The origns of Guinness & Le Cren date back to 1891 in Timaru, when Edwin Roland Guinness and Henry Arthur Le Cren joined forces to serve the growing needs of South Canterbury’s pastoral sector. The duo was already well regarded in farming sector prior to their partnership, and their deep knowledge of farms in the area was the foundation of their success as stock agents and general merchants. 

Henry A. Le Cren was born in Lyttelton in 1857 but spent his childhood in Timaru while his father Henry J. Le Cren, developed the town’s landing service. Following his schooling in London and a tour of Germany, he returned to New Zealand, living in Dunedin and taking up a position in the National Mortgage and Agency of New Zealand (his father’s business, Russel Le Cren & Co having been a key player in the firm’s 1878 establishment). 

By the time Henry joined Edwin in partnership, he had a wealth of experience and, astutely, saw the promise of a profitable business by providing essential services and financial capital to the growing farming community.

His partner, Edwin R. Guinness was born in Calcutta in 1842, and emigrated with his family to Canterbury, at the age of 10. After attending Christ’s College he pursued a farming career in South Canterbury, beginning as a cadet at Otaio. He later became an overseer at Orari, and later managed Peel Forest Station. From 1883, Edwin worked as an auctioneer for the New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Agency in Timaru under the management of Frederic Le Cren (Uncle of Henry). 

The difficult farming years of the 1880s were becoming a distant memory by the time the partnership began, and the Waimate area was becoming a key area for farming development. The firm expanded in 1893 to include a Waimate office, a business originally founded by F. Richman and later acquired by Barlcay & Foot. 

In 1893 Norton Francis joined the partnership and was responsible for the growth of the Waimate office. As farming in the area grew, so too did the business and a move from the original Stafford Street premises to a new building in Strathallan Street ensured the Timaru branch kept pace with the growing needs of the South Canterbury farming communities. The Waimate office also saw a move in 1903 to a new brick building in High Street, with the Quins Arcade its prominent neighbour two years later.

Norton saw an opportunity in a merger with the Geraldine firm, Maling & Shallcrass, the town’s local stock and station agency, auctioneer and general merchant. The 1904 merger saw both Thomas Maling and C. E. Shallcrass take out auctioneer licences at Geraldine and Timaru respectively, while Edwin Guinness’ licence covered Waimate. This gave the firm complete coverage of the South Canterbury area, from the Rangitata and Waitaki Rivers to the Alps.

Guinness & Le Cren remained a strong and independent force in the South Canterbury area, and while there had been discussions of a merger with Wright Stephenson & Co, it was felt that joining a national organisation may well result in absorption rather than amalgamation. A merger with fellow Cantabrians seemed the more astute path to growth. As a result, in 1919, Guinness & Le Cren joined Gould Beaumont & Co and Pyne & Co to form Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd. 

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^{References:  P. G Stevens, Pyne Gould Guinness Ltd: The Jubilee History 1919-1969.}

^{Title Image: Guinness & Le Cren, Waimate, Circa 1903. RRG Rattray, Waimate Museum & Archives}