Alliance+Trust

=The Alliance Trust PLC=

Company Number:SC001731 Date of Incorporation: 21 April 1888 Contact Details: 8 West Marketgait, Dundee, DD1 1QN Operating Details: Active Other names (if known): The Alliance Trust Public Limited Company (1888-2006) Function of Company*: Other business activities (7487). Describes itself as an investment company Headquarters/Base of Operations Location: Dundee Area of Operation: UK wide. Offices in Dundee, Edinburgh and London


 * Taken from Standard Industrial Classification 2003, as used by Companies House in 2010

Records
Held By: [|University of Dundee Archive Services], uncatalogued as yet Scope/type: Corporate records: minutes (1888-2005); annual returns (1947-1974); circulars (1908-1964); register of directors (1948-1967); seals book (1938-1971); shareholder records - ordinary, preference and 'a' shareholders: register of ordinary, preference and 'a' shareholders (nd); register of confirmations and probates on stock (nd); registers of transfers of stock (nd); dividend lists (1928-1968); closed shareholder accounts (1923-1968); shareholder records - debenture shareholders: registers of shareholders (1925-1966); register of confirmations and probates on debenture stock (nd); register of debentures (nd, 1943-1956); register of transfers of debenture stock (nd); register of transfers of terminable debenture stock (nd); debenture maturity records (nd); registers of repaid debentures (1931-1963); register of repaid debentures (1947-1950); register of debenture closed accounts (1926-1965); debenture payments (1938-1979); terminable debenture and deposit lists (1950-1969); end of year records: balance sheets (1880-1981); profit and loss (1937-1957); legal papers: trust deeds (1912-1961); agreements folders (1876-1989); miscellaneous legal documents (1909-1921); borrowing records: short loan records (1932-1986); registers of repayments/ term books (1948-1966); management records (1955-1960); agency records: transaction ledgers (1988); property lists (1984); agency journals and accounts (1910-1968); agency closed accounts registers (1927-1962); inspectors' reports(1903-1910); letters of indemnity (1960-1986); mortgages and loan records: abstracts of loans (1907-1928); mortgage applications and correspondence (c1918-1980); Ignacio Chavez Grant Records (1881-1930, 1980); mineral rights reports (1943-1980); investment records: closed accounts (1920-1976); investment/securities registers (nd, 1927-c1970); investments purchases and sales ledgers (nd); accounting records: general ledger (nd, 1935-1987); journals: general journals (nd); home journals (nd); journal of closed accounts (nd); purchase ledger (1964-1973); cash books: general cash books (nd); revenue cash books (nd); dollar cash books (nd, 1969-1978); transaction books (1982-1995); press cuttings (1959-1968); stock certificates (nd) Conditions governing access/use: These records are held privately, and their access is restricted. All enquiries should be addressed to The Registrar, National Register of Archives for Scotland, HM General Register House, Edinburgh, EH1 3YY

Related records: See also NRAS 1402

Company History
A group of Dundee businessmen, who had made their fortunes in jute production, formed a venture to lend money to immigrant farmers in Oregon in 1873. This was the first of several Dundee land and mortgage companies. Three of these Dundee companies, the Dundee Mortgage and Trust, the Dundee Investment Company and the Oregon and Washington Trust (run from Dundee) combined to form the Alliance Trust in 1888. From their roots lending money to farmers and sugar planters, the trust initially concentrated investment in US railway bonds, mineral rights, and fixed interest securities.

In 1918, owing to the failing health of one of the managers, the directors of the Western and Hawaiian Investment Company agreed to share premises, management, staff and administration costs with the Alliance Trust. In 1923 the Hawaiian Investment Company was renamed the Second Alliance Trust. The minutes of Second Alliance stated that the two trusts should merge when ‘the time is right’, though as the companies were very difference the merger did not proceed.

In 1925 the board withdrew from mortgage activities, and focused instead upon bond and share investment. Following the Second World War the trust found itself able to exploit the booming equity markets, and enjoyed considerable success. In 1969 the trust pioneered the first investment trust dividend reinvestment scheme, and in 1986 formed Alliance Trust Savings for private investors in trusts. In fifty following 1948 dividends on stock have increased by 142 times, while retail prices have risen by 20 times. In 2006 Alliance Trust merged with Second Alliance Trust merged under the name of Alliance Trust, creating the largest global generalist trust in the United Kingdom. Today Alliance Trust PLC is the largest investment trust in the UK by market value

With thanks to the NRAS for their permission to use this material