Letters to Sandbach, Tinne & Company, merchants and shipowners, Demerara, Liverpool and Glasgow.

Sandbach, Tinne & Co. was founded in 1782 in Demerara (now part of Guyana), by James McInvoy as shipowners trading in sugar, coffee, molasses, rum and also coolies. In 1790 the company was joined by George Robertson, Charles Parker and Samuel Sandbach and became known as McInvoy, Sandbach & Co. From 1813 the company’s headquarters were in Liverpool, and Samuel Sandbach, Mayor of Liverpool in 1831, appointed P.F. Tinne, who had been Governor’s Secretary in Demerara under Dutch rule, as his partner in England. Although the company passed through a number of name changes, Sandbach, Tinne & Co. is the name by which the company is generally known. Branches of the company were opened in Glasgow (briefly), Montreal (West India Co.) and Trinidad. This collection comprises 13 letters sent to Sandbach, Tinne & Co., Liverpool, some of which are copy letters, mainly from McInroy, Parker & Co., Glasgow or their partner in Demerara, George Rainy. They indicate the challenges of operating a business with multiple partners in separate locations. The letters date from 1808-1876 and include the retirement from the business of Samuel Sandbach in 1834. For further details, and transcripts of some items, see the attached catalogue or contact The Archives Centre for a copy of the catalogue.