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Private and confidential letters, 1929-1992

 Sub-Series
Reference Code: GBR/0012/MS JM/J4

Scope and Contents

Private and confidential correspondence between agencies and representatives of Jardine, Matheson & Co. Ltd, subsidiary companies, companies in which Jardine Matheson held an interest, and other correspondents, with enclosed letters and other papers, including some copies of semi-official correspondence. The composition of some of the series changed over time, meaning that one sequence of correspondence might be spread over several different series in J4. There is also some duplication of letters, mainly caused by Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong, and Matheson & Co. Ltd, London, keeping their own copies of the same correspondence series. The following index lists the letters found in this series (including the J4 classmark in brackets):

British West Indies-Hong Kong: R.G. no. 1, 1957 (25).

British West Indies-London: R.G. no. 1, 1957 (25).

Calcutta-Hong Kong: nos 1-21, 1960-1961 (17/3-4); 1-22, 1962 (17/5); 1-5, 1963 (17/6); 1-9, 1964 (17/7); 1-10, 1965 (17/8); 1-2, 1966 (17/9); 1-6, 1967 (17/10); 1-2, 1968 (17/11); and 1-2, 1969 (17/12).

Chungking-London: nos 1-31, 1944-1945 (20).

Hankow-Hong Kong: nos 1-4, 1938 (3).

Hong Kong-Calcutta: nos 1-21, 1960-1961 (17/3-4); 1-29, 1962 (17/5); 1-10, 1963 (17/6); 1-13, 1964 (17/7); 1-14, 1965 (17/8); 1-4, 1966 (17/9); 1-7, 1967 (17/10); 1-2, 1968 (17/11); and 1-4, 1969 (17/12).

Hong Kong-Hankow: nos 1-11, 1938 (3).

Hong Kong-London: nos 0A, 1-3, 3A, 4-7, 7A, 8-10, 10A, 10B, 11-17, 17A, 18-27, 27A, 28-59, 59A and 60-98, 1929-1931 (1/1-2; 4/1-2); 1, 1935 (1/2; 4/4); 1-134, 1936-1938 (1/2-3; 4/4); 41, 1945 (21/1); 1-50, 1945-1946 (7/1; 21/1); 1-49, 1947 (7/2; 21/1); 1-72, 1948 (14; 21/1); 1-111 and 113-132, 1949 (7/3; 21/2); 1-98, 1950 (7/4; 21/2); 1-188, 1951 (7/5; 21/3); 1-225, 1952 (7/6; 21/4); 1, 3-16, 18-24, 26-133, 135, 137-140, 142-149, 151-180, 182-197, 199-205, 207-212 and 214-220, 1953 (7/7; 21/5); 1-18 and 20-203, 1954 (8/1; 21/6); 1-128, 130-185, 187-208 and 210-215, 1955 (8/2; 21/7); 1-6, 6A, 7-61, 61A, 62-134 and 136-161, 1956 (7/8; 21/8); 1-5 and 7-318, 1957 (8/3; 21/9); 1-333, 1958 (7/20; 21/10); 1-241 and 243-251, 1959 (8/5; 21/11); 1-124, 126-151 and 153-247, 1960 (8/6; 21/12-13); 1-255, 1961 (8/7; 21/1-15); 1-260, 1962 (8/8; 21/16-17); 1-152, 152A, 153-168, 170-197, 199-239, 241-248 and 250-283 (8/9; 21/18); 1, 2, 4-10, 12-127, 129-219, 219A and 220-247, 1964 (8/10; 21/19); 1-93 and 95-261, 1965 (8/11; 21/20); 1-124, 126-139, 141-157 and 160-255, 1966 (8/12; 21/21); 1-61, 61A, 62-64, 66-80, 80A, 81-83, 85-179, 181-209, 211-251, 253-272 and 275-333, 1967 (8/13; 21/22-23); 1-91, 93-103, 105-117, 119-123, 125-140, 142-175, 177-181, 183-198, 200-218, 220-245, 247-249, 251-254, 256-269, 271-276, 278-293 and 295-301, 1968 (8/14; 21/24); and 1-26, 28-103, 105-134, 136-211, 213-249 and 251-258, 1969 (8/15; 21/25).

