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Interdisciplinary centres which cross traditional boundaries between departments were established at Imperial College in 1977, with the founding of the Imperial College Centre for Environmental Technology. The Pimlico Connection is a community-based tutoring scheme for students of Imperial College and was established in 1975.

The grant of arms was made to Imperial College by Royal Warrant of King Edward VII dated 6 June 1908. The College arms are confined to a shield, and display the Royal Arms together with a book representing knowledge. The motto 'Scientia Imperii Decus et Tutamen' can be translated as 'knowledge is the adornment and protection of the State'.

Since its establishment at South Kensington, London, in 1907, Imperial College has fostered links with neighbouring institutions. The Great Exhibition of 1851 provided considerable impetus for the formation of educational establishments in South Kensington. Profits from the Exhibition provided the money to purchase the land to develop the area as a centre for Science and the Arts. The institutions established in South Kensington as a result of the scheme include the Victoria and Albert Museum in 1857, the Central Institution (later the City and Guilds College), which opened in 1884, the Royal College of Art, opened in 1864, Royal College of Music, Royal Geographical Society, Science Museum and Natural History Museum, which opened to the public in 1881, as well as Imperial College itself.

Associated Studies were introduced to teach non-scientific studies in the arts and humanities in first degree courses, and offer classes and lectures to college members. 'Touchstone' was a project to develop and encourage wider interests and activities within College life, such as weekend discussion parties.

The Registry is primarily concerned with the administration of academic matters, principally the supervision of student admissions, scholarships, regulations, registrations, tuition fees, the approval of courses and syllabuses, examinations, prizes, student records and statistics, the organisation of special lectures and academic ceremonies and the setting of term dates.

Postgraduate courses in Nuclear Power and Nuclear Technology were first offered by Imperial College in 1958. The Nuclear Technology course was part of the Department of Chemical Engineering, with the Nuclear Technology Group being established in 1962. The Nuclear Power course was part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The University of London Reactor Centre is located at Silwood Park, Berkshire, and is now operated within the T H Huxley School for the Environment, Earth Sciences and Engineering.

The Alumni Relations Office maintains regular contact with all former students of the College. The Office distributes the alumni magazine, IC Matters and services the administrative needs of the Constituent College Associations.
The Royal College of Science Union Motor Club maintains the College mascot 'Jezebel', a 1916 Dennis N - Type fire engine, donated to Imperial College in 1955. 'Boanergesis' is the City & Guilds College mascot, a 1902 James & Browne veteran car purchased in 1934. The mascot of the Royal School of Mines is the 1926 Morris T type truck 'Clementine', which in 1959 replaced the first Clementine, a steam roller.
During the First World War 2418 students from Imperial College served in the forces, of which 319 died.

After Imperial College received its new charter in 1998, the Governing Body was replaced by a Court and Council. Committees of the Governing Body and Board of Studies became Committees of the Council and of the Senate respectively.The Rector's Committees continue to act in an advisory capacity to the Rector in certain non-academic fields, with several having joint staff-student membership.

The key administrative functions of the College are carried out by the Registry, Secretariat, Estates, Finance and Personnel. The Academic Registrar, through the Board of Studies (later the Senate), administers academic matters, student admissions, the approval of courses and syllabuses and student records.The College Secretary services the Court and Council (formerly the Governing Body) and their associated committees.

A medical scheme was established by the Imperial College Hostel in 1945. A College Medical Officer was appointed in 1949, and a College Health Room (later Centre) established. By 1970 the Centre was providing a wide range of medical services.

The College Centenary celebrations of 1945 commemorated the founding of the Royal College of Chemistry in 1845, which was incorporated with the Royal School of Mines in 1853 and thus subsequently became part of Imperial College. An Appeal fund was launched with the celebrations to increase funding for planned College expansion. Charter Day celebrations mark the establishment of Imperial College in 1907 by Royal Charter.

Schemes for the development of Imperial College have led to the rebuilding of the South Kensington site, particularly from the 1950s to mid 1970s. By 1935, Sir Henry Tizard, Rector of Imperial College from 1929-1942, had developed an expansion scheme to be achieved by securing the 'island site' campus (bounded by Exhibition Road, Prince Consort Road, Queen's Gate and the Museums) in South Kensington.
The Jubilee Expansion Scheme, approved in 1957, saw the remodelling of the College site on the securing of the 'island site'. The City and Guilds building was demolished in 1962, and the Imperial Institute building in 1963. The Collcutt Tower of the Imperial Institute (now Queen's Tower) was saved and became free-standing in 1968. New buildings were erected and residential student accommodation improved.

