Share Certificate: Alexandra Brickworks Company, Limited - 1900

Share Certificate: The Alexandra Brickworks Company, Limited
Issued to: Chas John Davies
Location: Singapore, Straits Settlements
Date: July 3rd, 1900
Share Number: 4996 (One Share)
Condition: Original early 20th-century financial document; features the company's common seal.

A Piece of Singapore's Industrial Heritage
This 1900 share certificate is a fascinating non-cartographic artifact from the Straits Settlements era. It represents ownership in The Alexandra Brickworks Company, Limited, a pivotal business in Singapore’s early industrial development. The bricks produced by this company were used to construct many of the colonial-era buildings that still define the city's architectural landscape today.

Historical and Scripophily Details
Company Origins: Incorporated in 1889, the company had a modest capital of $50,000, divided into 5,000 shares. This specific certificate, issued for a single $10 share, provides a direct link to the retail investment culture of early 20th-century Singapore.

Notable Signatories: The document is signed by the company's directors and the Secretary pro tem, Henry L. Whiteside. Signatures on such documents are highly valued in the hobby of scripophily (the study and collection of stock and bond certificates) for their historical provenance.
The Alexandra Area: The company’s name survives in the modern "Alexandra" district of Singapore, which evolved from an industrial hub into the vibrant commercial and residential area it is today.