Reference code: GB-0033-SAD
Title: Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd
Dates of creation: 1904-1951
Extent: 3 boxes
Held by: Durham University Library, Archives and Special Collections
Created by: Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd
Language: English; Arabic
The Sudan Experimental Plantations Syndicate was set up by the wealthy American, Leigh Hunt, in 1904 to develop the Zaidab cotton growing concession. In 1907 the Company was reorganised and renamed the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, with D.P.
MacGillivray as Managing Director. The first test pumping station in the Gezira was opened at Tayiba by the Government in 1911 and managed by the Syndicate, using the experience of its methods at Zaidob. In 1913 Parliament approved the Sudan loan
which enabled the development of the Gezira under a government/private enterprise partnership. Negotiations over the Agreement between the Government and the Syndicate were in abeyance during World War 1, but were concluded with the signing of the
Agreement in 1919. New heads of agreement were signed in 1926 and further modifications were made in later years. The Sudan Gezira Board took over the management of the Scheme in 1950.
1. Reports, Accounts and Minutes
2. Correspondence Files
3. Legal Agreements
Presented by A. Gaitskell, 1958
Catalogue
1. Reports, Accounts and Minutes
SAD.415/8/1-156
1904-1925
Bound volume containing printed copies of Sudan Experimental Plantations Syndicate Ltd and Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd reports of directors, accounts and minutes:
SAD.415/8/2
1904
Sudan Experimental Plantations Syndicate Ltd report of the Directors
SAD.415/8/6
1906
Sudan Experimental Plantations Syndicate Ltd balance sheet
SAD.415/8/7-10,14-15
1907-1909
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd balance sheets
SAD.415/8/11-13,16-17,23-25,31-32,39-40,47-48,55-58,65-70,77-80,93-94,101-103,107-108,115-116,123-126,133-135,142-145,152-155
1908-1913,1915-1924
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minutes of the ordinary general meeting and one extraordinary general meeting
SAD.415/8/18-22,26-30,33-46,49-54,59-64,71-76,81-92,95-100,109-114,117-122,127-132,136-141,146-151
1910-1924
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd reports of the directors and statements of accounts
SAD.415/8/156
1925 Jan 14
Cutting from
The Daily Mail on the Gezira Scheme
SAD.415/9/1-59
1904-1910
Bound volume containing signed minutes of meetings of the Directors of the Sudan Experimental Plantations Syndicate Ltd and of its successor from 1907, the Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd, covering the setting up of the company and appointment of
Directors and other staff, general administrative and financial matters, the change of the company name; and printed copies of minutes of the ordinary general meetings, 1908-09. The volume which had been damaged by fire, was repaired at Durham
County Record Office in 1981.
SAD.416/1/1-106
1913 Sep 1-1919 Mar 5
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 2, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as the takeover of the government station at Tayiba, negotiations over
the Gezira agreement, elections and resignations of directors, finances and dividends, and cotton crops. Interfiled are printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in London
(SAD.416/1/22-23,41-42,53-54,74-75,92-93,102-103); and estimate of capital and recurring expenditure for the Gezira Scheme (SAD.416/1/79-83). (Cover damaged by fire.)
SAD.415/10/1-75
1919 Apr 29-1922 Nov 2
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 3, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as the appointment of the Managing Director and other staff, cotton
sales, finances and the price of shares. Interfiled are the Gezira Irrigation Scheme revised estimates of capital and recurring expenditure, 29 Apr 1919 (SAD.415/10/14-17); printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan
Plantations Syndicate held in London (SAD.415/10/26-27,51-52,59-62,73-75); and printed copy of an extraordinary general meeting of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in London, 24 Mar 1920 (SAD.415/10/32-36). (Cover damaged by fire.)
SAD.416/2/1-76
1922 Nov 16-1926 Mar 10
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 4, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as elections and resignations of directors, the takeover of the Kassala
Cotton Company from 1924, cotton sales, finances and the issue of shares, and chairman's report on his visit to the Sudan in 1924. Interfiled are printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in
London (SAD.416/2/29-32,46-49,61-66). (Cover damaged by fire.)
SAD.417/1/1-78
1926 Jun 17-1930 May 30
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book [number 5], comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as cotton and cotton seed sales, finances and new issues of shares,
signing of the new Heads of Agreement in 1926, chairman's report on his visit to the Sudan in 1927, election of A. McIntyre as new chairman in 1928, shares in Sudan Salt Ltd and signing of a new Gezira Agreement in 1929. Interfiled are printed
copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in London (SAD.417/1/24-29,41-45,56-59,73-75). (Front cover missing and back cover damaged by fire.)
SAD.416/3/1-88
1930 Jul 8-1934 Jun 14
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 6, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as finances and accounts, Sudan Salt Ltd., elections and resignations of
directors, cotton crops, the takeover of the Kassala Cotton Company from 1924, and chairman's report on his visit to the Sudan in 1924. Interfiled are printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held
in London (SAD.416/3/30-33,49-51,68-70,82-84) and circular to shareholders, 1931 (SAD.416/3/41). (Cover damaged by fire.)
