Reports of the Sena Sugar Estates

Reports of Sena Sugar Estates, 1921-1960. The film contains reports of its operations in Mozambique. Each report contains a balance sheet, profit and loss account, and a chairman's statement.

Sena Sugar Estates was a British owned company with plantations in Mozambique and refineries in Portugal. The first sugar factory of the Zambesia region of Portuguese East Africa was founded in 1890 by John Peter (Pitt) Hornung. In 1906, he formed a company called the Sena Sugar Factory and built a second, larger factory in the Zambesia region. By 1920, Pitt and his backers had several interests in the region, which were amalgamated to form the Sena Sugar Estates. The company had been granted a large land subconcession from the Zambesia Company and controlled some 14,000 square miles of Portuguese East Africa. They comprised three sugar estates: at Luabo and Marromeu in the Zambezi River delta and a copra plantation near Chinde as well as operating a forestry concession, a coastal steamer and a cattle ranch near Luabo. The Sena Sugar Estates formed one of the largest sugar plantations in the world and were home to the largest sugar factory in Africa. By the 1960s, some 14,000 people made their living via the estates and it was Mozambique's largest firm. The company was centred in Sena and built sugar refineries nearby on the lower Zambezi River. The company was nationalized in 1978 following Mozambique’s independence.

Records are open to the public, subject to the overriding provisions of relevant legislation, including data protection laws.

Sena Sugar Estates was a British owned company with plantations in Mozambique and refineries in Portugal. The first sugar factory of the Zambesia region of Portuguese East Africa was founded in 1890 by John Peter (Pitt) Hornung. In 1906, he formed a company called the Sena Sugar Factory and built a second, larger factory in the Zambesia region. By 1920, Pitt and his backers had several interests in the region, which were amalgamated to form the Sena Sugar Estates. The company had been granted a large land subconcession from the Zambesia Company and controlled some 14,000 square miles of Portuguese East Africa. They comprised three sugar estates: at Luabo and Marromeu in the Zambezi River delta and a copra plantation near Chinde as well as operating a forestry concession, a coastal steamer and a cattle ranch near Luabo. The Sena Sugar Estates formed one of the largest sugar plantations in the world and were home to the largest sugar factory in Africa. By the 1960s, some 14,000 people made their living via the estates and it was Mozambique's largest firm. The company was centred in Sena and built sugar refineries nearby on the lower Zambezi River. The company was nationalized in 1978 following Mozambique’s independence.

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* West Sussex Record Office, The Hornung Papers, 1861-1993 (ref. GB 182 HORNUNG).

Published

GB 193