UCT Libraries

BC 573 J.W. JAGGER & CO. - LETTER BOOKS

Manuscripts & Archives

University of Cape Town Libraries

There are four of these books. The letters are either written by Mr Jagger himself, or by Charles Westerton - who joined the firm in 1892 and later became a partner - or occasionally by others. It is not clear what relation there is between the letters in the "letter­books" and the general correspondence that must presumably have been carried on by the firm. The four books cover the periods:

(1) June 1887 - Jan. 1905. This was the period when the business was being built up, and there is a good deal of information about the financial background in England, opening of new branches in South Africa, shipping, principles of stock control, etc.

(2) March 1904 - June 1905. Mostly trivial - subscriptions to cricket clubs, amateur dramatic societies, etc.

(3) April 1908 - Nov. 1913. Mr Jagger was by now something of a political figure, and this is reflected in the letters, which are less concerned with the running of his business than with such matters as closer union, education, Indian traders, etc.

(4) Sep. 1911 - March 1914. Largely concerned with day-to-day business with local customers - trouble with overdue accounts, and so on. There is not much to suggest the big expansion of Jagger's business that was taking place at this time.

P.S.S. [P.S. Stohr]

Econ. Dept.      

12/1/71.

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