About this collection
Indonesia was a huge exporter of sugar when HSBC opened branches in Batavia (Jakarta) in 1884 and Sourabaya (Surabaya) in 1896. One of our managers there remarked that the sugar trade was ‘the bank’s raison d’être’. We also financed the export of products such as coffee and rubber. Another line of business involved issuing remittances that were sent by expatriate Chinese workers to their families overseas. Enjoy this selection of photographs from our early days as we celebrate 140 years of supporting growth in Indonesia.
