R. W. Miller

R. W. Miller
IndustryCoal mining
Pubs
Shipping
Founded1923
Headquarters
Sydney
,
Australia
Area served
Australia

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]

History

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

  1. ^ Atchison, John (1986). "Robert William Miller (1879–1958)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 10. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 2021-06-11.
  2. ^ New Companies Daily Telegraph 19 July 1923 page 9
  3. ^ New Colliers Daily Commercial News & Shipping List 1 October 1924 page 4
  4. ^ New Collier for Miller & Co Cessnock Eagle & South Maitland Recorder 22 November 1929 page 1
  5. ^ RW Miller's New Collier Sydney Morning Herald 6 January 1931 page 13
  6. ^ RW Miller profit eases, despite big cut in provisions Canberra Times 6 October 1967 page 15
  7. ^ Brewery sale to Tooheys…Miller Gives Clue - $2.9m? Canberra Times 18 November 1967 page 14
  8. ^ Miller to get offer for hotels Canberra Times 30 April 1968 page 17
  9. ^ TNT / Alltrans' growing interest in ship services Truck & Bus Transportation April 1969 page 25
  10. ^ Ampol bids $14.5m for shares in R. W. Miller Canberra Times 23 May 1972 page 15
  11. ^ H Smith formal offer for Miller Canberra Times 18 August 1972 page 11
  12. ^ Farquar, Ian (2002). Howard Smith Shipping: Enterprise & Diversity 1854-2001. Caulfield South: Nautical Association of Australia. ISBN 0959907955.
  13. ^ Coal & Allied Rebuilds in Hunter Australian Financial Review 30 September 1988