In 1839, George Elder, of Fifeshire Scotland, and his sons Alexander Lang Elder and Thomas Elder decided to start a business in the colony of South Australia. After some vicissitudes the firm was established by A. L. Elder and, by 1853, when he resigned to return to England with his family, it had become an important factor in the commerce and agriculture of South Australia. The business in Australia was then carried on by other members of the Elder family and their partners and in London, A. L. Elder acted as agent for the company. No mention is made of a London Office in the yearly Balance Sheets and Reports until 1889 but the material in this Deposit indicates that a London Office was well established by 1886. In 1889, Robert Barr Smith was designated as the London Director and, in the Report of 1902, the names of the London Board and of the London Manager are given. The London Directors and the London Manager continue to be named in the Annual Reports until 1946, after which date, the London Manager only is named. K. M. Oliphant filled this position until 1962, the date of the merger with Goldsbrough Mort & Co. Ltd.
From the description of Records [manuscript]. (Libraries Australia). WorldCat record id: 225767602
