Minute Books: Board of Directors; AGMs

These volumes contain the minutes of meetings of the board of the company, and minutes of AGMs and their local equivalent. Meetings of the board generally took place ten to twelve times a year. Unlike earlier volumes of minutes from this company, none here are in Spanish, save for the minutes of an EGM which appear on pp. 159-162.

Details of shareholdings and the financial position of the company appear at intervals in the minutes, along with some reports from directors. Meetings also deal with general company administration, Powers of Attorney, and so on. Some salary details are also given, as well as details of bonus payments.

Some, but not all, of the minutes have been signed. Some, but not all, have been endorsed to indicate that they have been reported to the Secretary or Board of the main UK company, or received by the office of the Managing Director in the UK.

There is an index at the front of the first of the two volumes, which applies to both of them.

Two sheets of notepaper from the South African subsidiary, William Cooper & Nephews South Africa (Proprietary) Ltd, as stuck inside the front cover of the first volume.

Problems with import permits for raw materials essential to the manufacturing process are noted at many meetings.

The investment of a large cash surplus the business had, due to lack of stocks, is noted on p. 27.

The supply of vaccines from Burroughs Wellcome in 1951 is noted on p. 30. A limited liability partnership with BW&Co is proposed on p. 35 for the area of veterinary vaccines.

Problems with containers for the Crema Gamatox product are noted on p. 52.

Authorisation for a name change of the company is given on p. 69.

Authorisation for a stand at the Palermo show is given on p. 100.

On p. 125 the implications of a metalworkers' strike on the assembly of a new factory are noted.

The meeting of the board on 27 Mar 1958 (p. 146) decided "unanimously" that the future for sales in the Patagonian region was not good.

The acquisition of Little, Fison, Ratcliff Ltda is mentioned on p. 158. The conclusion of the acquisition is noted on pp. 174-175.

The destruction of the company's van in an accident is noted on p. 210.

An agreement to sell the products of the Food Machinery Corporation (of Delaware, USA) is noted on p. 214.

The rise in visitor numbers at the stand in the Palermo exhibition due to advertising a Foot and Mouth disease vaccine is noted on p. 216. Further comment on the vaccine appears on p. 218.

14 Oct 1949 - 12 Jun 1963

2 items One original volume has been separated into two volumes as a result of conservation work. The break occurs at p. 119, on which is a sheet dated 21 Jun 1956. Some thin paper used in the volumes has been wartermarked to indicate that it was airmail lightweight paper.

Please see main WF collection description (ref. 'WF').