Miscellaneous correspondence concerning the Burroughs and Wellcome partnership

Various letters, as follows:

17 August, 1887. John Wyeth to Burroughs. Copy letter (or letter fragment) written in pencil. The letter refers the possibility of Burroughs Wellcome & Co becoming a joint stock company (a theme that Wyeth pursues in his later letter to Burroughs of 7 September, 1891 - see WF/E/02/01/02/13). Wyeth's remarks are revealing about Burroughs's presentation of his business circumstances made in a prior conversation with Wyeth: "You do not state in your letter whether Mr W[ellcome] is to remain in the company and if he will remain in the company whether he is to be an active member or simply to hold interest. When you talked the matter over you seemed anxious he should sever his connection entirely with the company as you said he was so much disliked by Dr Witte[,] Mr Sudlow and others. We presume this will be the outcome of the united dissatisfaction."

5 June, 1888. A J Spratlin [assistant accountant, BW&Co] to Wellcome. A covering letter to accompany his statement (not present in file), expressing "sincere regret at the unfortunate circumstances that have called forth such a document."

9 April, 1889. Radford & Frankland to Burroughs, who think that "Mr Wellcome's conduct with regard to the costs of the conveyance is unreasonable & mean" but suggest that, in return, Burroughs "will have an opportunity before long of refusing to comply with some requirements of his and so be even with him."

12 June, 1890. Copy letter, Burroughs (on behalf of BW&Co) to C P Rugg Esq MD, British Home for Incurables, concerning "two systems of ventilation installed in our premises," one attributed to Wellcome and one to Burroughs. Wellcome has annotated the letter, denying he has "a scheme for ventilation." A typed reply from Burroughs, to Wellcome's denial, is attached.

26 January, 1891. Burroughs Wellcome & Co to Burroughs, referring to "the form of address...for our managers" (Mr or Esq). See Burroughs's reply (verso, 2 February), objecting to the use of "Esq" and equating it with "hankering after empty titles".

13 October, 1891. Draft letter, [Wellcome] to C O Humphreys Son & Kershaw. "...Mr Wellcome has no desire to sell his share nor is he anxious to purchase."

14 December, 1891. Burroughs Wellcome & Co to City Bank, Holborn Branch, referring to setting up a "Phoenix Mills Purchase Deposit Account" in joint names.

3 May, 1892. Wellcome to Burroughs, returning a letter received "today" - "as it is not a proper letter for a partner to address to an employee" (Burroughs's letter not present).

July-August, 1894. A small bundle of letters and notes concerning Burroughs Wellcome & Co's contractual relationship with Rosbach & Franz-Josef Co.

1887-1894

1 file

Copyright assigned to the Wellcome Trust