History

The firm “Sandersons & Morgans” has been formed as a result of merger and / or amalgamation of five previous firms of solicitors, namely, Morgan & Co., Sandersons & Co., Watkins & Co., Kesteven Gooding & Co. And Eggar & Co..

In our endeavour to go back and trace the history of these firms we observe that the nucleus was formed about 150 years ago and trough changes the present firm of Sandersons & Morgans came into existence in 1933.

We begin with the firm of Morgan & Co.. It appears from available sources that the root of the firm of Morgan & Co., may be traced back to the year 1835.

MORGAN & CO.

It is indeed a matter of interest for us to recite some facts regarding the history and development of this firm.

There was a firm of solicitors “Waddington & Wilson” in 1835 and one of the partners of such firm was Mr. Colin Wilson. The date when this firm was established or its predecessor could not be ascertained.

In 1839 the firm changed its name to “Waddington & Sades” and one of its partners Mr. J. Sandes was a Notary Public.

In 1843 the name of the firm was further changed to “Sandes Friths & Sandes” which was formed by the partners, namely, Mr. Thomas Sandes, Mr. Charles Hogg, Mr. Falkiner Chute Sandes and Mr. Warren Hastings Leslie Frith.

In 1846 the name was further changed to “Frith and Sandes”.

In 1849 one Mr. Thomas David King Watts joined with Mr. Sandes and Mr. Frith when the firm was renamed as “Frith, Sandes and Watts”.

In 1852 the firm changed its name possibly due to the retirement or death of Mr. Frith into “Sandes & Watts” of which Mr. F. C. Sandes and Mr. T.D.K. Watts were the partners.

Thereafter, between 1853 and 1858 Mr. F.C. Sandes took Mr. Richard Stack as one of his partners in places of Mr. Watts when the firm changed its name to “Sandes Stacks & Co”.

In 1859 Mr. Stephen Edward Collies and Mr. John Waitt Merfield joined hands with Mr. F.C. Sandes and Mr. R. F. Stack as partners when they changed the name of the firm to “Sandes, Stack, Collies & Merfield”.

In 1866 the name of the firm was further changed to “Stack, Collies & Merfeild” when along with Mr. Collies and Mr. Merfeiled Messrs Edward Lane and John Ball Knowles joined as partners.

Between 1867 and 1871 the firm was reconstituted when the partners were Mr. S.E. Collies, Mr. Frederick Dundas Chanutrell, Mr. J.B. Knowles and Mr. Edmond Theodore Roberts and the firm was named “Collies & Co”.

Thereafter, between 1872 and 1877 the firm changed its name to “Chanutrell, Knowles and Roberts” of which Mr. E.T. Roberts and Mr.  Williams Carey Morgan were the parents.

Thereafter, the firm changed its name to “Knowles & Roberts “  which was further changed to “Roberts Morgan”.

Sometimes in 1879 the firm took its name as “Roberts Morgan & Co.” Of which Mr. E.T. Robert and Mr. W.C. Morgan were the partners and its office was at 1,Hastings Street, were the new secretariat building is now situate.

In June 1885 the name of “Robert Morgan& Co.” Was changed to “Morgan & Co.” When Mr. W.C. Morgan and William Alexender Clarke, Mr. George Burge McNair, MR. Philip Friends Frushard Hedger, Mr. Charles Turner Geddes were the partners and that stream of “Morgan & Co.” continued till amalgamated with “Sandersons &Co. to form “Sandersons & Morgans” in 1933.

SANDERSON & CO.

Sanderson & Co. also took its name as such by changing names from time to time.

On or about 1860 Mr. William Henry Owen and Mr. Charles Sanderson formed a Firm of Solicitors as  “Owen & Sanderson”.

In 1862 Mr. Sanderson joined the firm “Carey ,Barnes & Furgusson” and changed the name that firm to “Barens,Sanderson and Furgusson” of which Mr. Henry Barnes,  Chanrles Sanderson and Fredrick Jhon Furgusson were partners.

In 1870 the firm again changed its name to “Barens & Sanderson”.

In 1872 on the joining of Mr.Robert Leycester Upton in the said firm the firm changed its name to “Barnes,Sanderson & Upton”.

In 1873 the firm became “Sanderson & Co.”

In 1877 the partners of Sanderson & Co. were Mr.Charles Sanderson, Mr.R.L. Upton and Mr. Hender Adams Adkins and at that time its had its office at 2,Church lane, Clcutta & thereafter in 1880 it’s shifted it’s office to 1,Esplnade West, Calcutta.

In 1882 partners of the said were Mr. R.L. Upton, Mr. William Kernes Eddis,Mr. Henry Cooper Eggar & Mr. George Willam Frederick Buckland.

Round about 1902 the said firm shifted it’s office to 30/32,Dalhausie Square in the building which is now known Royal Insurance Buildings, 5, Netaji Subhas Road, Calcutta and at that time their partners were amongst other Mr.H.C. Eggar, Mr. Ernest Hardurake Cwowie Mr. OliveHoiane Dickinson.

In 1904 along with the said Mr. Eggar, Mr. Cwowie and Mr. Dickinson, Mr. Frederick Henry Eggar joined as a partner.