SAD.416/4/1-59
1934 Nov 1-1937 Mar 18
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 7, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as finances and accounts, cotton crops, new issues of shares, Sudan
Railway freights and extension of Kassala Cotton Company's area. Interfiled are printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in London (SAD.416/4/24-25,44-45,53-54)
SAD.416/5/1-136
1937 May 7-1951 Apr 4
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd minute book number 8, comprising minutes of the Board of Directors of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, held in London, covering such subjects as appointments of staff and directors, finances and accounts, cotton
crops, extension of Gezira concession area, and report on Mr Wooding's visit to the Sudan in 1940. Interfiled are printed copies of the minutes of ordinary general meetings of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate held in London
(SAD.416/5/22-23,32-33,42-43); text of Sir Alexander MacIntyre's speech on
“Sudan Plantations: termination of concession”, reprinted from The Financial News, 20 Apr 1945 (SAD.416/5/72); certified copies of agreements between the Sudan Plantations Syndicate
and five directors and members of the London staff to ensure their continued employment during the period of winding up of the Syndicate (SAD.416/5/113-124); declaration of solvency of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate, 1951 (SAD.416/5/127)
2. Correspondence Files
SAD.415/1/1-39
1922 Dec 12-1935 Oct 5
Correspondence relating to the Zaidab Concession including between Holmes Son & Pott (London-based solicitors), H. Fraser, Director of Lands, A. MacIntyre, Managing Director, Sudan Plantations Syndicate and F. Eckstein, Chairman, Sudan
Plantations Syndicate concerning the terms of the Zaidab Concession deed of sale in 1923 (SAD.415/1/1-32); from H.A. Evans, Assistant Director of Lands to the Managing Director of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate concerning the purchase of the
Timerab lands in 1929 (SAD.415/1/35-37); and E.P. Platt, Acting Director of Lands, to the Secretary, Sudan Plantations Syndicate in 1935 concerning the sale of lands at Zaidab to Sudan Government Railways in 1928 (SAD.415/1/38-39)
SAD.417/3/1-109
1923 Oct 4-1927 Dec 10
Assorted memoranda and accounts with related correspondence, some concerning amendments to agreements:
SAD.417/3/1-4
1923 Oct 23
Letter from G. Schuster to F. Eckstein concerning matters discussed with the Sudan Plantations Syndicate during his recent visit to London
SAD.417/3/5-14
1923 Oct 4
Two copies of Memorandum ‘A’ concerning alterations to conditions under the original Agreement
SAD.417/3/15-17
1926 Oct 4
Note on the right to early termination of the concession
SAD.417/3/18-21
1926 Oct 26
Note of points for consideration relating to the clause in the original Agreement concerning the take over of certain assets by the Sudan Government at the end of the concession
SAD.417/3/22-34
1926 Jan 28-Oct 28
Copies of proposed new draft clauses relating to the termination of the concession, with covering letters from A.E. Cutforth to C.E. Fletcher and H. Fraser
SAD.417/3/35-52
1926 Nov 4
Table setting out arrangements on the assumption that an early termination of the concession takes place
SAD.417/3/53-58
1927 Jan 28-31
General rough notes on changes to clauses in the Agreement
SAD.417/3/59-61
1927 Jan 25
Notes on matters requiring amendment in the new Agreement
SAD.417/3/62-64
1927 Jan 24-30
Manuscript notes on tenants' accounts and balances on tenants' loans
SAD.417/3/65-67
1927 Jan 27
Specimens of tenants' accounts
SAD.417/3/68-69
1926 Dec
Lists showing various items of Barakat headquarters entries for the month of December, including details of tenants' loans
SAD.417/3/70-71
1926 Jun
Barakat ginning factories running account for the year ending 30 June 1926
SAD.417/3/72-78
1927 Jan 20
Note on the method of calculating interest on stores and other floating capital, and of crediting interest on proceeds of sales of cotton and seed
SAD.417/3/80-100
1926 Jul 24
Balance sheets, profit and loss accounts and all lists relating to Barakat headquarters, Gezira areas and Zaidab station for the year ending June 1926, with covering letter from H. Poyntz-Wright to the Managing Director, Sudan Plantations
Syndicate
SAD.417/3/102-108
1926 Jun 30
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd detailed balance sheet and profit and loss account for year ending 30 June 1926
SAD.415/6/1-74
1926 Nov 4-1938 Jun 5
Correspondence between Sir George Schuster, Financial Secretary and other government staff, and F. Eckstein, Chairman Sudan Plantations Syndicate concerning the future management of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate (SAD.415/6/1-2); and
negotiations over an amendment to a clause in the Gezira northern extension Heads of Agreement (SAD.415/6/3-16,19-27,47-58); A.J.C. Huddleston, Financial Secretary, to the Managing Director, Sudan Plantations Syndicate regarding the takeover of the
Timerab lands, 1928 (SAD.415/6/66); Manager, Sudan Plantations Syndicate and W.P.D. Clarke concerning Gezira buildings in the extended areas under the new agreement (SAD.415/6/67-71); MacIntyre and Huddleston on the question of financing expenses