Hong Kong-London: unn., 1932-1936 (4/3-4), and 1941 (4/4)

Hong Kong-Shanghai: nos 2, 3, 5-7, 12, 20, 24-26, 28-30, 39, 41-50, 52-56, 58-65 and 67-100, 1929-1931 (2/1-2; 4/1-2); unn., 1934-1936 (4/4); 1-123, 1936-1938 (2/2-3; 4/4); 1-35, 1945-1946 (9/1; 22/1); 1-69, 1947 (9/2; 22/1); 1-63, 1948 (9/3; 22/1); 1-63, 1949 (9/4; 22/1); 1-36, 1950 (9/5; 22/1); 1-47, 1951 (9/6; 22/2); 1-17, 1952 (9/7; 22/2); 1-36, 1953 (9/8; 22/2); and 1-22, 1954 (9/9; 22/2).

Hong Kong-Singapore: nos 1-23, 1954 (10/1; 23/1); 1-31, 1955 (10/2; 23/1); 1-21, 1956 (10/3; 23/1); 1-40, 1957 (16; 23/1); 1-43, 1958 (17/1; 23/1); 1-55, 1959 (17/2; 23/1); 1-33, 1960 (17/3; 23/1); 1, 2, and 4-29, 1961 (17/4; 23/2); 1-28, 1962 (17/5; 23/2); 1-44, 1963 (17/6; 23/2); 1-42, 1964 (17/7; 23/2); 1-22, 1965 (17/8; 23/2); 1-26, 1966 (17/9; 23/2); 1-3 and 5-31, 1967 (17/10; 23/2); 1-5 and 7-26, 1968 (17/11; 23/3); and 1-19, 1969 (17/12; 23/3).

Hong Kong-Sydney: nos 1-8, 1964 (17/7; 83/1), and 1-5, 1965 (17/8; 83/1).

Hong Kong-Tokyo: nos 1-9, 1949 (11/1 and 24); 1-16, 18-22, 24-34, 37, 38 and 40-59, 1950 (11/1; 24); 1-66, 1951 (11/2; 24); 1-55, 1952 (11/3; 24); 1-35, 1953 (11/4; 24); 1-41, 1954 (11/5; 24); and 1-2, 1955 (16; 24).

Hong Kong-Tokyo: unn., 1956 (16), and 1957 (24).

Hong Kong-United States: unn., 1948-1966 (18/2-13; 37/2-13).

Kobe-Tokyo: nos 1, 1950 (11/1), and 5, 7 and 9, 1951 (11/2).

London-British West Indies: nos 1-19, 1956-1957 (16; 25).

London-British West Indies: R.G. no. 1, 1957 (25).

London-Chungking: nos 1-30, 1944-1945 (26).

London-Hong Kong: unn., 1941 (6), and nos 1-302, 304-357, 359-474, 476-782, 785, 787-790, 792-865, 867-874, 877-879, 881-907, 909, 910, 912, 913, 915-925, 927, 929, 930, 932-944 and 946-999, 1945-1954 (7/1-7; 12/1; 14; 27/1-5); 1-261, 263, 264, 267-304, 306-326, 328, 329, 331-333, 335-348, 350-414, 414A, 415-470, 472-478, 480-486, 488-558, 558A, 559-650, 652-828, 830-875 and 877-999, 1954-1958 (7/8; 12/1-3; 12/4; 27/5-9); 1-105, 107-290, 292-381, 383-428, 430-464, 466-544, 546-647, 647A, 648-652, 654-711, 711A, 711B, 712-722, 722A, 722B, 723, 723A, 724-750, 752-896, 896A, 897-908, 908A, 909-949 and 951-999, 1958-1962 (12/4-8; 27/9-14); 1, 1A, 1B, 2-13, 15-140, 142-177, 179-214, 216-284, 284A, 285-369, 371-384, 386-448, 450-477, 479-483, 485-502, 505-520, 522-754, 756-783, 785-848, 850-868 and 870-999, 1962-1965 (12/8-11; 27/14-17); 1-3, 5-14, 14A, 15-44, 44A, 45-61, 63-203, 203A, 204, 204A, 205-222, 222A, 223-236, 238-264, 266-272, 272A, 273-286, 286A, 287-303, 303A, 304-350, 352-379, 381-405, 407-442, 444, 446-469, 471-515, 515A, 516-646, 648-659, 659A, 660-679, 681-689, 691-725, 727-747, 749-782, 784-827, 829-838, 839A, 840, 840A, 841-882, 884-909, 911-927, 929-969, 973-980, 982-992 and 994-999, 1965-1968 (12/11-14; 27/17-20); and 1-5, 7-13, 15-48, 50-57, 59-67, 69-157, 159-174, 176-184, 186-269, 271-304, 306, 307, 309-332 and 334-352, 1968-1969 (12/14-15; 27/20-21).

