Wright Stephenson Co Ltd
Record Group
Identifier: A0513
Overview
PROCESSING NOTE: This collection has a large amount of material awaiting to be arranged and described. Please contact Archives Staff for additional details of collection content.
Dates
- Majority of material found within 1953 - 1970
Creator
- Wright Stephenson & Co (Organization)
Wright Stephenson & Company Limited [PGG Wrightson]
Established 1861 in Dunedin as 'Wright Robertson & Co.' by John Wright and Robert Robertson, the company became 'Wright Stephenson & Co.’ when Robertson retired 1868, and John Stephenson joined. They worked as stock-and-station agents, arranging for the sale or purchase of station property, cattle, and sheep. The company’s aim was to provide finance, to market stock and provide farming services. Flourishing due to rising sheep numbers, the growth of Dunedin during the gold rush, and the introduction of refrigerated shipping in 1882, they added horse auctioning and exporting, and branches in Gore and Invercargill.
The partnership of Wright and Stephenson ended upon their retirement in 1899, and a large portion of the shares went to employees of the company James Johnstone and William Hunt. Grain and seed became profitable for the company at the turn of the century, as well as business from the breakup of the large pastoral estates. The success meant it became a public company in 1906 - Wright Stephenson & Co. Ltd.
Offices opened up around New Zealand, as well as London, and there were various acquisitions of other companies over the years. There was a merger with National Mortgage & Agency Co. in 1972, with a change in name to the Challenge Corporation in 1973, and a merger with Fletcher Holdings to form Fletcher Challenge Ltd in 1981. Subsidiary Wrightson NMA Ltd acquired most of Dalgety Crown Ltd in 1986, and Wrightson Ltd was floated in 1993. It was partially taken over by Rural Portfolio Investments Ltd in 2004.
In 2019 the company exists as PGG Wrightson, the result of a merger with Pyne Gould Guinness in 2005, itself a company that dates back to the 1850's. They are still a leading rural service provider in New Zealand.
See Bibliography for References
The partnership of Wright and Stephenson ended upon their retirement in 1899, and a large portion of the shares went to employees of the company James Johnstone and William Hunt. Grain and seed became profitable for the company at the turn of the century, as well as business from the breakup of the large pastoral estates. The success meant it became a public company in 1906 - Wright Stephenson & Co. Ltd.
Offices opened up around New Zealand, as well as London, and there were various acquisitions of other companies over the years. There was a merger with National Mortgage & Agency Co. in 1972, with a change in name to the Challenge Corporation in 1973, and a merger with Fletcher Holdings to form Fletcher Challenge Ltd in 1981. Subsidiary Wrightson NMA Ltd acquired most of Dalgety Crown Ltd in 1986, and Wrightson Ltd was floated in 1993. It was partially taken over by Rural Portfolio Investments Ltd in 2004.
In 2019 the company exists as PGG Wrightson, the result of a merger with Pyne Gould Guinness in 2005, itself a company that dates back to the 1850's. They are still a leading rural service provider in New Zealand.
See Bibliography for References
Extent
1 box(es) (Box 1)
Language of Materials
English
Bibliography
'Rural Challenge : a history of Wrightson Ltd' by Hugh Stringleman and Graeme Hunt
Reference: RES 338.763 STR
Reference: RES 338.763 STR
Creator
- Wright Stephenson & Co (Organization)
- Title
- Wright Stephenson Co Ltd
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Invercargill City Libraries and Archives Repository
