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{{Short description|Fall of Arbuthnot & Co}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2020}}
The '''Arbuthnot Bank crash''' led to the fall of [[Arbuthnot & Co]], a premier British-owned financial institution in [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] in October 1906. The incident is considered to be one of the key events which influenced the [[Indian independence movement in Tamil Nadu]].
The '''Arbuthnot Bank crash''' led to the fall of [[Arbuthnot & Co]], a premier British-owned financial institution in [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] in October 1906. The incident is considered to be one of the key events which influenced the [[Indian independence movement in Tamil Nadu]].


In the last quarter of 1906, [[Madras]] (now Chennai) was hit by the worst financial crisis the city was ever to suffer. Of the three best-known British commercial names in 19th-century Madras, one crashed; a second had to be resurrected by a distress sale; and the third had to be bailed out by a benevolent benefactor. Macfadyen, one of the partners, engaged in speculation, in the process losing huge amounts of the firm's money. Prior to its collapse, Arbuthnots employed between 11,000 and 12,000 people, had 7,000 creditors and £1,000,000 in liabilities. It was ascertained  that  the  liabilities  of  Macfadyen's were £400,000 and there were 1,000 creditors.  It was agreed by the English trustee in bankruptcy and the official assignee in Madras that the assets of the two insolvent firms were to be treated as one and the same business, all creditors were to be entitled to share rateably in the pooled assets.<ref>[http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5095478]</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chasecambria.com/site/journal/article.php?id=113 | title=Pooling Arrangements in Cross-Border Insolvencies | first=Samantha | last=Knights | publisher=ChaseCambria | year=2004 | access-date=13 July 2020 }}</ref>
In the last quarter of 1906, [[Madras]] (now Chennai) was hit by the worst financial crisis the city was ever to suffer. Of the three best-known British commercial names in 19th-century Madras, one crashed; a second had to be resurrected by a distress sale; and the third had to be bailed out by a benevolent benefactor. Macfadyen, one of the partners, engaged in speculation, in the process losing huge amounts of the firm's money. Prior to its collapse, Arbuthnots employed between 11,000 and 12,000 people, had 7,000 creditors and £1,000,000 in liabilities. It was ascertained  that  the  liabilities  of  Macfadyen's were £400,000 and there were 1,000 creditors.  It was agreed by the English trustee in bankruptcy and the official assignee in Madras that the assets of the two insolvent firms were to be treated as one and the same business, all creditors were to be entitled to share rateably in the pooled assets.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article5095478|title = MADRAS BANK FAILURE. - SIR G. ARBUTHNOT IMPRISONED. LONDON, September 26. - the Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1889 - 1931) - 27 Sep 1907}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.chasecambria.com/site/journal/article.php?id=113 | title=Pooling Arrangements in Cross-Border Insolvencies | first=Samantha | last=Knights | publisher=ChaseCambria | year=2004 | access-date=13 July 2020 }}</ref>


Macfadyen committed suicide by throwing himself under a train in 1906, and both firms had to close their doors. Both Macfadyen and Arbuthnot were consistently over-optimistic concerning their speculations. Arbuthnot was tried for the fraudulent activities the collapse revealed, and received a sentence of "18 months rigorous imprisonment".
Macfadyen committed suicide by throwing himself under a train in 1906, and both firms had to close their doors. Both Macfadyen and Arbuthnot were consistently over-optimistic concerning their speculations. Arbuthnot was tried for the fraudulent activities the collapse revealed, and received a sentence of "18 months rigorous imprisonment".