CO 874 — British North Borneo Company Papers

1128 volumes

The largest single series in the e-archive. A comprehensive archive of the British North Borneo Chartered Company, which administered British North Borneo from its incorporation in 1881 until the Japanese occupation in 1941. This series is the primary source for the legal, commercial, administrative, and social history of pre-war Sabah.

Founding agreements (CO 874/1 - 66)

The original legal instruments through which British North Borneo was constituted:

• CO 874/1-13 — Leases from Sultan Abdul Mumin of Brunei and Sultan of Sulu of territories and islands; articles of partnership of the American Trading Company; commissions from Sultan of Brunei appointing Baron de Overbeck Maharajah of Sabah and Raja of Gaya and Sandakan
• CO 874/14-33 — Articles of agreement between Count Montgelas, A.G. Mitford, Baron de Overbeck and the Dent brothers; conveyance to British North Borneo Provisional Association and then to the Company
• CO 874/36-53 — Grants by Pengeran Muda Damit Tajuddin of the Putatan River; Sultan Abdul Mumin of Brunei (Sipitang to Kuala Penyu, Kawang River District, Inanam River, Mengkabong/Menggatal/Api-Api etc.); Sultan of Sulu (Pandasan River to Sibukun River)
• CO 874/54 — Cession deeds in Malay Arabic, photostat copies with Romanised transcriptions and English translation (covers CO 874/17-23, 36-40, 43-53)

Resident diaries (CO 874/67 - 77)

First-hand accounts from company administrators in the field:

• CO 874/67-69 — W. B. Pryer, Resident Sandakan
• CO 874/70-72 — W. Pretyman, Resident Tampassuk
• CO 874/73 — A. H. Everitt, Resident Papar
• CO 874/74 — F. Witty
• CO 874/75 — F. Hatton: journey from Sandakan to Bongon
• CO 874/76 — F. Hatton: manuscript copy of pencil diary of his last expedition
• CO 874/77 — Mrs. W. B. Pryer, wife of Resident Sandakan

Finance and accounts (CO 874/78 - 101)

• CO 874/79-86 — Borneo Ledgers 1-8
• CO 874/87 — Cash Book No. 1
• CO 874/88 — Reports of Directors and Statements of Accounts at Annual General Meetings
• CO 874/89 — Trade Returns
• CO 874/90 — Correspondence from Directors regarding finance
• CO 874/92 — Quarterly balance sheets
• CO 874/93-101 — Financial letters to Company’s Governor

Correspondence (CO 874/102 - 227)

• CO 874/102 — Private and confidential correspondence from Governor to Managing Director
• CO 874/103-107 — In-Letters: General Post Office, Foreign Office
• CO 874/108-109 — Minute Books of the Meetings of the Court of Directors
• CO 874/110-142 — Out-Letters: Sandakan, Papar, Tampassuk, agents in Singapore, Her/His Majesty’s Government
• CO 874/143-161 — Reports: natural oil from oil shale (F. Hatton), Sabah Constabulary, medical (Dr. J.H. Walker), Segama gold-field, petroleum (Wallace Bros), geological investigation (Dr. R.R. Piltz), administration (Sir Richard Dane), state railways, oil palm cultivation, Silimpopon collieries, native health
• CO 874/162-227 — Miscellanea: proclamations and regulations, Royal Charter drafts, international treaties (Great Britain/USA/France/Germany/Spain/Sulu), Mrs. W. Pryer manuscripts and “A Decade in Borneo”, maps/plans/photographs, staff lists and registers, memoranda on North Borneo cessions

Governor despatches (CO 874/228 - 348)

• CO 874/228-291 — Inward despatches from the Company’s Governor
• CO 874/292-348 — Outward despatches to the Company’s Governor

Thematic correspondence (CO 874/349 - 826)

A rich set of subject files covering the full breadth of company operations:

Natural resources

• CO 874/349-352 — Oil and mineral rights; coal discoveries; oil discoveries
• CO 874/354 — Expeditions to Mount Kinabalu
• CO 874/370-374 — Cowie Harbour Coral Co.; coal transport; coal prospecting Sandakan Bay; Silimpopon colliery
• CO 874/634-635 — British Borneo Petroleum Syndicate
• CO 874/691-692 — Coal concessions; Sandekana & Silimpopon collieries
• CO 874/711-729 — Forestry annual reports; timber and agricultural land royalties; forest reserves
• CO 874/767-769 — Birds nests caves; guano concessions
• CO 874/770-772 — Hemp cultivation

