R. W. Miller was an Australian company that had interests in coal mining, pubs and shipping. The company was named after its founder Robert William Miller (1879-1958).[1]
| Industry | Coal mining Pubs Shipping |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1923 |
| Headquarters | , Australia |
Area served | Australia |
History edit
R. W. Miller was founded in 1923 as a colliery proprietor and coal dealer.[2] It became involved in the coastal coal-carrying trade of New South Wales to convey coal between Newcastle and Sydney.[3][4][5]
R. W. Miller owned many coal mines in the Hunter Valley. In 1942, a brewery was purchased in Petersham. This was followed by the purchase of many pubs. In 1967, the Miller's Brewery was sold to Tooheys, followed by the pubs in 1968.[6][7][8]
In the late-1960s and early-1970s, TNT, Ampol and Howard Smith built up substantial shareholdings with takeover offers by the latter two resulting in a protracted takeover battle resulting in an important legal case and subsequent appeal to the Privy council, Howard Smith Ltd v Ampol Petroleum Ltd.[9][10][11] In 1979, Howard Smith's shareholding was increased to 67% in 1979 when it acquired Ampol's shareholding and in February 1985 it took 100% ownership.[12] In 1988, R. W. Miller merged with Coal & Allied.[13]
References edit
- ^ Atchison, John (1986). "Robert William Miller (1879–1958)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 10. National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISSN 1833-7538. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
- ^ New Companies Daily Telegraph 19 July 1923 page 9
- ^ New Colliers Daily Commercial News & Shipping List 1 October 1924 page 4
- ^ New Collier for Miller & Co Cessnock Eagle & South Maitland Recorder 22 November 1929 page 1
- ^ RW Miller's New Collier Sydney Morning Herald 6 January 1931 page 13
- ^ RW Miller profit eases, despite big cut in provisions Canberra Times 6 October 1967 page 15
- ^ Brewery sale to Tooheys…Miller Gives Clue - $2.9m? Canberra Times 18 November 1967 page 14
- ^ Miller to get offer for hotels Canberra Times 30 April 1968 page 17
- ^ TNT / Alltrans' growing interest in ship services Truck & Bus Transportation April 1969 page 25
- ^ Ampol bids $14.5m for shares in R. W. Miller Canberra Times 23 May 1972 page 15
- ^ H Smith formal offer for Miller Canberra Times 18 August 1972 page 11
- ^ Farquar, Ian (2002). Howard Smith Shipping: Enterprise & Diversity 1854-2001. Caulfield South: Nautical Association of Australia. ISBN 0959907955.
- ^ Coal & Allied Rebuilds in Hunter Australian Financial Review 30 September 1988