MCHATTIE AND CO COLLECTION

The records comprise accounts, administrative, commercial, technical and publicity records. The accounts include wage books 1912-1939, 1945-1963 and financial statements 1880's and for the partnership of A W Armstrong, W C Armstrong and W Ferguson 1911-1942. The administrative records contain a comprehensive general reference album concerned with government matters 1921-1942 and an inventory and valuation of the firm's implement sales registers 1875-1941 referring to a wide variety of manufacturers and equipment. The technical records are reference compilations of preserved flora and a reference album on farm seeds 1916-1965. The publications records include eleven albums and fifty three individual advertising items divided into farm seeds, garden seeds and bulbs, roses, shrubs and trees 1870-1969. The collection also contains an album of coloured printing block proofs 1920-1950's; sample seed packets 1920's -1950's and photographs of McHattie and Co display stands at agricultural shows c1900-1920

McHattie and Co Ltd of Chester, seedsmen and nurserymen came into being in 1803, according to its later publicity. The earliest item in the collection dates to 1870 when the business was that of a sole trader, John McHattie. He was joined in partnership by George McHattie soon thereafter, trading in 1872 as J and G McHattie. John died in 1886 and the partnership was dissolved only to be replaced by a new partnership styled McHattie and Co and comprising A W Armstrong as employee for some seventeen years previously and W Ferguson. In 1911 W C Armstrong was admitted to the partnership and in 1942 the limited company of McHattie and Co Ltd was formed under which style the firm still trades.

AC Accounts

AC5 Cost Accounts

AC7 Financial Statements

AD Administrative and Commercial Records

AD2 General Administrative and Commercial Records

AD5 Materials Records

AD7 Commercial Records

ET Technical Records Experimental and General Reference

ET3 General Technical Reference Records

P Publications, Promotions and Advertising Records

P1 General Compilations

P2 Individual Advertising and Servicing Publications

P8 Printing Proofs and Artworks

PH Internal Photographic Records

PH3 Individual Prints

Open for consultation

Records deposited on 16 June 1971 Accession numer T71/6

Compiled by Caroline Gould, 26 November 2002

A detailed catalogue is available at the Museum of English Rural Life

Please contact the Archivist