C. H. Fryer, Barlow and Co., Shanghai, concerning general agency business, attempts to develop rubber trade with Singapore agency;
    • letters to J. F. McCurdy, manager, Klabang rubber estate;
    • letters to H. H. Wardlaw, Chersonese estate.