Title
Business archive of Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd and M Challah Export
Reference
2023-840
Production date
01-01-1946 - 31-12-2010
Creator
- M Challah ExportBiographyBiography
M Challah Export was established In 1945 by Mr Mounir Challah (also known as Mo or Monty). Mo was sent from Beirut to Manchester by his father in order to establish contacts with Manchester cotton and Yorkshire wool traders. Once this was achieved, Mo's intention was to return to Beirut and complete a law degree. However, he never left Manchester, instead setting up an office on Princess Street trading under the name M Challah Export. He began exporting cotton and poplin cloth with businesses established by his cousins in British West Africa, as well as with contacts in Lebanon, Syria and Argentina. This trade slowed following the independence of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana in the 1960s. M Challah Export merged with Albert Jones to form Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd in 1963.
- Albert Jones (Textiles) LtdBiographyBiography
Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd of 51-53 Richmond Street, Manchester was created in 1963 as the result of a merger between Mounir Challah (known as Mo) of M Challah Export and Albert Brunt of Albert Jones. Shortly after the merger Albert died, leaving Mo to run the business. The company mainly traded to local shops and businesses however did export. During the 1960s, Mo established trade with a cousin in Japan, supplying textiles from Manchester. In the 1970s and 1980s, trade expanded to include business in Ecuador, South America and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
Mo ran the business until his death in 2002, keeping the name Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd. His eldest son, Abdul Challah, who had worked for the company since 1975 took over the business following his father's death. He developed the business into a supplier of luxury fabrics, buying from cotton manufacturers in Lancashire and linen manufacturers in Northern Ireland. In 2023 he retired, with the Grade II Listed building at 51-53 Richmond Street from which he traded sold for redevelopment.
Scope and Content
Business archive relating to M Challah Export and Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd, consisting of order confirmations, purchase contracts, letters in Arabic with fabric samples attached, bills of lading, shipping particulars, consignment notes, delivery notes, cash books, purchase invoices, sales invoice books, annual reports, copy letter books, example cheque stubs from the Bank of West Africa, 1953-2010 and general correspondence. The archive contains evidence of a textile trader moving to Manchester from Lebanon and establishing a business to export textiles to the Middle East, Africa and South America. The records that cover the period 1970-2010 also show how the company adapted to survive a changing market landscape.
Extent
105 Items
Physical description
The condition of the material ranges from good to poor. Many items have surface dirt and creasing to documents. Where possible, rusty paperclips and staples have been removed and replaced with brass paperclips. Textile samples are present within some bundles and require careful handling.
Language
English, Arabic, French
Archival history
The archive is formed of two sets of business records. Firstly, the records of M Challah Export, created or received by Mounir Challah during the course of his business between 1953-1962. Secondly, the records of Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd created or received by Mounir Challah during the course of his business in partnership with Alfred Brunt, and as sole owner of the business covering the period 1963-2010. Ownership of the archive passed to Abdul Challah, son of Mounir Challah, who took over as owner of Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd in 2002, following his father’s death. Abdul Challah has maintained the archive at the business premises, with transfer to the Science and Industry Museum in 2023.
Level of description
TOP
Repository name
Science and Industry Museum
Associated people and organisations
- Albert JonesBiographyBiography
Albert Jones was originally established in 1905 by Albert Jones, a rag merchant in Manchester who bought strips of fabric to be repurposed into newspaper. Alfred traded out of a building on Richmond Street, Manchester, which was destroyed in the Christmas bombings of Manchester in 1940. Albert Jones was also killed during these bombing raids. As he had no family, the business was left to his warehouse lad, Albert Brunt. In 1942, Albert Brunt moved the business to 51-53 Richmond Street, continuing to trade under the name Albert Jones until 1963.
- Albert Jones (Textiles) LtdBiographyBiography
Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd of 51-53 Richmond Street, Manchester was created in 1963 as the result of a merger between Mounir Challah (known as Mo) of M Challah Export and Albert Brunt of Albert Jones. Shortly after the merger Albert died, leaving Mo to run the business. The company mainly traded to local shops and businesses however did export. During the 1960s, Mo established trade with a cousin in Japan, supplying textiles from Manchester. In the 1970s and 1980s, trade expanded to include business in Ecuador, South America and Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean.
Mo ran the business until his death in 2002, keeping the name Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd. His eldest son, Abdul Challah, who had worked for the company since 1975 took over the business following his father's death. He developed the business into a supplier of luxury fabrics, buying from cotton manufacturers in Lancashire and linen manufacturers in Northern Ireland. In 2023 he retired, with the Grade II Listed building at 51-53 Richmond Street from which he traded sold for redevelopment.
- M Challah ExportBiographyBiography
M Challah Export was established In 1945 by Mr Mounir Challah (also known as Mo or Monty). Mo was sent from Beirut to Manchester by his father in order to establish contacts with Manchester cotton and Yorkshire wool traders. Once this was achieved, Mo's intention was to return to Beirut and complete a law degree. However, he never left Manchester, instead setting up an office on Princess Street trading under the name M Challah Export. He began exporting cotton and poplin cloth with businesses established by his cousins in British West Africa, as well as with contacts in Lebanon, Syria and Argentina. This trade slowed following the independence of Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Ghana in the 1960s. M Challah Export merged with Albert Jones to form Albert Jones (Textiles) Ltd in 1963.
Conditions governing access
Mainly open access. Some items have restricted access, requiring a Data Protection form to be signed in order to access the material.
Conditions governing Reproduction
Copies may be supplied in accordance with current copyright legislation and Science Museum Group terms and conditions.
System of arrangement
The collection has been artificially arranged into six series to represent the different types of material collected. Within each series, the items have been bundled according to the filing system of the record creators.