Item 4 - C. A. Piesse: miscellaneous papers

Identity area

Reference code

AU TAS UTAS SPARC M1-4

Title

C. A. Piesse: miscellaneous papers

Date(s)

  • 1876-1885 (Creation)

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Item

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4 documents

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Name of creator

(1821-1896)

Biographical history

Alexander McGregor (1821-1896), shipowner and merchant, and John Gibson McGregor (1830-1902) arrived in Tasmania from Scotland with their parents, James and Janet McGregor. The brothers served apprenticeships under a shipwright, John Watson, and then started building boats. Alexander acquired the Domain Shipyard in 1855 with his brother John as foreman, but sold out to his brother in 1869.
Alexander McGregor started the firm of McGregor, Piesse & Co., general merchants of Elizabeth Street, Hobart, with Charles A. Piesse. They bought ships for exporting whale oil, blue gum, timber and wool, known as the "Red Iron" fleet, and they had a warehouse in Salamanca Place. The partnership was dissolved in 1886, possibly because the firm was getting into debt through McGregor's speculating in land and mine ventures. In his last years Alexander McGregor speculated unwisely in various property and mine share deals and was involved in a number of legal actions. Alexander McGregor was a member of the Legislative Council 1880 - 1896.
In 1847 McGregor married Harriet Bayley (1829-1878), who gave her name to two of his ships, the "Hally Bayley" and the "Harriet McGregor", Harriet McGregor died in 1878 and Alexander married Margaret Pigdon about 1884. He had a house, Lenna, in Battery Point and other property. After his death his second wife Margaret (nee Pigdon) married agent Thomas Bennison.
For more information see http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/mcgregor-alexander-4095

Name of creator

Administrative history

C. Piesse & Co, Merchants and Shipping Agents, corner of Elizabeth and Davey Streets, Hobart. The company was started in the late nineteenth century by Charles Augustus James Piesse (1850-1909), who had formerly worked with A.G. Webster and Alex McGregor & Co. He carried on the business of a shipping, forwarding and general agent including wool, skins, hops, fruit etc. His son, Leslie Fraser Piesse (1882-) succeeded him as Managing Director. The firm exported to British and Continental markets, specializing in ‘colonial’ produce, silver, lead ore, hops, grain, fur, wool, sheep &? rabbit skins (Cyclopedia of Tasmania p. 333). Charles Augustus James Piesse was born in Hobart in 1850, son of Frederick Henry Piesse and Jean Price Johnson. At his death in 1909 his son Leslie Fraser Piesse, (1882-1964) succeeded to the business.

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Deposited in the 1950's

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Scope and content

C. A. Piesse: miscellaneous papers dated 1876, 1883, 1885 - Receipt for deeds from C. Piesse as agent for Edward Ellis from solicitors (April 1876); letters from E.A. Hanson about Young's hops (April 1883) and James Smith's estate (January 1885).

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Conditions governing reproduction

This material is made available for personal research and study purposes under the University of Tasmania Standard Copyright Licence. For any further use permission should be obtained from the copyright owners. For assistance please contact Special.Collections@utas.edu.au

When reusing this material, please cite the reference number and provide the following acknowledgement:
“Courtesy of the UTAS Library Special & Rare Collections”

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Finding aids

Original inventory and descriptive notes can be found at https://eprints.utas.edu.au/10994/2/Mcgregor.pdf

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Dates of creation revision deletion

HE May 2018

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