The teaching of Mechanical Engineering in South Kensington originated with the establishment of the City and Guilds Central Institution in 1884, which taught Engineering. By 1913 two separate departments of Mechanical Engineering and Civil Engineering had emerged, as part of the renamed City and Guilds College. The Biomechanics section was developed during the 1960s, and a professorship awarded in 1974.
The Industrial Sociology Unit, established as an independent unit in 1969, and the Department of Management Science, established in 1971 were both previously part of the Department of Mechanical Engineering.

The Department of Management Science was established in 1971 on its separation from the Department of Mechanical Engineering. The Department had its origins in a postgraduate course in Production Engineering in 1955, within the Department of Mechanical Engineering. From 1961 a course in Management Studies was offered, and the section became the Production Engineering and Management Studies Section (later the Management Engineering Section). In 1987, the Department merged with the Department of Social and Economic Studies to form the Management School.

The Imperial Continental Gas Association was constituted in 1826 to 'manufacture and produce inflammable air or gas from coal, oil and other materials ... and to supply Cities and Towns .... in foreign countries'. It was not concerned with the British market. Its founder Major-General Sir William Congreve Bt, MP, FRS (1772-1828) had toured the continent since 1824 promoting the adoption by municipal authorities of lighting by coal gas and concluding early contracts to supply such cities as Ghent, Rotterdam, Hanover and Berlin. From its London headquarters, the Association expanded its operations abroad in succeeding decades. It negotiated contracts in Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Prussia and the Netherlands, took over or built gas works in foreign cities and directed production and supply through a network of British and foreign agents and engineers. Its concern initially was with the lighting by gas of public places, but by the second half of the 19th century it was also supplying domestic consumers. Towards the end of the century, it branched out into production and supply of electricity.

Many of the Association's works and premises were damaged during the First World War. In addition, in 1916-17 its holdings in Germany and Austria-Hungary suffered compulsory liquidation by the German and Austrian governments. In consequence, after 1918, there was restructuring so that operations were increasingly restricted to Belgium and France and direct supervision transferred to locally constituted subsidiary companies. In 1928-9, the following allied and subsidiary companies were formed in Belgium: Antwerpsche Gasmaatschappij (A. G.M.), formed to take over the Association's interests in the Antwerp area; Societe Electricite et Gaz de l'Agglomeration Bruxelloise (Electrogaz) and Societe Provinciale du Gaz et de l'Electricite (Provinciale), formed to serve the suburbs and outlying communes of Brussels and the rural areas of the province of Brabant; Les Cokeries du Brabant, formed to produce coke and gas; Societe de Distribution de Gaz (Distrigaz), formed to create a long-distance gas grid throughout Belgium; and Union Intercommunale des Centrales Electriques du Brabant (Interbrabant), formed to produce and transmit electricity. In 1933 a Belgian holding company, Compagnie Belge et Continentale du Gaz (Contibel), was formed to administer the subsidiaries. In France, the Association's main interest lay in the Compagnie Continentale du Gaz, formed in 1907. This remained in Association hands until 1946 when the energy industries of France were nationalised.

The role of the Association in the affairs of its subsidiaries diminished progressively after 1945. In April 1987, in the course of company restructuring, the Association went into voluntary liquidation.

The Association operated from a succession of addresses in the City of London: 29 Swithin's Lane (1824-31); Levant House, St Helen's Place (1831-35); 7 White Hart Court, Lombard Street, (1835-1864); 30-31 Clement's Lane (1864-1891); 21 Austin Friars (1891-1920); 6 London Wall (1921-27); 2 Devonshire Square (1927-79); 14 Moorfields Highwalk (1979-1987).

The Imperial Gas Light and Coke Company was formed after a merger of the Coal Light Company (founded 1816) and the Metropolis Gas Light and Coke Company (founded 1820). It was incorporated by several Acts of Parliament: 1821: 1-2 George IV cap. 117 1823: 4 George IV cap. 95 1829: 10 George IV cap. 12 The Company had works at Bromley, Fulham, Saint Pancras, Shoreditch, Bow and Limehouse. In 1876 it was amalgamated with the (Chartered) Gas Light and Coke Company.

The Imperial Gas Light and Coke Company was formed after a merger of the Coal Light Company (founded 1816) and the Metropolis Gas Light and Coke Company (founded 1820). It was incorporated by several Acts of Parliament: 1821: 1-2 George IV cap. 117 1823: 4 George IV cap. 95 1829: 10 George IV cap. 12. The Company had works at Bromley, Fulham, Saint Pancras, Shoreditch, Bow and Limehouse. In 1876 it was amalgamated with the (Chartered) Gas Light and Coke Company.

Imperial Insurance Company was established in 1803 for the purpose of UK and overseas fire insurance. Between 1869 and 1891 it was officially styled Imperial Fire Insurance Company, although it had always appeared in Post Office directories under this name.

