Summary

The Tongkah Harbour Tin Dredging Company was established by Hobart's Sir Henry Jones and partners Achalen Palfreyman, Ernest A. Peacock and Alfred Henry Ashbolt to obtain a supply of tin used in manufacture of containers for products made by Jones and Company. Captain Edward Miles, a former Tasmanian parliamentarian, had shipping and trade interests in the Malay area and after negotiating a concession in Tongkah Harbour, Phuket Island, Miles launched the dredging operations. James Percy Fulton (1883 - 1937), a Tasmania, was the Dredgenmaster from 1911 - 1916. John Lord (1884 - 1950) of the Chartered Accountants Wise, Lord & Ferguson of Hobart was the local manager from c1933 - 1950. The Tongkah Harbour Tin Dredging Company was incorporated with the Tasmanian Mines Department on the 23 November 1906. On 1 October 1939 the Hobart based company's assets and undertakings were transferred to Tongkah Harbour Tin Dredging Ltd with headquarters registered in the Federated Malay States. During World War 11, mining operations were suspended and control of the company was transferred to London to 'protect the company's interests'. Tongkah is now known by its traditional name of Thung Kha.

Archival resources

Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, Hobart, (formerly Archives Office of Tasmania)

• Tongkah Harbour Tin Dredging Company records, 1911 - 2002, NG 2208; Tasmanian Archive and Heritage Office, Hobart, (formerly Archives Office of Tasmania). Details