University of Melbourne Archives

University of Melbourne Archives is implementing a new public catalogue at https://archives.library.unimelb.edu.au that will be available from 20 November 2023. This catalogue will remain online until June 2024 but will not be updated. Information on this page may be superseded. Contact um-archives@unimelb.edu.au for questions or assistance
Home | Search Collections | Browse Collections | Search Digitised Items | Help
Catalogue Entries
Records Creators
Back | View creator's records
Creator:
Shell Company of Australia
History : The worldwide group of companies known as Royal Dutch Shell, of which Shell Australia is a part, began life in London’s East End in 1833 when Marcus Samuel opened a trading shop that dealt mostly in exotic shells. Under his son, Marcus Samuel junior (later Lord Bearsted) trading broadened to include Caspian Sea oil from the Black Sea port of Batum. Shell’s first major success, came in 1892 when Samuel won permission from the Suez Canal Company to transport oil in tankers through the Canal. Following this, Samuel and his nephews expanded the business by buying up land for tank installations for kerosene throughout Asia. Shell moved into Australia at the beginnings of the motor vehicle industry in Australia. When the Australian government began to register motor vehicles in 1910 there were around 8,000 cars in the whole of Australia. By 1930 there were more than half a million. In 1951, Shell Australia was granted for the first time an Australian board of directors, although head office and the legally responsible board of directors remained in London. Throughout the twentieth century, Shell Australia expanded into natural gas, oil extraction, gold and coal mining and retail operations. Several histories of the Company have been prepared, notably Robert Murray’s Go Well, notes for which are in this collection. (Publication library call number 665.5068 MURR)
Activities/Occupation: Petrol importers
Back | View creator's records