CN03 – Jardine & Matheson


Stitchers: Lynn Campbell, Barbara Bugg (Hong Kong)

In 1832 William Jardine and James Matheson founded a trading company in China which is now one of the world’s largest conglomerates. The trade through Canton was originally monopolised by the East India Company, but this was broken in 1834 and China opened up to ambitious companies such as Jardine, Matheson & Co. Their clipper Sarah brought one of the first private tea shipments to Glasgow. They were involved in the trade which led to the First Opium War and Hong Kong being ceded to Britain and then led the initiative to transform the island into a major trade centre.

CN03 Jardine agus MacMhathain
Chaidh an Companaidh Jardine MacMhathain a chur air bhonn ann an 1832 ann an Canton agus bha fearann aca cheana ann an Hong Kong nuair a thàinig e gu bhith na choloinidh Breatannach ann an 1843. Bha an com-pàirteachas mar aon de ghrunn taighean malairt Albannach a bha glè aithghearr le smachd air malairt san Ear Fhada. Thill na com-pàirtichean stèidhidh air chluaineas a dh’Alba an dèidh fortan mòr a dhèanamh mar ‘Rìghrean na Malairt Opium’ agus tha an companaidh a stèidhich iad air leantainn a’ cur gu fìor mhòr ri fortanan gnothachais sgìreil. San latha an-diugh, tha Buidheann Jardine fhathast glè bhuadhach na phrìomh ‘hong’ le ùidhean gnothachais tarsainn raon de ghnìomhachasan – agus a’ ruith fhathast air bunait ‘gnothachas teaghlaich Albannach’.