Williamson-Balfour Company
Encyclopedia
The Williamson-Balfour Company (or Williamson, Balfour and Company) was a Scottish
owned Chile
an company. Its successor company, Williamson Balfour Motors S.A., is a subsidiary of the British company Inchcape plc
.
The company was founded in Valparaiso
in 1863 as a subsidiary of the Liverpool
shipping company Balfour Williamson
(founded by the Scots Alexander Balfour
and Stephen Williamson
). The company was involved in the export of nitrates and wool to England, and later the west coast of the United States. The company diversified into railways, oil, minerals and other activities.
When the Chilean government
annexed Easter Island
in 1888, it was leased to Enrique Merlet, who sold his control to the Williamson-Balfour Company; they in turn created a subsidiary
called Compania Explotadora de la Isla de Pascua (CEDIP), which ran Easter Island as a sheep farm. The company constructed a boundary wall around Hanga Roa and sheep rearing structures. During the company's rule and for several years after, the Rapa Nui people were confined to Hanga Roa
, which they were not allowed to leave without permission.
In 1953, the Chilean government refused to renew their lease and transferred the island to the Chilean Navy
and the sheep farming operations ceased. In 1966, the Rapa Nui of Easter Island gained full Chilean citizenship
.
On the Chilean mainland the company operated a number of flour mills, and was involved in the import of machinery and other activities. In 1965 the company sold its milling operations, and was itself acquired by the Bank of London and South America
(BOLSA). In 1972 BOLSA was acquired by Lloyds Bank
, which in 1981 sold the Williamson-Balfour companies to Inchcape plc. In the late 1990s Inchcape decided to concentrate on the distribution of motors, and the non-motor businesses, including Williamson Balfour Agrocomercial Ltda, were sold to Sigdo Koppers
in 2000. Williamson Balfour Motors S.A. is still owned by Inchcape, and is now the importer and distributor of BMW
and Honda
cars in Chile.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
owned Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an company. Its successor company, Williamson Balfour Motors S.A., is a subsidiary of the British company Inchcape plc
Inchcape plc
Inchcape plc is a multinational automotive retail and services company headquartered in London, United Kingdom. It has operations in 26 countries across Africa, Asia, Australasia, Europe and South America....
.
The company was founded in Valparaiso
Valparaíso
Valparaíso is a city and commune of Chile, center of its third largest conurbation and one of the country's most important seaports and an increasing cultural center in the Southwest Pacific hemisphere. The city is the capital of the Valparaíso Province and the Valparaíso Region...
in 1863 as a subsidiary of the Liverpool
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
shipping company Balfour Williamson
Balfour Williamson
Balfour Williamson & Co was a shipping company based in Liverpool, England, and later an export confirming house and freight forwarding company. It is now a subsidiary of Lonmin ....
(founded by the Scots Alexander Balfour
Alexander Balfour
Alexander Balfour was a Scottish merchant and founder of the Liverpool shipping company Balfour Williamson.Balfour was born in Leven, Fife, the son of Henry Balfour, a foundry owner...
and Stephen Williamson
Stephen Williamson
Stephen Williamson was a founder of the Liverpool shipping company Balfour Williamson & Co. and a Scottish Liberal Party politician.He was born in Cellardyke, Fife in 1827, the son of Archibald Williamson, a shipowner...
). The company was involved in the export of nitrates and wool to England, and later the west coast of the United States. The company diversified into railways, oil, minerals and other activities.
When the Chilean government
Politics of Chile
The politics of Chile takes place in a framework of a presidential representative democratic republic, whereby the President of Chile is both head of state and head of government, and of a formal multi-party system that in practice behaves like a two-party one, due to binominalism. Executive power...
annexed Easter Island
Easter Island
Easter Island is a Polynesian island in the southeastern Pacific Ocean, at the southeasternmost point of the Polynesian triangle. A special territory of Chile that was annexed in 1888, Easter Island is famous for its 887 extant monumental statues, called moai, created by the early Rapanui people...
in 1888, it was leased to Enrique Merlet, who sold his control to the Williamson-Balfour Company; they in turn created a subsidiary
Subsidiary
A subsidiary company, subsidiary, or daughter company is a company that is completely or partly owned and wholly controlled by another company that owns more than half of the subsidiary's stock. The subsidiary can be a company, corporation, or limited liability company. In some cases it is a...
called Compania Explotadora de la Isla de Pascua (CEDIP), which ran Easter Island as a sheep farm. The company constructed a boundary wall around Hanga Roa and sheep rearing structures. During the company's rule and for several years after, the Rapa Nui people were confined to Hanga Roa
Hanga Roa
Hanga Roa is the main town, harbour and capital of the Chilean province of Easter Island. It is located in the southern part of the island's west coast, in the lowlands between the extinct volcanoes of Terevaka and Rano Kau....
, which they were not allowed to leave without permission.
In 1953, the Chilean government refused to renew their lease and transferred the island to the Chilean Navy
Chilean Navy
-Independence Wars of Chile and Peru :The Chilean Navy dates back to 1817. A year before, following the Battle of Chacabuco, General Bernardo O'Higgins prophetically declared "this victory and another hundred shall be of no significance if we do not gain control of the sea".This led to the...
and the sheep farming operations ceased. In 1966, the Rapa Nui of Easter Island gained full Chilean citizenship
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
.
On the Chilean mainland the company operated a number of flour mills, and was involved in the import of machinery and other activities. In 1965 the company sold its milling operations, and was itself acquired by the Bank of London and South America
Bank of London and South America
The Bank of London and South America or BOLSA was a British bank which operated in South America between 1923 and 1986.- Origins :The bank was incorporated in England on 27 September 1862 as the London, Buenos Ayres, and River Plate Bank, originally to operate in Buenos Aires...
(BOLSA). In 1972 BOLSA was acquired by Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank
Lloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
, which in 1981 sold the Williamson-Balfour companies to Inchcape plc. In the late 1990s Inchcape decided to concentrate on the distribution of motors, and the non-motor businesses, including Williamson Balfour Agrocomercial Ltda, were sold to Sigdo Koppers
Sigdo Koppers
Sigdo Koppers is one of the most important Chilean conglomerates with operations in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. SK activities are organized in three areas: In the Service Area are construction and industrial erection and transport and logistics business; in the Industrial Area are the...
in 2000. Williamson Balfour Motors S.A. is still owned by Inchcape, and is now the importer and distributor of BMW
BMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
and Honda
Honda
is a Japanese public multinational corporation primarily known as a manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles.Honda has been the world's largest motorcycle manufacturer since 1959, as well as the world's largest manufacturer of internal combustion engines measured by volume, producing more than...
cars in Chile.