Rubber industry

• CO 874/437-440 — Lok Kawi Rubber Estate
• CO 874/452-453 — Marudu Rubber Ltd.
• CO 874/469-474 — Manchester North Borneo Rubber Co. (land leases)
• CO 874/567-573 — Langkon North Borneo Rubber Co. Ltd. (loans and land)
• CO 874/584-588 — British Borneo Para Rubber Co.; Lingkungan Co.
• CO 874/590-603 — Sablas, Beaufort, North Borneo State Rubber companies
• CO 874/604-617 — Membakut, New London Borneo Tobacco, Marudu Consolidated Estates
• CO 874/618-633 — Tenom Borneo Rubber, Kimanis Rubber, Bode Rubber, Lamag Rubber, Sekong Rubber

Administration and governance

• CO 874/355-369 — Constabulary
• CO 874/431 — Audit Department: Annual Reports
• CO 874/436 — Land Regulations
• CO 874/455-456 — Licensed Timber Lands; Leased Lands
• CO 874/494-496 — Estimates
• CO 874/499-504 — Demarcation of the Anglo-Dutch Boundary
• CO 874/507-510 — Survey Department annual reports
• CO 874/574-582 — Judicial Administration annual reports; North Borneo judiciary; Procedure Ordinance; Legal Adviser report
• CO 874/664-670 — Legislative Council rules, orders and minutes of meetings
• CO 874/686-690 — Taxation legislation; official regulations
• CO 874/800-801 — Extradition of fugitive offenders
• CO 874/815-820 — Native Chiefs; Ordinances Notifications and Proclamations; Chartered Company’s sovereign and monopoly rights

Transport and infrastructure

• CO 874/375-377 — Jesselton Water Supply
• CO 874/485-493 — Tuaran Road, Keningan Road, Sandakan Trunk Road, New Circular Road, roads and bridges
• CO 874/512-513 — Jesselton Wharf
• CO 874/514-517 — Sandakan Water Supply
• CO 874/523-528 — Railway Department monthly reports
• CO 874/529-534 — Post & Telegraph Department annual reports
• CO 874/675-677 — Wireless telegraphy

Population and labour

• CO 874/646-647 — Census 1901, 1911, 1921, 1931, 1941
• CO 874/697-700 — Treatment of Aborigines
• CO 874/704 — Japanese immigration
• CO 874/736-743 — Chinese immigration
• CO 874/744, 751-753 — Javanese immigration
• CO 874/745 — Indian immigration
• CO 874/755-758 — Wages; whipping
• CO 874/759-763 — Labour Ordinance amendments
• CO 874/764-765 — Slavery in British North Borneo
• CO 874/766 — Labour recruitment

Commerce and trade

• CO 874/380-388 — Excise Department monthly and quarterly returns
• CO 874/389-410 — Opium traffic suppression
• CO 874/457-458 — North Borneo Trading Co.
• CO 874/481-484 — Jelutong and pulai production; rubber estate; illipe, kawang and katian seeds; candle nuts and tung oil
• CO 874/551-557 — North Borneo Chamber of Commerce minutes
• CO 874/804-805 — Trade Reports (with comparative statement of foreign imports 1912-1913)

Finance

• CO 874/417-430 — Revenue and Expenditure Accounts
• CO 874/536-549 — Pension Schemes; Retiring Allowances
• CO 874/655-659 — Treasury Notes; Currency Notes
• CO 874/660-662 — Land Grants quarterly returns
• CO 874/782 — Debenture Issues (1901, 1903, 1907)
• CO 874/826 — Government Savings Bank

Health and welfare

• CO 874/636-640 — Medical Department annual reports
• CO 874/734-735 — Health and Mortality Returns
• CO 874/785-790 — Vagrants and Paupers Institutes; Prisons Department
• CO 874/802 — Beri-Beri

Other notable files

• CO 874/176-177 — Mrs. W. Pryer manuscripts; proofs of “A Decade in Borneo”
• CO 874/178 — Copies of various international treaties (Great Britain, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Sulu)
• CO 874/191 — Correspondence regarding the Dutch boundary
• CO 874/195 — Memorandum on the North Borneo Cessions
• CO 874/219 — Rajah Brooke’s proposals for taking over Company’s interests in Borneo
• CO 874/225-226 — Original grant by College of Arms of arms and crest; supporters to arms
• CO 874/227 — Maps, plans and photographs