Records of North Eastern Farmers, predecessors and subsidiaries
- Reference:GB 230 DD1066
- Former Reference:GB 230 PD65
- Dates of Creation:1856 - 2001
- Name of Creator:
- Language of Material:English
- Physical Description:37 volumes, 25 sets of photographs, 15 file, 64 booklets, 29 documents, 1 plastic bag, 6 sets of plans
Scope and Content
DD1066/1 Records of North Eastern Farmers
DD1066/1/1 North Eastern Farmers: Annual Reports and Accounts
DD1066/1/2 North Eastern Farmers: Audit Reports and Audit Committee Minutes
DD1066/1/3 North Eastern Farmers: Members Lists and Share Registers
DD1066/1/4 North Eastern Farmers: Reports
DD1066/1/5 North Eastern Farmers: Country Store plastic bag
DD1066/2 Records of North Eastern Agricultural Co-operative Society
DD1066/2/1 North Eastern Agricultural Society: Correspondence Files
DD1066/2/2 North Eastern Agricultural Society: Price Catalogues
DD1066/2/3 North Eastern Agricultural Society: Seasonal Price Cards
DD1066/2/4 North Eastern Agricultural Society: Booklets
DD1066/3 Records of Ellis and McHardy Oils
DD1066/4 Records of Shearer Brothers Ltd
DD1066/5 Records of North East Fuels Ltd
DD1066/6 Records of Leslie Upholstery Ltd./Moray and Nairn Egg Producers Ltd
DD1066/7 Records of North East Limes Limited
DD1066/7/1 North East Limes Limited: Minutes
DD1066/7/2 North East Limes Limited: Memorandum of Articles of Association
DD1066/7/3 North East Limes Limited: Correspondence
DD1066/7/4 North East Limes Limited: Reports
DD1066/7/5 North East Limes Limited: Financial Records
DD1066/7/6 North East Limes Limited: Plans
DD1066/8 Records of A. Milne and Sons (Millwrights) Ltd.
DD1066/9 Records of Brechin Agricultural and Trading Co. Ltd
DD1066/10 Records of Stewartry Chemicals
DD1066/11 Records of Maintech Services Limited
DD1066/12 Records of Islay Farmers
DD1066/13 Records of Animal Health (Scotland) Services Ltd
DD1066/14 North Eastern Farmers: Photographs
Administrative / Biographical History
North Eastern Agricultural Co-operative Society was established 1906 by a group of farmers from the north east. The object of the society was to provide members with grains, seeds and equipment at competitive prices and to offer support and advice to local farmers.
The Society's headquarters were in Aberdeen with its main premises being in Bannermill Place from 1914-1998. The Directors were always farmers, were elected and served for a set period of time. The company's shareholders were also made up of farmers.
The Society milled grain for its members and sold fertilisers, feed stuffs, farm seeds and other agricultural products. It moved into fertiliser production and fuel sales later in the 20th century. By the 1980s, the business was divided into production, distribution, fuels and retail divisions.
In April 1968 the Society was renamed as the North Eastern Farmers Limited (NEF). In 1998 NEF sold the Bannermill site and moved its headquarters to Rosehall, Turriff (a site previously occupied by Hutcheon's of Turriff).
NEF was successful for many years and covered an area from Forfar in the South to Lerwick in the north to Skye and Aberdeenshire west and east of Scotland. The company's turnover was £60 million a year at its peak and in 1987 they had over 10000 members.
By the 1980s the company had depots had Elgin, Inverness, Wick, Huntly, Turriff, Fraserburgh, Mintlaw, Brechin, Forfar, Kirkwall and Shetland. At Portsoy oatflakes were produced for supermarkets, branded 'Up Country'. A grain drying and cereal plant operated at Pitmedden. The company acquired a number of subsidiary companies, include A. Milne (Millwrights), Maintech Services Ltd, Ellis & McHardy (Oils) Ltd and Wilson's Dog Food of Dundee.
The company ceased trading in 2002, although the pension fund remained open to 2005. The company was liquidated 2006. Part of the company was sold to Harbro (an animal feeds manufacturer) and part to the Agricultural Co-operative Trading who wanted to expand into the North East of Scotland.
Access Information
Closed
The records are closed for 30 years.
Open for consultation at Old Aberdeen House, open Mon-Wed 9:30-12:30 and 13:30-16:30. It is advisable to make an appointment.
Other Finding Aids
Please see the Aberdeen City & Aberdeenshire Archives catalogue at https://archives.aberdeencity.gov.uk/CalmView/
Archivist's Note
Paper list produced c. 2014. Added to CALM in 2019 by Katy Kavanagh with assistance of volunteers.
Custodial History
Received in three accessions (reference 260, 306 and 1066) from the Turriff site in 1999 and 2006.
Records from Northern Agricultural and Lime Co. Ltd. (see DD1066A) were also taken in as part of accession 1066: they had amalgamated with Hutchen of Turriff, who operated at the Rosehall site, but at no point formed part of the business of NEF and have therefore been catalogued separately.
Accruals
None expected.
Subjects