The company's original offices were at Sun Court, Cornhill, and 5 St James's Street, but in 1845 its West End offices moved to 16 Pall Mall and in 1848 its head office moved to 1 Old Broad Street.

In 1902, Imperial Insurance Company was acquired by Alliance Assurance and this company merged with Sun Insurance to form Sun Alliance in 1959.

Imperial Life Insurance Co

Imperial Life Insurance Company was established in 1820 for the business of life insurance in the United Kingdom as a sister company to the Imperial Insurance Company, also called the Imperial Fire Insurance Company. At first its offices were in Sun Court, Cornhill and 5 St James's Street, but in 1845 its West End premises moved to 16 Pall Mall and in 1848 its head office moved to 1 Old Broad Street. In 1893 it took over the England Assurance Institution.

In 1902, Imperial Life was acquired by Alliance Assurance and this company merged with Sun Insurance to form Sun Alliance in 1959.

This company was established in 1878. It changed its name several times, becoming the Imperial Accident, Live Stock and General Insurance Company in 1898, the Imperial Accident Insurance Company in 1907, the Imperial Live Stock Insurance Company in 1914, before returning to its original style as Imperial Live Stock and General Insurance Company in 1923. It had offices at 17 Pall Mall East before moving to 27 Cavendish Square. By 1934 it was at 24 Cornhill where it remained. In 1912 it was taken over by Commercial Union Assurance Company and wound up in 1948.

Imperial Pharmacy

Imperial Pharmacy was based in South Croydon, Surrey.

Although bodies of volunteer horse had been raised during the reign of William III and at the time of the '45 rising, and for home defence in 1761, it was not until 1794 that the yeomanry was organised under the act of 34 Geo. III c.31. Following the early success of the French Revolutionary armies, the yeomanry came into being in 1794 to replace the cavalry regiments of the line which were drafted overseas. By 1798 every county and several large towns had raised troops of yeomanry.

After 1816 the Yeomanry were reduced, but unlike the infantry volunteers, were not disbanded. For many years until the establishment of county police forces, they played an important part in the maintenance of public order, being frequently called out to suppress riots and other disorders. In 1897 the number of men serving in the Yeomanry was 10,084.

On 20 December 1899, shortly after the outbreak of the South African war (1899-1902) The Times announced that the War Office had issued regulations with reference to Yeomanry in South Africa.: 'Her Majesty's Government have decided to raise for service in South Africa a mounted infantry to be named "The Imperial Yeomanry"'. Three thousand Yeomanry volunteered for service.

After the war, the Imperial Yeomanry School for Girls opened in Alperton Hall near Wembley to educate, board and clothe the daughters of the yeomen who were killed, permanently disabled or died from disease in the war. Later it was intended that similar benefits should be extended to the sons of these yeomen. Children, approved by the Executive Committee, of NCO's and men who had served or were serving in the Yeomanry in Great Britain and Ireland and who were in difficult circumstances were also to be included.

This commercial company developed high density housing blocks for artisans in Central London. It was founded by Sydney Waterlow in 1863 at the time of many philanthropic housing developments. Registered Office in 1925: 5 Grosvenor Crescent, London, SW1.

The company started with an initial capital of £50,000 and its shareholders included MP's, lawyers, builders and merchants. It built in blocks of 5-7 storeys providing self contained housing for artisans. By 1871 over 1,000 dwellings were occupied and the company profits grew above 5 per cent dividend paid. It worked from standard plans (prepared by a surveyor rather than an architect) and built many estates including Wapping, Cromwell buildings Southwark, Kings Cross Road, Old Street, Pancras Road, Greenwich, High Street Islington and Bethnal Green.

This collection also contains records of two subsidiary companies, Greencoat Properties Ltd and the Soho, Clerkenwell and General Industrial Dwellings Company Limited.

The Improved Public House Company Limited located at 15 Red Lion Square was founded in 1920 and began as the pet project of Sir Sydney Nevile, managing director of Whitbread. Nevile believed strongly in the need for reform of public houses both for commercial as well as social benefit and he persuaded Whitbread to fund his project.

He had been encouraged by the success of the Carlisle Scheme where the Central Control Board, of which Nevile was a member, had taken control of the licensed trade. They has achieved great success by improving many of their assets with better ventilation, lighting and seating, music, meals, recreation and sometimes even separate rooms for women.

Due to the stubborness of magistrates who refused to allow existing houses to be enlarged, Nevile commissioned the building of a completely new Improved Public House and the Welcome Inn at Eltham was opened by Sir Kingsley Wood in the early 1920s.

