Stories from the Records. Kimberley Benoy Cataloguing Archivist Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies

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1 Stories from the Records Kimberley Benoy Cataloguing Archivist Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies

2 Funded by the National Cataloguing Grants Scheme 18 Months: July 2011 December 2012 Additional funding from the National Manuscripts Conservation Trust Purpose of the project: to catalogue the Smith, Son & Wilkie chartered accountants collection

3 The accountancy firm was started in 1861 by Benjamin Smith Based in Darlington Street, Wolverhampton Continued by his son Lawley Taverner Smith New Partner Mein Wilkie Continued by his son Digby Wilkie Merged with another accountancy firm in 1995

4 The story of

5 Benjamin Smith & Elizabeth Taverner Lawley Moved to Wolverhampton Lived in George Street Benjamin worked as Secretary at Wolverhampton Hospital Four sons Archer Benjamin Smith - born 1853 Lawley Taverner Smith - born 1854 Sidney Smith - born 1855 Moved to Darlington Street Horace Percy Smith - born 1859

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7 By 1861 Benjamin Smith was described as an Accountant and Insurance Agent for Norwich Union (Fire & Life)

8 Three sons went to Wolverhampton Grammar School Founded the Lawley Taverner Smith Scholarship for Classics The family moved to Bellevue House, Merridale Lane Benjamin died in 1877 and was buried in Merridale Cemetery Lawley Taverner and Horace Percy took over the accountancy firm, now known as Benjamin Smith & Sons based at 22 Darlington Street

9 Mein Wilkie joined the partnership 1890 Horace Percy Smith left the partnership 1893 Elizabeth Taverner Smith died 1915 Lawley Taverner Smith retired from the partnership 1934 Lawley Taverner died, aged 80

10 Benjamin Smith Elizabeth Taverner Smith Jane Holland Sarah Emma Smith Horace Percy Smith

11 The story of

12 1857 Mein Wilkie was born in Fife, Scotland By 1881 he had moved to Wolverhampton By 1890 he had become a partner in the accountancy firm In 1903 he married Winifred J E Digby and they had six children By 1911 the family were living at Penn Fields, Wolverhampton

13 In 1915 Lawley Taverner Smith retired from the partnership and Mein Wilkie took over the firm Mein Wilkie died in 1936 and was buried at Merridale Cemetery He was known for being a founder member of the South Staffordshire Golf Club Digby Wilkie continued the firm In 1947 he married Mary Upward Digby died in 1960

14 Winifred Wilkie Mein Wilkie Mein Nicholas Digby Wilkie Digby Wilkie Mein Humphrey Digby Wilkie d Mary Wilkie Ruth Pritchard

15 The background and story of

16 How did the Smith, Son & Wilkie collection come to be at the Archives? Queen Square Syndicate Records Transfer of records late 1980s - early 1990s Why has it taken so long to be catalogued? Large volume of complex records Required funding to hire a project archivist

17 The Smith, Son & Wilkie collection contains: Records of the Accountants Records of Client Businesses Records of Client Families/Personal Clients

18 The Smith, Son & Wilkie collection is unique as it contains: A century of business history Records of a wide range of businesses, from local butchers to national associations In depth records of prominent, wealthy families with details on the transfer of assets and wealth through the generations

19 Corporate Records Memorandum and Articles of Association Minutes Register of Members Dividends Financial Papers and Books Cash Books Ledgers Balance Sheets Profit & Loss Accounts

20 Legal Records Insurance Employment Records Wage Books Operational Records Day-to-day running of the business Property Records Leases, maps etc

21 The story of

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24 The story through the records of

25 Certificate of Incorporation Full name of the business Date of incorporation

26 Memorandum and Articles of Association Company Number Details of type of trade

27 Register of Members Name, address, occupation, shares held etc

28 Share Certificate Name & Address of Shareholder Details of Shares Date Signatures of Directors and Secretary

29 Minutes Directors Meetings Shareholders Meetings Management of the business Relevant issues Changes of Directors etc

30 Cash Book Money coming in and out of the business Entries transferred from Cash Book into the correct account in the Ledger

31 Sales Records What was sold How much Who bought it Date

32 Purchase Records What was purchased How much Who from Date

33 Ledger Specific Accounts for each transaction Private Ledger Nominal Ledger

34 Report of the Directors Names of Directors Report of current trading position Balance Sheet Profit & Loss Account

35 Image of the premises in Tempest Street after the closure in 1973

36 The story of

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41 The story of

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43 The story through the records of

44 Preliminary meeting: 21 st February 1907 Support for the project proposed by Charles T Mander It was decided to lease the land and spend at least 20,000 on new buildings

45 First meeting of the Shareholders Charles T Mander A Baldwin Bantock FJJ Gibbons S Craddock T F Waterhouse John Lees H Willcock J Beattie RL Glaze JE Underhill Thomas J Barnett

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47 Queens Arcade was opened in 1910 Retail premises on the ground floor Queens Arcade offices on the first floor

48 Report of the Directors Directors Solicitors Auditors Secretary Registered Office

49 Sale of Harleys Vaults 1956 for 27,700 Sale of Queens Arcade 1961 to Mander Holdings for 262,755 Voluntary Liquidation 200 per share

50 Researching the businesses and families represented in the Smith, Son & Wilkie collection Over 1,000 volunteer hours have been spent on the project so far... Research will create a more detailed and comprehensive catalogue Much of the detail regarding the history of the businesses has been researched by the volunteers

51 Finish cataloguing the business records Catalogue the family and personal records Launch the full catalogue on the Black Country History website Display at Wolverhampton Archives and Local Studies October-December 2012 Celebrate the completion of the project Project ends December 2012

52 Project Blog: Online Catalogue: Kimberley Benoy: Any Questions?