Company:
Arthur & Co Ltd Arthur-Fraser Investments Ltd
Registration number: 832
Company name: Arthur & Co Ltd
Dates in business: 1878-c 1967
Type of business: textile manufacturer and wholesaler
Company name: Arthur-Fraser Investments Ltd
Dates in business: 1967-c 1973
Type of company: Limited liability company
Locations:- Queen Street, Glasgow, Scotland
- William Street, Glasgow, Scotland
- Miller Street, Glasgow, Scotland
- Londonderry, Northern Ireland
- Leeds, England
- South Africa
- Australia
- New Zealand
- Canada
- London, England
- Newcastle upon Tyne, England
- Edinburgh, Scotland
Management of company
The first directors of the company were James Arthur, the founder of the company, William Ogilvie, John Robert Kay and Matthew Arthur. After James Arthur's death in 1885, the chair was taken by his eldest son, Matthew Arthur. Between 1928 and 1935, the chair was held by James Arthur, who, in 1935, was succeeded by Andrew Arthur, the fourth son of the founder. He only held the chair for one year and was succeeded in 1936 by Evelyn Stewart Arthur, the grandson of the founder. In 1958, on the acquisition of Arthur & Co Ltd by House of Fraser Ltd, Evelyn Arthur retired and was replaced by TR Patterson. The other directors of Arthur & Co Ltd remained at their posts after the acquisition.
Company history
The company was incorporated in 1878 with its registered office at 78 Queen Street, Glasgow, to carry on the business of Arthur & Co, textile manufacturer and wholesaler, of Glasgow. At the time of its incorporation, it had a warehouse in Queen Street, Glasgow, a large shirt factory in William Street, Glasgow, a linen factory in Londonderry, Northern Ireland and a readymade clothing factory in Leeds. The company expanded rapidly both in the UK and overseas. By Arthur?s death in 1885, the Queen Street warehouse comprised fifty departments for clothes, furniture, bedding, musical instruments, watches, clocks, jewellery, stationery, ironmongery and fancy goods. The company also had warehouses in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. In 1898, the Queen Street warehouse was added to by the acquisition of 61-67 Miller Street. Branch warehouses were also opened around this time in London, Newcastle upon Tyne and Edinburgh. The Queen Street warehouse was bombed during the second world war but was rebuilt in 1958. In the same year, Arthur & Co Ltd was acquired by House of Fraser Ltd, the department store retailers, of Glasgow. In 1966, House of Fraser Ltd sold the firm and its entire stock. In January 1967, the name of the company was changed to Arthur-Fraser Investments Ltd. The company was still in existence in 1973.
Records held for Arthur & Co Ltd:
Title: John F Barclay, The Story of Arthur & Co Ltd: One Hundred Years of Textile Distribution
Date: 1953
Related People and Companies:
Dates of connection: 1878
Connection type: Arthur & Co Ltd was incorporated in 1878 to carry on the business of Arthur & Co.
Dates of connection: 1958-1966
Connection type: House of Fraser Ltd acquired Arthur & Co in 1958 and sold it in 1966.
Dates of connection: 1878-1885
Connection type: Arthur was the chairman of the board of directors.
Access points: Textile manufacturers - Wholesale trade
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