United Molasses Co
1926 Company incorporated as public company on 1st January as a holding company for the British Molasses Co Ltd and the associated Pure Cane Molasses Co Ltd, and took over a fleet of 8 tankers[1]
1930 Arrangement between Distillers Co and United Molasses Co for exchange of shares[2].
1931 It was announced that the United Molasses Co had decided to liquidate the British Molasses Co and the Pure Cane Molasses Co, two of their subsidiary companies. The trading of the two subsidiaries would in future be carried on by the parent company.[3]
1938 Distillers Co was the company's largest customer and the largest user of molasses in the world. In response to the government's tax on use of alcohol as a motor fuel (as supplied by Distillers), the company reduced its profit margins[4].
1939 Formed Athel Line as a private subsidiary to take over the company's tankers and barges[5]
1943 Acquired Weymann Motor Bodies.[6]
1949 United Molasses Co's Athel Line bought a controlling interest in Anchor Line and purchased the remaining shares in 1950.
c.1954 United Molasses Co bought a boatyard on the south side of the inner harbour at Lowestoft in Suffolk and modernised the facilities. The yard was renamed Richards (Shipbuilders) Ltd.
1955 Acquired E. N. Bray. [7]
1965 Tate and Lyle took over United Molasses Co; sold Anchor Line
1969 United Molasses Ltd purchased another yard: the Fellows Yard at Great Yarmouth.