City of Cork Steam Packet Co Ltd
TitleCity of Cork Steam Packet Co Ltd
ReferenceIE 627/U370
Date
1803 - 1969
Production date 1841 - 1969
Scope and ContentThe surviving records of the City of Cork Steam Packet Company Limited provide a wealth of information on the Company's management, ownership, administration, operations, staff, and vessels, particularly for the period from its creation in 1871 to its takeover in 1918, and through its existence as part of the British & Irish Steam Packet Company and the Coast Lines group of companies up to 1965. A few records of its predecessor, the City of Cork Steam Ship Company (1843-71) also occur in the collection. These include an important set of Company letters to ships' captains [U370/D/F/225], some files on the Company's London and other agencies [U370/C/035] and receipts for shipment of goods on vessels including the Cormorant and the Halcyon [U370/D/020]. Also present are photographs of two vessels from that time, the Cormorant (built 1853) and the Dodo (built 1855) [U370/H/044-045]. ]. Appendix 1 to the descriptive list outlines pre-1871 records, while Appendix 2 is a calendar of the letters to ships’ captains 1844 – 1871 in U370/F/247. These earlier records have not been separated from later Company records, but rather have been placed with similar material within relevant series, apart from one 1836 item, given a distinct series, U370/S.
U370/A 'Corporate Governance' consists of records of the overall management of the Company, including articles of association from its founding, minutes and reports of its directors, and minutes, reports, and accounts from meetings of members (shareholders). This system of governing the Company was not continued after 1918, when instead the new owners placed a managing director in charge.
U370/B 'Shares and Investments' documents ownership of share in the Company from 1871 to 1918, and changes in ownership, including its takeover in 1918. Files relating to shares and investments also document later share transfers, dividends, share calls, and investments.
U370/C 'Administrative Files' relate primarily to the period as part of British & Irish Steam Packet Company and the Coast Lines Group, reflecting the changed recordkeeping resulting from new management structures. Within this series are files on property, financial matters, and operational issues, illustrating a wide range of Company activities, particularly in the 1920s-30s. Of particular importance are files of trade returns from the 1960s, and files relating to vessels, including files on war loss during the First and Second World Wars [U370/C/027-029].
U370/D 'Promotions and Company History' documents special promotional cruises, Company promotional literature and advertising, and notes and cuttings on Company history, largely assembled for promotional and commemorative purposes, which add much colour to the collection.
U370/E 'Other Organisations' is a small but key series containing minutes and files of dealings with the Ireland and England Traffic Conference, the Great Western Railway Company, and Cork Harbour Commissioners, on the movement of goods between Britain and Ireland, c1860s to 1930s.
U370/F 'Volumes' is the largest series, divided into four main groupings: Financial Accounting; Operational Accounting; Wages; and Other. Items include journals, ledgers, cash books, and customs records; movement of goods, claims and rebates, and customer accounts; salary and wages books; and other volumes including correspondence, property rentals, and minor financial and operational records. Volumes in this series have been grouped together as they document Company day-to-day business, and accounting for it, in both financial and formal records of activity and transactions.
U370/G 'Printed Matter' includes printed rates for the through traffic of goods through various Irish and UK ports and railway stations, and printed reports, journals, copies of legislation, and other matter, retained by the Company for reference use.
U370/H 'Drawings and Photographs' is a valuable series of engineering drawings of many vessels, c1890s-1920s, and a set of 'ships' particulars' with small plans, c1950-51, all illustrating the capacities of Company vessels. Some architectural plans of Company premises in Cork, c1900s, are also included here. There is also a file of drawings regarding alterations to the vessel Glengarriff, c1900-1918. Two photographs, of the Dodo and Cormorant, mentioned above, end this series. The series adds a visual and technical dimension which enhances the collection.
U370/S is a special series containing a single item, the articles of agreement and copartnership for the Cork Steam Packet Company, founded in 1836, but not clearly connected to the present Company and its successors.
Further information on each series may be found in series level 'Scope and Content' sections. Within series, related and similar records have been grouped together. However these have not been described as sub-series, to allow flexibility and avoid creating an excess of sub-series. Throughout the descriptive list, the City of Cork Steam Packet Company is described as 'the Company'. The British & Irish Steam Packet Company is usually described as 'B&I'.
The collection documents one of the most important companies in Cork's commercial and maritime history, from its origins and development into a successful independent company, to its response to the challenges of war, takeover, and changing commercial circumstances. Its staff, officers, shareholders, and directors are well documented, adding to its value as a family and social history resource. The technical drawings, promotional material, and newscuttings present add visual and contextual perspective to the collection, allowing a rounded view of the Company's history, and the possibility of pursuing various avenues of research. The Company minutes and volumes recording financial and operational transactions, however, form the core of the collection.
