A Brief History of Furness Trinidad Ltd

At right: Our founder, Gregor Turnbull

In 1831, Mr. Gregor Turnbull, then aged 22, arrived in Trinidad to take up a position with a local firm called George Reid & Company which was connected with the local sugar industry.

In 1845, he established Turnbull Ross & Company in San Fernando and Turnbull Stewart & Company in Port of Spain, both of which were engaged in shipping and trading, the latter having acquired interests in various sugar plantations, the most notable of which was Brechin Castle, and by 1854 Turnbull Stewart & Company had established local coastal shipping and services for passengers and cargo.

In 1883, Mr. George Brown, a Scottish architect/builder came to Trinidad to join the firm of Turnbull Stewart & Company, extending its activities into the area of hardware and construction, and many stately edifices built by this renowned builder adorn the city to this day.

In 1889, when the colonies of Trinidad and Tobago were placed under one administration in Port of Spain, the Colonial Government contracted Turnbull Stewart & Company to provide coastal steamers for Trinidad as well as a reliable link to Tobago.

In 1895, The Trinidad Shipping & Trading Company Limited, which took over the operations of Turnbull Stewart & Company and Turnbull Ross & Company as going concerns, was incorporated.

During the next two decades, the Company's activities were those of "agent" of the several sugar plantations owned by it and its shipping operations extended through the Caribbean Islands to New York and Halifax.

In 1920, Furness Withy & Company Limited of London purchased the Trinidad Shipping & Trading Company Limited and immediately placed all its shipping activities under Furness Withy & Company Limited's Branch Office in Port of Spain. The Company's name was changed to The Trinidad Trading Company Limited and the Honourable Alex Fraser was appointed Chairman and Managing Director, being succeeded in 1928 by Mr, John Pendrick.

In 1936, Mr. Seymour Henry Banning was appointed Chairman and Managing Director, which post he held for the duration of World War II, giving way to Mr. Alistair Elder in 1955. Mr. George Wright was appointed to the post in 1961 and was followed by Mr. William Boyd in 1963, who in turn was succeeded by Mr, Alexander John Henderson in 1965.

In 1969, the Right Honourable Sir Hugh Olliviere Beresford Wooding, TC.PC.CBE., became the first local Chairman and was followed by Mr. James Reid Taylor in 1974, during whose tenure the company became locally incorporated and offered shares to the public in 1976, at which time its name was again changed to Furness Trinidad Limited. Mr. Bernard Victor Primus became Chairman in 1978 and was succeeded by the present Chairman/Chief Executive, Mr. Ignatius Seveirano Ferreira who was appointed in January 1983 and its diversification programme gained momentum. Today, the Company is a completely locally owned public company and is the parent of a group of 20 subsidiaries and associated engaged in a wide variety of trading, manufacturing and service industries.