250 years of cotton trade history now available online

The work took months to complete, but the ICA believes the results have been worth it, as Vincent McKernan, the archivist responsible for collating the information, explains: "The history of the ICA is bound up with some of the world's most important historical events, including the industrial revolution, the growth of the railways, the transatlantic cable and two world wars.

"It is a story of rapid and astonishing growth, with Liverpool - the home of the ICA - emerging as the country's leading cotton importer and the world's leading cotton financial centre; to an almost equally rapid decline after World War II, as both the Lancashire cotton industry and the world cotton futures markets vanished.

"And finally, it is the story of a renaissance, as the ICA reinvented itself and embraced the global outlook it has today. It is a history that is consistently surprising and fascinating."

Established in 1841, the ICA is the world’s leading international cotton trade association and arbitral body. The majority of the world’s raw cotton is traded under ICA Bylaws & Rules. The ICA is a membership organisation. It has more than 500 members - firms and individuals - representing all sectors of the cotton industry and including the world’s major cotton companies. The ICA operates on a not-for-profit basis.

The International Cotton Association