London-Hong Kong/Shanghai: nos 1-123, 123A and 124-227, 1929-1939 (1; 5; 6).

London-Shanghai: nos S.1-7, 1936-1938 (1/2; 3; 5), and 1-124, 1945-1950 (13/1-3; 14; 28).

London-Singapore: nos 1-6, 8-257 and 259-264, 1955 and 1957-1969 (16; 17/1-12; 29/1).

London-Tokyo: nos 4-48, 1950-1953 (11; 30).

London-United States: unn., 1946-1949, 1951-1954 and 1956-1966 (18/2; 18/5; 18/13; 37/1-6; 37/8; 37/13).

Shanghai-Hong Kong: nos 1-69, 1929-1933 (2/1-2; 4/1-2; 4/4); unn., 1937 (2/2); 1-8, 8B, 9-12, 12-24, 24A and 25-170, 1945-1948 (9/1-3; 31/1); 1-93 and 95-129, 1949-1950 (9/4-5; 31/1); 1-51, 1951 (9/6; 31/2); 1-13, 15, 16 and 18-57, 1952 (9/7; 31/2); 1-63, 1953 (9/8; 31/2); and 1-85, 1954 (9/9; 31/3).

Shanghai-London: nos 1, 2, 4-10 and 12-14, 1931-1934 (1/2 and 4/2-4); unn., 1932-1937 (1/2; 4/3-4); 1-72, 1945-1948 (13/1-2; 14; 32); and 1-14, 1949-1950 (13/3; 32).

Shanghai-United States: unn., 1946-1948 (18/1-2; 37/1-2).

Singapore-Hong Kong: nos 1-24, 1954 (10/1; 33/1); 1-29, 1955 (10/2; 33/1); 1-26, 1956-1957 (10/3; 33/1); 1-42 and 44-58, 1957 (16; 33/1); 1-62, 1958 (17/1; 33/2); 1-97, 1959 (17/2; 33/2); 1-78, 1960 (17/3; 33/2); 1-55 and 57-75, 1961 (17/4; 33/3); 1-52, 1962 (17/5; 33/3); 1-18, 18A and 19-78, 1963 (17/6; 33/3); 1-66, 1964 (17/7-8; 33/3); 1-19 and 21-46, 1965 (17/8; 33/3); 1-49, 1966 (17/9; 33/4); 1-41, 1967 (17/10; 33/4); 1-57, 1968 (17/11; 33/4); and 1-33, 1969 (17/12; 33/4).

Singapore-London: nos 1-26, 1955-1958 (16; 17/1; 34/1); 1-57, 1959 (17/2; 34/1); 1-16, 1960 (17/3; 34/1); 1-19, 1961 (17/4; 34/1); 1-30, 1962 (17/5; 34/1); 1-26, 1963 (17/6; 34/2); 1-6, 6A and 7-34, 1964 (17/7; 34/2); 1-14, 1965 (17/8; 34/2); 1-26, 1966 (17/9; 34/2); 1-22, 1967 (17/10; 34/2); 1-38, 1968 (17/11; 34/2); and 1-7, 1969 (17/12; 34/2).

Sydney-Hong Kong: nos 1-13, 1964 (17/7; 103/1), and 1, 1965 (17/8).

