Set up business in Singapore in 1851 [T01p91]

Established themselves at New Harbour about 1852 [T01p48]

Founded: Began as W. R. Paterson and Co. in 1842. [M01p239] [L02 table C]. General merchant firm at Finlayson Green in Singapore and became the Borneo Company on July 31, 1851. [M04p185]

A general trading [A01], Singapore.

In 1846 was W. R. Paterson & Co., Paterson and William Morgan were partners in Glasgow. Had a manager in Manila and Batavia. In Singapore the manager was Robert MacEwen and John Harvey was a clerk. Paterson retired in 1849 and the firm became MacEwen & Co. with Morgan and MacEwen in Glasgow. John Harvey was manager in Singapore and his brother Robert was clerk. [L01p17]

The Borneo Co., Ltd.: In Buckley’s Anecdotal History, p. 380, it is mentioned that the firm of W. R. Paterson and Co. founded in 1842 gave way to that of McEwen and Co. (1851). This firm in 1854, on account of its important business in Sarawak, established the Borneo Co. McEwen and Co. dissolved at some time in the 1850’s. An extensive list of branches – Manchester, Calcutta, Singapore, Batavia, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok, and Sarawak – did agency business, including insurance such as Standard Life, North China and Norwich Union, as well as Nobel’s Explosives and the Russian Volunteer Fleet. In 1914 it handled 16 agencies using 17 Europeans on staff. [Additional information from John Wilson 20 November 2006. [M04]]

The Borneo Company of 25 Mincing Lane in London, was registered in London in June 1856 [L01p17]

Built wharves at New Harbour ca. 1852-59 [B01p119] sold to the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. on July 1, 1885 [B01p131+194]

Headquarters in Singapore [L01p9]

Near the end of 1800s, one of their agencies was the Russian Volunteer Fleet [M01p239]

1859 the BCL represented the CBIAC in Batavia [M02P119]

The BCL administered North Borneo until WWII

The BCL represented Labuan and Sarawak. [Information from John Wilson 20 November 2006. [M04]]

Acquired by Inchcape Group in 1966

Branches:

• 1856 Hong Kong exported baled silk and imported rice from Siam. It closed in 1890 [L01p34-5]
• 1857 Calcutta and closed about 1920 [L01p35]
• 1850’s Batavia [L01]
• the Borneo Docks formed by Samuel Gilfillan representing the BCL on the board. In July 1885 this was sold to the Tanjong Pagar Dock Co. which itself was taken over by the Government in 1905 and today (19??) is called the Singapore Harbour Board [L01p35-6]
• Bangkok
• Manchester
• Shanghai
• Sarawak
  

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