By WK Chan

The Chamber's founders consisted of 62 subscribers from eight nationalities -- American, British, Danish, French, German, Indian, Jewish and Parsee. Among them, the longest-serving and most loyal member is the Standard Chartered Bank. Known then as the Chartered Bank of India, Australia and China, the bank is the only founder which has remained a member to this date. The only other founding member that still exists today is Jardine, Matheson & Co, which would have matched the same record but for a break in membership shortly before 1869.

Throughout the years, the other founding members have either closed down or lost their identity. Some modern-day Chamber members, however, do have Òfounder's bloodÓ in them. One example is Inchcape, which holds two of the Chamber's founding members, namely, Gilman & Co and Gibb Livingston & Co, although the latter are not on the Chamber's current membership.

One of the Chamber's founding members was the Mercantile Bank (originally known as the Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London & China), which was at one time a note-issuing bank along with Hongkong and Shanghai Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. It was acquired by the Hongkong and Shanghai Bank in 1959 and sold to Citibank in 1984. In 1987, it was bought by the Mitsubishi Bank, whereupon its license was revoked.

Another founding member, the American firm Russell & Co, became what is now the Bull and Bear Pub, a Chamber member in 1991. The original Russell & Co was a major player in the 1860s. Its partner Warren Delano Jr was one of the members of the Chamber's first General Committee, making him the first American to have been elected to that position. He was also a close relation -- probably uncle -- of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, who became the 32nd President of the United States from 1933 to 1945.

The firm itself was taken over by British firm Shewan & Co in 1891, became Shewan, Tomes & Co in 1895, and later Shewan Tomes (Traders) Limited. It was acquired by Wheelock Marden & Co in 1951 and subsequently absorbed into the John D. Hutchison Group. Following a series of business restructuring, Shewan Tomes (Traders) Limited became the Bull & Bear Pub, and together with other companies of the John D. Hutchison Group, it was acquired by Inchcape Pacific in 1990. Shortly after joining the Chamber, the pub was sold to a management and investor buy-out and it resigned from the Chamber in 1992.

A few companies in Hong Kong may have their roots in some founding members of the Chamber, although their full corporate history has yet to be examined. One example is that of Ruttonjee Estates Continuation Ltd, a current Chamber member, which is probably connected with the Chamber founder member Ruttonjee Framjee Vacha & Co.

The loyal supporters

Apart from the founding members, Hongkong and Shanghai Bank is another longest-serving member of the Chamber, having an unbroken membership record since 1865 when it was established. German trading firm Melchers joined as early as 1869. They are the oldest members of the Chamber other than the founders Chartered Bank and Jardine Matheson.

Although the business environment of Hong Kong is rapidly changing, a few ÒcentenariansÓ can still be found remaining in the Chamber. They include investor banker Credit Agricole Indosuez and law firm Johnson Stokes and Master which joined in 1895, trader Jebson & Co and Hongkong and China Gas which both joined in 1896. Green Island Cement joined in 1900 and is a still very active member today.

A number of well-known companies joined in 1903, including British-American Tobacco, Butterfield and Swire (today's John Swire and Sons), Hongkong Land, Lane Crawford, Mobil Oil and Wharf (then Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Co). The next year saw Deacons, Hong Kong Telephone (now Pacific Century Cyberworks) and Peninsula and Oriental (now P&O Nedlloyd) added to the Chamber member list. Lowe Bingham & Matthews (now PricewaterhouseCoopers) joined in 1907 and the Shell Company in 1908. American trader Connell Brothers became a member in 1910 while milk products distributor Nestle joined in 1911. The membership of these companies are all more than 90 years old.

There may be quite a few long-serving companies which are present in the Chamber membership under other names. For example, Union Insurance Society of Canton joined in 1885, but its membership was transferred recently to its group company AXA General Insurance Hong Kong. Trading firm Dodwell was a member since 1903; it was later purchased by the Li & Fung group and its membership now comes under to Li & Fung (Exports). B

Founding Members

Messrs Jardine Matheson & Co (British)
Messrs Dent & Co (British)
Messrs Turner & Co (British)
Messrs Russell & Co (American)
The Oriental Bank Corporation
Messrs Gibb Livingston & Co (British)
Messrs Gilman & Co (British)
Messrs Johnson & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Lindsay & Co (British)
Messrs Fletcher & Co (British)
Messrs Smith Kennedy & Co (British)
The Chartered Mercantile Bank of India, London & China
Messrs Augustine Heard & Co (American)
Messrs Birley & Co (British)
The Commercial Bank of India
The Agra & United Service Bank
Messrs Siemssen & Co (German)
Messrs Bull Purdon & Co (Probably British)
Messrs A Ellissen & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Gifford & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Wetmore Cryder & Co (American)
Messrs Vaucher Freres (French)
Messrs Koopmanochap & Bosman (Nationality not certain)
Messrs Olyphant & Co (American)
Messrs Wm Pustau & Co (German)
Messrs N. Duus & Co (Danish)
Messrs Phillips Moore & Co (British)
Messrs Holliday Wise & Co (British)
Messrs Alfred Wilkinson & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Lyall Still & Co (British)
Messrs Bourjeau Hubener & Co (German)
Messrs D W MacKenzie & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Schaeffer & Co (German)
Edward Gassett Esq (Nationality not certain)
Douglas Lapraik Esq (British)
Messrs Nowrojee & Co (Parsee)
Messrs R. H. Camajee & Co (Parsee)
Messrs P. & D. N. Camajee & Co (Parsee)
Messrs P.F. Cama & Co (Parsee)
Messrs D.N. Mody & Co (Parsee)
Messrs Eduljee Framjee Sons & Co (Parsee)
Messrs F B Cama & Co (Parsee)
Messrs Ruttonjee Framjee Vacha & Co (Parsee)
Messrs Jairaz Fazul & Co (Indian)
Messrs Cassumbhoy Nathabhoy Sons & Co (Indian)
Messrs Ameeroodeen Jaffeerbhoy & Co (Indian)
Messrs Jamsetjee Ardasir & Co (Parsee)
The Chartered Bank of India, Australia & China
Messrs Walker Borradaile & Co (probably British)
Messrs R. Mc.Gregor & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Oxford & Co (Probably British)
Messrs Smith Archer & Co (American)
Messrs David Sassoon Sons & Co (Jewish)
Granville Sharp Esq (British)
M. Pestonjee Setna Esq (Parsee)
Peerbhoy Rowjee Esq (Parsee)
Nanjabhoy Sozon Esq (Probably Parsee)
Messrs Adam Scott & Co of Canton (British)
Messrs Reiss & Co of Canton (British)
Messrs Margesson & Co of Canton (Nationality not certain)
Messrs John Burd & Co (Danish)
Messrs Stephenson & Co (British)