In 1907 the constitution changed when along with H.C. Eggar & Mr. F.H. Eggar, Mr. Charles Henry Kesteven joined as partner.

Mr. H.C. Eggar (Later Sir Henry Eggar) was the first President of Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta established on 1908 and continued as such still 1910.

In 1910 Mr. Kesteven and Mr. F.H. Eggar took Mr. Nigel Nafir Blomefield as a partner and in 1912 Mr. GeorgeCallender Gooding also joined them as partner.

Mr. C.H. Kesteven was the President of Incorporated Law Society of Calcutta from 1914 to 1915.

The said firm inverted “Sanderson & Co.” continued in such with change of mere partners till it amalgamated with Morgan & Co. into Sandersons & Morgans in 1933.

WATKINS & CO.     

Mr. Nowll Shew Watkins established the firm “Watkins & Co” at to, old post office street, Calcutta. Sometimes in 1911 one Mr.Willam Herold Edwaards also joined the said firm. Ultimately about 1919 the said firm shifted its office to 8 strand Road,Calcutta when Mr. W.H. Edwards, Mr. Josceline Veron Watkins and Mr.Bartram Gordon Mc. Clonghim were the partners and thereafter sometimes 1922 or so they merged with Sanderson & Co.

KESTEVEN GOODING & CO.

From 1st November Mr. Kesteven & Mr. Gooding left Sanderson & Co. & started a firm “Kesteven Gooding & Co” at 26, Dalhousie Square (presently 5, Netaji Subhas Road), Calcutta & at that time the partners of that firm were Mr. C.H. Kesteven, Mr. G.C. Gooding, Mr. Ernest Cuthbertson Esson, Mr. Geoffrey Charles Rimington Taylor & Mr. Hugh Carey Morgan nad they continued in such name until they merged with Sanderson & Co. on and from 1st November 1923 Mr. Kesteven died on 13th January 1923.

Egger & Co

In 1920 Mr. F.H. Eggar left Sanderson & Co. and started his own firm named  “Eggar & Co” at 26,Dalhousie Square ,Calcutta. From 15th December 1922 Mr. F. H. Eggar took Mr. Shirly Samuel Hodson as one of his partners who was a Notary Public at that time. Sometime in 1923 Eggar &  Co. merged with Sanderson & Co.

SANDERSONS & MORGANS

In 1932 Morgan & Co. was carrying on its business from 1, Hastings Street, Calcutta Whrereas Sanderson & Co. was carrying on its business from 26, Dalhousie Square, Calcutta.

(now 5, Netaji Subhas Road)

On and from 1st January 1933 “Snderson & Co.” and “Morgan & Co” amalgamated into “Sandersons & Morgans” and started their professional activities from 26, Dalhousie Square, Calcutta.

This said firm of Sanderson & morgans started with the following parteners:

  1. A.E. Mitchell (Morgan & Co)
  2. S.S. Hodson (Sanderson & Co)
  3. H. Carey Morgan (Sanderson & Co)
  4. E.C. Esson (Sanderson & Co)
  5. H.P. Sutcliffe (Sanderson & Co)
  6. A.T. Taylor (Morgan & Co)
  7. H.F. Bensly (Morgan & Co)

On such amalgamation Morgan & Co. left its place of business and shifted to the then 26, Dalhousie Square, Calcutta.

Mr. H.P. Sutcliffe was the president of incorporated Law Society of Calcutta from 1939 to 1943.

Since 1933 the said firm “Sanderson & Morgan” is uninterruptedly continuing with the blessings and co-operation of its various clients and sincerity, devotion, loyalty and affection of its Assistants and staff and the hard work of the partners who took part in the partnership in course of these 50 years and in this occasion we remember with reverence the names of the ex- partners who were in this firm and the most of whom we now sadly miss. The names of the ex-partners are given below:

  1. F.C. Brasher
  2. D. Robson
  3. C.J.B.Palmer
  4. D.P. Dunderdale
  5. A.N. Sil
  6. H.N. Bhattacharya
  7. B. Gill
  8. F.C.H Rustomjee
  9. S.K. Mullick(Jr.)
  10. S.K. Mullick(Sr.)
  11. r. D.N.Mullick
  12. S.C. Auddy
  13. A.Ganguli
  14. S.K.Seal
  15. J.N.Sanyal
  16. B. Sil

 

In this occasion we think that we should not also forget to mention our clients whose good wishes had or have allowed this firm and its predecessors to continue for more than a century and we should particularly mention the name of State Bank Of India who was earlier known as Imperial Bank of India and before that it was Known as Bank Of Bengal and that bank has continued to be our client by after their association with our predecessors Morgan & Co. Similarly the Charted Bank of India, Australia and China now known as “The Charted Bank” has also associated themselves with the firm since the times of Morgan &Co. The Calcutta City Banking Corporation Limited, now known as “Grindlays Bank p.l.c “ have also extended their good wishes and co-operations beings a client of Barnes, Sandersons & Fergusson, the predecessor of Sanderson & Co. and such relation for more than a century is still continuing. We are confident that such relationships will continue for years to come.