Edwards Dunlop & Co. records and pictorial material, 1886-1985

fonds

1886-1985

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Objects

9609280

3.41 metres of textual material (12 boxes, 8 volumes) - manuscript, typescript, printed,
7 photographic prints - black and white
33 negatives - glass
1 sign - metal

Edwards, Dunlop and Co. was founded in Sydney by law stationer and bookseller Frederick Lewis Edwards (1828-1906) and paper manufacturer William Phillip Dunlop (died 1906). Dunlop, who had come to Australia from Scotland in 1861 initially worked as a salesman for Alexander Cowan and Co. After returning to Scotland in 1867 he founded Murray, Dunlop and Co (with George Murray) and in 1873 began his partnership with Frederick Edwards. The company initially traded in London and Sydney as paper merchants and wholesale stationers, with the Sydney headquarters being located in Clarence Street. It later expanded to Brisbane (1880), Melbourne (1920) and Perth (ca. 1937). Frederick Edwards managed the company's office in London, while William Dunlop and his brother John Sym Dunlop (1844-1912) managed the Sydney operations. John Dunlop's sons James Matthew and William Phillip (Junior) both joined the company and took leading roles in its early development.

The business was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1886, and through careful and conservative management Edwards, Dunlop and Co managed to survive the depression, a disastrous fire in 1906 and paper shortages during World War I. Following the death of his uncle in 1906 and father in 1912, James Dunlop became chairman and managing director, and under his leadership the company continued to expand both its market reach and financial returns. In addition to its stationary and paper manufacturing interests, Edwards, Dunlop and Co also printed and published from the 1880s onwards, a wide range of Australian books, including cookery, sport, politics, music, poetry, novels and children's books.

Reference:
AustLit

Series 1:
Business records of Edwards Dunlop & Co.

Series 2:
Photographs, realia and other pictorial material relating to Edwards Dunlop & Co.

Copyright restrictions may apply