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Letter-books, sales-books and ledgers of and concerning Alexander Houston and Company, merchants, bankers, and shipowners in Glasgow.

 Series
Identifier: MSS.8793-8800

Scope and Contents

Houston's acted as an ‘entrepôt’ importing sugar, rum, cotton and tobacco from the British West Indies and distributing them to merchants throughout Britain. The return trade consisted of provisions, largely herrings and plantation stores, drawn in from various parts of Britain and occasionally from Western Europe. The papers, especially the letter-books and sales-books, offer a detailed picture of the organisation and price structure of the trade.

Dates

  • Creation: 1729-1798.

Conditions Governing Access

Normal access conditions apply.

Conditions Governing Use

Normal reproduction conditions apply, subject to any copyright restrictions.

Extent

8 Volumes

Language of Materials

Undetermined

Immediate Source of Acquisition

Presented, 1953, by Messrs Tods, Murray and Jamieson, Writers to the Signet, Edinburgh.

Separated Materials

See also MSS.8895-8898.

Title
National Library of Scotland Catalogue of Manuscripts
Author
National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division
Description rules
International Standard for Archival Description - General
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the National Library of Scotland Archives and Manuscripts Division Repository

Contact:
Archives and Manuscript Division
National Library of Scotland
George IV Bridge
Edinburgh EH1 1EJ
0131 623 3700