Description

Papers of Sir John Emmott Barlow 

9/1: Foreign Correspondence 23 January 1919 to 16 December 1920. Comprising:

• official letters to Messrs Barlow & Co., Calcutta, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai and Singapore under the heading ‘Position of Affairs in Consequence of the European War’, describing post-war economic and political difficulties; Paris Peace Conference, bad trade, strikes, unemployment, heavy taxation, deteriorating markets in tea and rubber;
• letters to D. M. Montgomerie and his temporary replacement, Leslie Sharpe, Barlow & Co., Kuala Lumpur, regarding the deterioration in rubber trade, introduction of Rubber Growers Association output quota scheme, falling prices, need for greater economies; introduction of African Palm (oil) cultivation on Torkington estate; general estate management;
• letters to E. F. A. Swann and his successor, Leslie Sharpe, Barlow & Co., Singapore, relating to sale of Central Kelantan rubber estate; growing deterioration in rubber trade and markets generally;
• letters to F. Doxey and his temporary replacements, R. B. Collier and W. T. Cross, Barlow & Co., Calcutta, including the recent sale of the Dilli tea estate;
• delayed negotiation of sale of the Loongsoong tea estate to a native owner, Pran Nath Dass;
• poor state of the local market; decline in tea prices; letters to A. D. Bell and his temporary replacement, F. H. Williams, Barlow & Co., Shanghai, relating to growing Japanese competition in manufacture of cotton goods, poor state of the market generally;
• letters to Charles G. Renshaw, manager of the Muar River rubber estate, concerning this estate and his work as a visiting agent on other rubber estates;
• letters to J. H. McCurdy, manager of the Jin Seng Estate (Krian Rubber Plantations Co.);
• letter to J. R. E. Pawson, manager of the Inchong rubber estate;
• copy of report by J. M. McLaughlin on his visit to the Chingoor tea estate;
• letters from John Greig, manager of the Brae group of tea estates, Madulkelle, Ceylon.
  [Fragile – handle with care].

 

9/2: Foreign Correspondence 13 January 1921 to 23 November 1922. Comprising:

• series of letters to Messrs Barlow & Co., Calcutta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Shanghai, on the general condition of affairs and the prospects for trade;
• showing worsening economic situation, strikes, unemployment, high taxation, growing foreign competition in traditional British export markets, collapse in prices of tea and rubber;
• letters to D. M. Montgomerie, manager, Barlow & Co., Kuala Lumpur, including protests of West African Oil Palm producers at Malaysian cultivation, need for reductions in unit costs of producing rubber to match drop in prices, planters’ voluntary scheme to reduce output, redundancies in European staff on estates; strict economy in management;
• letters to L. H. Sharpe, manager, Barlow & Co., Singapore concerning the same, with particular reference to the Sekong estate;
• letters to F. Doxey, manager, Barlow & Co., Calcutta, regarding general slump in trade, continued attempts to sell the Loongsoong estate;
• reductions in tea estates’ output following drop in prices leading to market rebound;
• letters to A. D. Bell, manager, Barlow & Co., Shanghai, regarding poor trading conditions generally;
• letters to John Greig, manager, Brae group of tea estates, Madulkelle, Ceylon;
• letters to Charles G. Renshaw, manager, Muar River rubber estate and visiting agent;
• letter to J. F. McCurdy, manager, Jin Seng rubber estate; letter to Messrs Carson & Co., Ltd, Columbo, regarding visit of J. M. Allinson and Thomas B. Barlow, en route for Malaya;
• letter to J. M. Allinson regarding inadequate revenue from Singapore office and related matters.
  [Fragile – handle with care].