Tokyo-Hong Kong: nos 1-21, 1949 (11/1; 35/1); 1-11, 13-28, 30-35, 37-51, 53, 54, 56-59, 61-63 and 65-69, 1950 (11/1; 35/1); 1-112, 1951 (11/2; 35/1); 1-40 and 42-101, 1952 (11/3; 35/2); 1-54, 1953 (11/4; 35/2); 1-47, 1954 (11/5; 35/2); and 1-8, 1955 (16; 35/2).

Tokyo-Hong Kong: unn., 1949 (11/1).

Tokyo-Kobe: no. 1, 1950 (11/1).

Tokyo-London: nos 1-6, 1950 (15/1; 36); 1-24, 26-29, 31 and 32, 1951 (15/1; 36); 1-20, 1952-1953 (15/2; 36); and 1, 1954 (36).

Tokyo-United States: unn., 1950-1955 (18/4-9; 37/3-7).

United States-Hong Kong: unn., 1948-1961 and 1963 (18/2-13; 37/2-9; 37/12).

United States-London: unn., 1946-1966 (18/5-8; 18/13; 37).

United States-Shanghai: unn., 1946-1951 (18/1; 18/2; 18/4-5; 37/1-3).

United States-Tokyo: unn., 1950-1951 (18/5; 37/4).

Dates

  • Creation: 1929-1992

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

From the Fonds:

Access to the collection is subject to special conditions and is at the discretion of Matheson & Co. Ltd, part of the Jardine Matheson Group. A statement of the conditions and an application form are available in the Manuscripts Reading Room. Printed copies of the form are available by post (please contact the University Library). An electronic version can also be found at https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/files/jm_permission_form.pdf.

Records described in the catalogue as being in a bad condition are in a fragile state that precludes them being made available to readers.

Access to some records may be restricted under the terms of the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Extent

1 collection (circa 5½ bays (3 cubic metres))

Language of Materials

English

Immediate Source of Acquisition

The correspondence was received in four main sets of accessions:

1. J4/1-3 were part of the original accessions of Jardine Matheson papers to Cambridge University Library.

2. J4/4-39 were received in accessions of 2011-2015, and are comprised of correspondence dating from before 1945 (J4/4-6); correspondence belonging to Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong, dating from 1945 onwards (J4/7-19); correspondence belonging to Matheson & Co. Ltd, London, dating from 1944 onwards (J4/20-37); and enclosures to the correspondence (J4/38-39).

3. J4/40-71 were received in an accession of 2017, and are comprised of correspondence belonging to Jardine Matheson, Hong Kong, of 1970-1992.

4. J4/72-109 were received in a set of accessions in 2018, and are comprised of correspondence belonging to Matheson & Co. Ltd dating mainly from the 1970s and early 1980s.

Related Materials

J1 includes some copies of the firm's private and confidential letters, as follows:

Calcutta-Hong Kong: nos 7 and 21, 1961 (J1/173).

Chungking-London: P. & C. nos 1, 2, 4-8, 10-16 and 18-31, 1944-1945 (J1/91 and J1/116).

Hong Kong-Hankow: P. & C. unnumbered and nos 2-11, 1938 (J1/113/1).

Hong Kong-Sydney: P. & C. unnumbered, 1963-1964 (J1/188/1-2).

Hong Kong-Sydney [Birt & Co.]: P. & C. unnumbered, 1964 (J1/188/2).

Kobe-Tokyo: P. & C. nos 1-4 and 7-9, 1951 (J1/207), and 1, 1953 (J1/207).

London-Chungking: P. & C. nos 1-11 and 13-30, 1944-1945 (J1/101 and J1/116).

Sydney-Hong Kong: P & C. unnumbered, 1964 (J1/172/3).

Taipei-Hong Kong: P. & C. unnumbered, 1961 (J1/153/10).

Tokyo-Kobe: P. & C. no. 1, 1950 (J1/253).

I21/14/44 contains index cards compiled c. 1982 recording private and confidential letters found in Matheson & Co. Ltd's subject files (I21/4).

Repository Details

Part of the Cambridge University Library Repository

Contact:
Cambridge University Library
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Cambridge CB3 9DR United Kingdom