(SAD.415/6/72-73). Enclosures:
SAD.415/6/28-46
1928 Mar 11
Note of a discussion held in the Finance Department on the 8 and 9 March 1928 to consider various alterations to the Heads of Agreement proposed by A. MacIntyre, Managing Director Sudan Plantations Syndicate
SAD.415/6/59-62
1928 Mar 27
Memorandum on remarks on Mr Robinson's note concerning the draft Gezira agreement
SAD.415/2/1-3
1928 Mar 27-30
Letters between A.J.C. Huddleston, Financial Secretary and the Managing Director, Sudan Plantations Syndicate regarding the question of artificial manures on the Gezira and allocation of their costs, 1928
SAD.417/4/1-399
1928 Oct 5-1930 Feb 4
Correspondence, notes and memoranda relating to drafts of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd Agreement with the Sudan Government, including annotated copies of draft clauses, and to the Gezira Northern Extension Agreement
3. Legal Agreements
SAD.415/3/54
1907
£100 debenture for the Sudan Plantations Syndicate
SAD.415/3/1-27
1919 Oct 17
Three copies of the agreement between the Sudan Government and the Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd, the first signed by Sir Lee Stack, Governor-General and E.E. Bernard, Financial Secretary and three copies of the draft letter to accompany the
agreement, the first signed by E.E. Bernard and F. Eckstein, Chairman of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate
SAD.415/7
1920-1937
The Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd memorandum and articles of association adopted by special resolution passed and confirmed at general meetings held respectively on the 24th day of March, 1920 and the 8th day of April, 1920, with copies of
special resolutions adopted 1923-1937
SAD.415/3/28-53
1923 May 26-1929 Jan 31
Two copies of the agreement between the Sudan Government and the Sudan Plantations Syndicate with reference to the Gezira Light Railway, 1923, with related correspondence (SAD.415/3/28-45); and two copies of a supplemental agreement between the
Sudan Government and the Sudan Plantations Syndicate as to the Gezira Light Railway, 1929 (one signed) and one copy of the draft supplemental agreement (SAD.415/3/46-53)
SAD.415/4/1-14
[ca. 1927-1938]
Five copies of Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd tenancy agreements, the first numbered 653 and issued to al-Khair M. `Abd al-Majid in 1927 and the others blank (SAD.415/4/1-10); 5 later copies of this tenancy agreement for land at al-Zaidab with
slight changes in the terms (SAD.415/4/11-20); 2 sample copies of Sudan Plantations Syndicate tenancy agreements for land tenants and 2 for water tenants at al-Zaidab, 1938 (SAD.415/4/21-28)
Language: Arabic and English
SAD.415/5/1-30
1929-1941
Sample Gezira Irrigation Scheme tenancy agreements: 1929/30, 1930/31 (2 copies), 1931/32 (with second copy annotated in red), 1931/32 to 1935/36, 1932/33 and 1933/34 (3 copies), 1936 (4 copies); memorandum on Gezira Irrigation Scheme standard
conditions of tenancy, 1941
Language: Arabic and English
SAD.417/4/400-507
1928 Aug 8-Nov 28
Annotated proof copies of the 1929 Gezira Irrigation Scheme Agreement between the Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd and the Sudan Government, with copy of the 1919 Agreement and related correspondence
SAD.417/2/1-116
1929 Jan 31-1945 Jun 10
Copies of Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd and Kassala Cotton Company Ltd agreements:
SAD.417/2/5-33
1929 Jan 31
Extracts from the Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd Main Agreement (ts with ms annotations)
SAD.417/2/34-37
1937 Mar 16
Explanation of Ancillary Agreement
SAD.417/2/38-56
1933 Feb 21
Kassala Cotton Company Ltd, extracts from Main Agreement (ms)
SAD.417/2/57-61
1937
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd draft Supplemental Agreement, with suggested amendments
SAD.417/2/62-69
1923 May 26
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd agreement with reference to the Gezira Light Railway
SAD.417/2/70-97
1935 Dec 20
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd and Kassala Cotton Company Ltd memorandum on the review of sinking funds as at 30th June 1935 (ginning factories, machinery and heavy implements)
SAD.417/2/98-102
1937 Sep 13
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd and Kassala Cotton Company Ltd index to Main Agreements
SAD.430/15/4 [SAD.PF 17/3]
1936
Printed copy of Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd 1936 standard conditions of tenancy
Language: English and Arabic
SAD.430/15/1-3 [SAD.PF 17/3]
1939-1941
Printed copy of Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd 1939 standard conditions of tenancy, with 1941 amendments
Language: English and Arabic
SAD.417/2/103-109
1941
Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd draft Supplemental Agreement, with covering letter from F.D. Rugman, Finance Department, to W.P. Archdale, Barakat
SAD.417/2/110-113
1941
Standard conditions of tenancy, Gezira Irrigation Scheme
SAD.417/2/114-116
1945 Jun 10
Printed copy of Sudan Plantations Syndicate Ltd Supplemental Agreement
SAD.415/2/4
1941 Jun 16
Certificate of incorporation of the Sudan Plantations Syndicate as a company in 1941
