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Coll 1/59 'Aden. Lease of the Perim Coal Company at Perim: future of Perim and provision of a wireless set' [435r] (869/911)
The record is made up of 1 file (456 folios). It was created in 24 Jun 1935-21 Oct 1937. It was written in English. The original is part of the British Library: India Office The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. Records and Private Papers Documents collected in a private capacity. .
Transcription
This transcription is created automatically. It may contain errors.
P.Z.4284/35.
NOTE BY SIR BERNARD REILLY .
The perlm Coal Company’s lease is hue to expire
in 1943, hut the Director of Lambert Bros., Ltd.,
Mr. Graham Wallis, has informed me that during the last
two or three years they have been working at Perim at
an annual loss of about £14,000 to £16,000 and that his
Board have now definitely come to the conclusion that
they have no alternative to closing their business
there altogether. They desire to come to a settlement
with the Government of India covering all their
outstanding obligations and they wish if possible to
arrange for the payment of a lump sum on closing down,
instead of continuing the annual rental due on their
lease. The Asiatic petroleum Company have a sub-lease
from the Perim Coal Company, who act as their agents
for the sale of oil at Perim. It is possible that the
Asiatic Petroleum Company may wish to continue their
business at perim and if so they will probably wish to
enter into a direct agreement with the Government of
India.
The points arising for the decision of
Government are:-
(1) the question of agreeing to the Perim Coal
Company l s request,
(2) The future control of the island, administrative
and magisterial. At present the l&nager of the Perim
Coal Company is Government agent in the Island and has
magisterial powers and Receives a remuneration from
Government for his services. He will no longer be
available, but it will be necessary to retain some
control/
About this item
- Content
The file contains papers regarding the operation of certain businesses on Perim, negotiations for their withdrawal from the island, and arrangements for the Government of India to assume responsibility for maintaining essential services previously provided by the companies.
The papers primarily concern the position of the Perim Coal Company - a subsidiary of Lambert Brothers Ltd. - and consist of correspondence regarding: the lease held by the company (copy at ff 445-54); their financial circumstances, and reasons for ceasing operations on Perim; arrangements for early termination of the lease through a deed of surrender (copy at ff 123-25); and the proposed sale of a water condensing plant and accessories to the Government of India.
Throughout their period of operation on the island the company provided certain essential services: a company employee acted as Government Agent on the island, and they also provided sanitation and medical services; the supply of water, ice and electricity; and oversaw the lighting and buoying of the harbour. Arrangements for the assumption of these duties by the Government of India and Aden authorities are also discussed in the correspondence.
The correspondence also concerns other businesses operating on Perim, namely the Asiatic Petroleum Company, the Lloyd's signal station, the Shell Transport and Trading Company Ltd., and the Eastern Telegraph Company (owned by Cable and Wireless PLC). The file contains correspondence with Cable and Wireless and minutes of the Imperial Communications Advisory Committee, regarding: the temporary provision of telegraph services until an alternative wireless set is provided for the island; and the continued maintenance of the company's cable tank depot, used for cable repair operations throughout the region.
A map of the island, showing the location of buildings leased by the companies, can be found at folio 446.
The file includes a divider which gives a list of correspondence references contained in the file by year. This is placed at the end of the correspondence (folios 1-2).
- Extent and format
- 1 file (456 folios)
- Arrangement
The papers are arranged in rough chronological order from the rear to the front of the file
- Physical characteristics
Foliation: the foliation sequence commences at the inside front cover with 1, and terminates at the inside back cover with 456; these numbers are written in pencil, are circled, and are located in the top right corner of the recto The front of a sheet of paper or leaf, often abbreviated to 'r'. side of each folio.
- Written in
- English in Latin script View the complete information for this record
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Coll 1/59 'Aden. Lease of the Perim Coal Company at Perim: future of Perim and provision of a wireless set' [435r] (869/911), British Library: India Office Records and Private Papers, IOR/L/PS/12/1497, in Qatar Digital Library <https://www.qdl.qa/archive/81055/vdc_100046487525.0x000047> [accessed 17 August 2026]
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Copyright: How to use this content
- Reference
- IOR/L/PS/12/1497
- Title
- Coll 1/59 'Aden. Lease of the Perim Coal Company at Perim: future of Perim and provision of a wireless set'
- Pages
- front, front-i, 2r:52v, 56r:59v, 63r:77v, 79r:93v, 95r:97v, 100r:105v, 107r:108v, 110r:127v, 130r:147v, 150r:150v, 155r:156v, 159r:180v, 183r:200v, 204r:226v, 232r:255v, 257r:258v, 263r:268v, 270r:290v, 295r:295v, 298r:344v, 346r:346v, 349r:357v, 360r:384v, 389r:393v, 400r:430v, 432r:438v, 444v:445v, 447r:454v, 447r:447v, back
- Author
- East India Company, the Board of Control, the India Office, or other British Government Department
- Usage terms
- Open Government Licence