Ellerman Rice Mills Burma Ltd was incorporated in 1915 with its head office in London, England, and a branch office in Rangoon, Burma . The company was a subsidiary of the Ellerman Group of shipping companies, including the Ellerman Lines Ltd , Ellerman City Line Ltd , Ellerman & Bucknall (Steamships) Co Ltd , Ellerman & Papayanni Lines Ltd and the Hall Line Ltd . These companies traded in the Mediterranean and the Far East and would call into Burma to collect rice for the return journey to Glasgow, Scotland, or London.
The Arracan Co Ltd , rice merchants of London and Rangoon, Burma, was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1885 . At this time, it purchased the Akyal-ande Bassein Mills in Burma from John Halliday who was a shareholder in the new company. The company also purchased a rice mill in Doubong, Rangoon, Burma and chartered vessels and purchased rice for export. By 1915 , the company had branches in Calcutta, India; Bangkok, Thailand; and Vietnam (then Saigon).
In 1920 , Sir J R Ellerman, William Graham and T G Burt sold their shares in the Ellerman Rice Mills Burma Ltd to the Arracan Co Ltd . The Arracan Co Ltd then changed its name to Ellerman's Arracan Rice & Trading Co Ltd . This company continued to trade in rice and also acted as the Ellerman group's agents in Rangoon. In 1987 , the company changed its name to Cityline Catering Ltd , reverting to the Ellerman's Arracan Rice & Trading Co Ltd in 1989 . In 2002, the company existed as a non-trading company registered in London.
From the guide to the Records of Ellerman's Arracan Rice & Trading Co Ltd, East India merchants, London, England and Rangoon, Burma, 1885-1976, (Glasgow University Archive Services)
