McAlister & Co. was founded in 1857 by two Scots, Alexander McAlister and James Parker Niven. At that time, the East India Company was losing its grip over trade in the region, and McAlister and Niven saw the chance to set up a trading partnership in Singapore. During its initial years, the partnership was involved in general trade and Australian pearling. The company was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1903. Shortly after, Messrs. Mcllwraith, McEacharn and Co., Pty., Ltd became its major shareholder and the shipping, engineering, coal and export departments of the company were expanded and developed. The company was acquired by United Engineers Ltd. in 1971 and its office is now located at the United Engineers Building at 257 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.
History
McAlister & Co. was founded in 1857 by two Scots, Alexander McAlister and James Parker Niven. At that time, the East India Company was losing its grip over trade in the region, and McAlister and Niven saw the chance to set up a trading partnership in Singapore. During its initial years, the partnership was involved in general trade and Australian pearling. The company held regular auctions of pearls and pearl-shells when Western Australian steamers came to port. The company flourished and in the 1880s, C. C. N. Glass and J.S. Neave were added as partners. Over time, the management of the firm came under the purview of Frank Warrick, Alexander Cumming and A.H. Stephens.
History
McAlister & Co. was founded in 1857 by two Scots, Alexander McAlister and James Parker Niven. At that time, the East India Company was losing its grip over trade in the region, and McAlister and Niven saw the chance to set up a trading partnership in Singapore. During its initial years, the partnership was involved in general trade and Australian pearling. The company held regular auctions of pearls and pearl-shells when Western Australian steamers came to port. The company flourished and in the 1880s, C. C. N. Glass and J.S. Neave were added as partners. Over time, the management of the firm came under the purview of Frank Warrick, Alexander Cumming and A.H. Stephens.
Incorporation of McAlister & Co.
McAlister & Co. was incorporated as a limited liability company in 1903. Shortly after, Messrs. Mcllwraith, McEacharn and Co., Pty., Ltd. of London became its major shareholder and London agent. Mr. A. D. Allan, who previously took charge of the various branches of McIllwraith, McEacharn & Co., was appointed the company's Managing Director in Singapore. He was succeeded by Mr. A. Reid in 1916.
Development of the Company
With the entry of Messrs. McIIwraith, McEacharn and Co., the focus of the company's business began to shift. Its shipping, engineering, coal and export departments were expanded and developed. With the prospering rubber trade, the company became known for its supply of rubber planting tools and other specialized equipments related to rubber cultivation. The company also developed a substantial business in heavy mining machinery and the supply of produce. They also traded in carriages, motor-cars, firearms, machinery, ships' requirements and engineers' furnishings, and acted as agents for shipping, insurance, cycle, machinery, coal, rubber tin mining, motor, gas-engine, cement, oil, fodder, wine, and spirit companies. The company established branches in Penang (1898), Ipoh (1904), Kuala Lumpur (1906) and Tonghka, and had representatives in Australia, Antwerp and other parts of the world.
Recent History
During the 1970s, McAlister and Co. was dealing in products such as road sweepers, fire engines, pharmaceuticals, heavy-duty kitchen equipment, and were agents for life insurance and travel. The company was acquired by United Engineers Ltd. in 1971, and remains so today. The company's core business is now in the manufacture and trade of special purpose vehicles, marine and military cranes, generators, tank containers, steel structures, water treatment equipment, servicing of defence equipment and provision of anti-corrosion systems.
McAlister and Co. Building
The old McAlister and Co.'s office was located in Gresham House at the corner of Battery Road and Flint Street (where the Straits Trading Building now stands). During its heydays, the Gresham House was considered one of the grandest commercial buildings in Singapore. On 31 December 1864, a fire broke out in the company's shipchandlery store and spread to the neighbouring buildings. This was reportedly the first fire to occur in the European business quarters of Singapore, and the accident attracted much attention. The Gresham House and its neighbouring historic buildings, the Grafton House and the distinctive red-brick Medical Hall, were demolished possibly around the mid-20th century. The McAlister Building, a commercial tower, was erected in its place by McAlister Developments Ltd. The office of McAlister & Co. later moved to the junction of Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley Road. Today, it is located at the United Engineers Building at 257 Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim.
Author
Joshua Chia Yeong Jia
References
Buckley, C. B. (1984). An anecdotal history of old times in Singapore 1819-1867 (pp. 713). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 BUC)
Kompass Singapore 2006 (Vol. 1, p. 450). Singapore: Kompass Singapore.
Makepeace, W., Brooke, G. E., & Braddell, R. St. J. (Eds). (1991). One hundred years of Singapore (Vol. 2, pp. 208-209). Singapore: Oxford University Press.
(Call no.: RSING 959.57 ONE)
Photonews: Rubble, golden rubble - and beneath it a bit of real property worth three million dollars [Microfilm: NL 12174]. (1965, October 24). The Straits Times, p. 14.
Singapore Access to Archives Online. Demolition of Old McAlister Building at Battery Road. Retrieved October 25, 2006 from http://www.a2o.com.sg
Singapore Access to Archives Online. MacAlister and Co Building at the junction of Clemenceau Avenue and River Valley Road. Retrieved October 25, 2006 from http://www.a2o.com.sg
Singapore International Chamber of Commerce. (1979). From early days (pp. 85-87). Singapore: The Chamber.
(Call no.: RSING 380.10655957SIN)
Singapore retrospect through postcards, 1900-1930 (pp. 26, 31). (1982). Singapore: Sin Chew Jit Poh [and] Archives and Oral History Dept.
(Call no.: RSING 769.4995957 SIN)
United Engineers Limited. (2005). History. Retrieved on October 27, 2006 from http://www.uel.com.sg/history.htm
Wright, A., & Cartwright, H. A. (Eds.). (1908). Twentieth century impressions of British Malaya: Its history, people, commerce, industries, and resources (pp. 684, 793) [Microfilm: NL 16084]. London: Lloyd's Greater Pub. Co.
(Call no.: RRARE 959.5 TWE)
Further Readings
Savage, V. R., & Yeoh, B. S. A. (2004). Toponymics: A study of Singapore street names (p. 253). Singapore: Marshall Cavendish International.
(Call no.: RSING 915.9570014 SAV)
The first fire which has occurred [Microfilm: NL 2209]. (1865, January 5). Singapore Free Press and Mercantile Advertiser, pp. 2-3.
The fire in Flint Sheet [Microfilm: NL 5559]. (1864, December 31). The Straits Times, p. 2.
Young, G. (1991). In search of Conrad (p. 82). London: Hutchinson Publishing.
(Call no.: RSING 915.9008 YOU-[TRA])
The information in this article is valid as at 2006 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.