A calendar of U370/F/225 ships' captains letters 1844-71 is included as an appendix to the descriptive list.
U370/A 'Corporate Governance' consists of records of the overall management of the Company, including articles of association from its founding, minutes and reports of its directors, and minutes, reports, and accounts from meetings of members (shareholders). This system of governing the Company was not continued after 1918, when instead the new owners placed a managing director in charge.
U370/B 'Shares and Investments' documents ownership of share in the Company from 1871 to 1918, and changes in ownership, including its takeover in 1918. Files relating to shares and investments also document later share transfers, dividends, share calls, and investments.
U370/C 'Administrative Files' relate primarily to the period as part of British & Irish Steam Packet Company and the Coast Lines Group, reflecting the changed recordkeeping resulting from new management structures. Within this series are files on property, financial matters, and operational issues, illustrating a wide range of Company activities, particularly in the 1920s-30s. Of particular importance are files of trade returns from the 1960s, and files relating to vessels, including files on war loss during the First and Second World Wars [U370/C/027-029].
U370/D 'Promotions and Company History' documents special promotional cruises, Company promotional literature and advertising, and notes and cuttings on Company history, largely assembled for promotional and commemorative purposes, which add much colour to the collection.
U370/E 'Other Organisations' is a small but key series containing minutes and files of dealings with the Ireland and England Traffic Conference, the Great Western Railway Company, and Cork Harbour Commissioners, on the movement of goods between Britain and Ireland, c1860s to 1930s.
U370/F 'Volumes' is the largest series, divided into four main groupings: Financial Accounting; Operational Accounting; Wages; and Other. Items include journals, ledgers, cash books, and customs records; movement of goods, claims and rebates, and customer accounts; salary and wages books; and other volumes including correspondence, property rentals, and minor financial and operational records. Volumes in this series have been grouped together as they document Company day-to-day business, and accounting for it, in both financial and formal records of activity and transactions.
U370/G 'Printed Matter' includes printed rates for the through traffic of goods through various Irish and UK ports and railway stations, and printed reports, journals, copies of legislation, and other matter, retained by the Company for reference use.
U370/H 'Drawings and Photographs' is a valuable series of engineering drawings of many vessels, c1890s-1920s, and a set of 'ships' particulars' with small plans, c1950-51, all illustrating the capacities of Company vessels. Some architectural plans of Company premises in Cork, c1900s, are also included here. There is also a file of drawings regarding alterations to the vessel Glengarriff, c1900-1918. Two photographs, of the Dodo and Cormorant, mentioned above, end this series. The series adds a visual and technical dimension which enhances the collection.
U370/S is a special series containing a single item, the articles of agreement and copartnership for the Cork Steam Packet Company, founded in 1836, but not clearly connected to the present Company and its successors.
Further information on each series may be found in series level 'Scope and Content' sections. Within series, related and similar records have been grouped together. However these have not been described as sub-series, to allow flexibility and avoid creating an excess of sub-series. Throughout the descriptive list, the City of Cork Steam Packet Company is described as 'the Company'. The British & Irish Steam Packet Company is usually described as 'B&I'.
The collection documents one of the most important companies in Cork's commercial and maritime history, from its origins and development into a successful independent company, to its response to the challenges of war, takeover, and changing commercial circumstances. Its staff, officers, shareholders, and directors are well documented, adding to its value as a family and social history resource. The technical drawings, promotional material, and newscuttings present add visual and contextual perspective to the collection, allowing a rounded view of the Company's history, and the possibility of pursuing various avenues of research. The Company minutes and volumes recording financial and operational transactions, however, form the core of the collection.
A calendar of U370/F/225 ships' captains letters 1844-71 is included as an appendix to the descriptive list.
Extent475 items
Physical descriptionMixed media
LanguageEnglish
Persons keywordCity of Cork Steam Packet Company Ltd, British & Irish Steam Packet Company Ltd, Cork Steam Ship Company Ltd, Cork Steam Packet Company, St George Steam Packet Company
SubjectMaritime History, Cork Harbour, Cork City, 1800s, Cork City, 1900s, Business Records, Railways and Tramways, First World War
AccessHard copies: Accessible to Readers by appointment. Access restrictions apply to some collections. Digital object/copy: see Download Media and/or Digital Reference
RightsLicensing information available on request by email to archivist@corkcity.ie Copyright Cork City and County Archives, Cork City Council, unless otherwise indicated. All Rights Reserved.
Levelfonds
RepositoryCork City and County Archives
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