Summary

Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd was founded in 1855 by Sir Edward Knox. Formed as a reconstruction of the Australasian Sugar Company (ASC) which (in 1842) had succeeded the ASC the first company established in Australia for refining sugar.

It was incorporated in NSW on 1 July 1887 as The Colonial Sugar Refining Co Ltd (C.S.R. Co). The present name (CSR Limited) was adopted in 1973. It operated mills and refineries, and acted as agents for the Queensland government, and the export marketing of all refined sugar from Australia. On 1 June 1857 an associate Company, the Victorian Sugar Co was formed in Melbourne. On 23 June 1883 the New Zealand Sugar Company Limited was formed with C.S.R. Co, the Victorian Sugar Co and New Zealand financiers each acquiring one third of the shares. This company was amalgamated with C.S.R. Co in 1888. C.S.R. Co and the Victoria Sugar Company amalgamated on 1 Jul 1887. On the same day the Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited was registered with capital of £600,00. In 1915 the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Fiji and New Zealand) Limited was formed to take over the assets of C.S.R Co outside Australia. Liquidated in 1923 its assets returned to C.S.R Co. CSR Limited took over Australian Estates Co Ltd in 1975. From sugar refining, milling and distillery operation CSR Ltd has diversified into mining, building material, chemicals and other interests.

Related entries

Timeline

 1908 - 1969 Wunderlich Limited
       1855 - 1973 The Colonial Sugar Refining Company Limited
              CSR Limited

Archival resources

Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Australian National University, (formerly Archives of Business and Labour)

• CSR Limited records, 1847 - 1994, Various, contact Archive; Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Australian National University, (formerly Archives of Business and Labour). Details
• Sir Gordon Jackson records, 1940 - 1989, Z390; Noel Butlin Archives Centre, Australian National University, (formerly Archives of Business and Labour). Details

Published resources

Books

• Stace, D., CSR: Building competence in global markets: case study, Centre for Corporate Change, Australian Graduate School of Management, University of NSW, Sydney, 1997. Details