Over time the company prospered by incorporating some of Whitbread's bigger and more successful public houses, including the Railway Tavern which was acquired by Whitbread in 1936. Although there was a feeling among some of the other tenants that this was creating a division of class between Whitbread's pubs, the Improved Public House Company helped to improve Whitbread's profile and contributed to the securing of a majority shareholding in Welwyn Restaurants giving the brewery a monopoly on supply to Welwyn Garden City's five pubs.

Inchcape and Co Ltd

Efforts to consolidate the extensive international investments of the Inchcape family and the directorships and partnerships held by the third Earl of Inchcape resulted in the public launch of a parent holding company, Inchcape and Company Limited, in 1958.

Interests in merchant trading, shipping and agency houses had been built up since 1874 when James Lyle Mackay (from 1911 the first Earl of Inchcape) joined the Calcutta-based merchant and agency firm of Mackinnon, Mackenzie and Company, established in 1847 by William Mackinnon. Mackinnon's business empire extended beyond India to Australia, the Middle East and East Africa. Founder of the British India Steam Navigation Company Limited (whose historic records are at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich) and the Australasian United Steam Navigation Company Limited, he also set up agency firms at strategic ports (Gray, Dawes and Company in London; Gray, Mackenzie and Company and Gray, Paul and Company in the Persian Gulf; and Smith, Mackenzie and Company in Zanzibar) to handle the passenger and merchandise cargo carried alongside the Royal Mail.

As Mackinnon's commercial heir, Mackay had risen by the 1890s to the position of partner within the firm. He had also begun a personal investment portfolio, buying major shareholdings in Indian tea estates (among them Assam Estates Company Limited, Greenwood Tea Company Limited, Northern Dooars Tea Company Limited and Salonah Tea Company Limited), textile firms (Binny and Company Limited) and their English and Indian managing agents (Macneill and Company, Duncan Macneill and Company, Barry and Company and J B Barry and Son) and in two river steamer companies (Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited and India General Steam Navigation Company Limited) and their managing agents (Kilburn and Company). Before 1958, there was no structural link between the majority of these companies, whose common denominator was the Inchcape family interest in them. However, after the Second World War, change was necessary, especially in newly independent India, for reasons of taxation and other economic restrictions placed on foreign companies. The option finally decided on by the third Earl of Inchcape was for a rationalisation of holdings and the incorporation of those retained into a single publicly quoted company based in London rather than India.

After the launch of the Inchcape Group in 1958, the group expanded very rapidly, both by the development of existing companies and their range of activities, and by the purchase of other groups: among them, the Borneo Company Limited in 1967, Dodwell and Company Limited in 1972, Anglo Thai Corporation in 1975 and Assam Company Limited in 1980.

The London headquarters of Inchcape and Company Limited was at 40 St Mary Axe, 1960-88, and St James House, 23 King Street, Westminster, 1988-.

Incisive Media Limited

Incisive Media Limited is a business media publisher, established in 1995 and based in London, with offices in Haymarket and Broadwick Street, Soho. It publishes a range of business publications and also offers conference, events and training services.

Incisive publish Professional Pensions, a weekly magazine for the occupational pensions industry with information relating to the institutional pensions market and UK pension fund management. Since 1998 Professional Pensions has also organised the UK Pension Awards, which recognises the UK's best pension funds, trustees and scheme professionals.

Source of information: http://www.professionalpensions.com and http://www.pensionschemeawards.com/

In 1799 the first general Income Tax Act was passed, as a war tax. It was repealed after the Peace Of Amiens in 1802, although it was rapidly re-instated in 1803/4 as a "Property Tax". This tax in turn lapsed in 1816, until its re-introduction in 1842. The tax was initially levied at the rate of 2 shillings in the pound on all income in excess of £200 per annum.

The Incorporated Society of Authors, Playwrights and Composers is a non-profit making organisation, which was established in 1884 "to protect the rights and further the interests of authors". Its first president was Lord Tennyson, and a great many famous authors, including Shaw, Galsworthy, Hardy, Wells, Barrie, Masefield, Forster, have been active in the society. In 2007 the Society had over 8,000 members.

A notary is officially authorized to perform certain legal formalities, including drawing up or certifying contracts and deeds, administering oaths, and protesting dishonoured bills of exchange.

Ind Coope Ltd , brewers

Edward Ind purchased the Star Inn, Romford, Essex in 1799, and built a brewhouse on the site. In 1845 he went into partnership with brothers Octavius and George Coope. From 1856 the business was known as Ind Coope and Company. In the same year the company opened another brewery in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

The company went into recievership in 1909 and was subsequently re-registered in 1912 as Ind Coope and Co. (1912) Ltd. The (1912) was dropped from the name in 1923. After merging with Samuel Allsopp and Sons Ltd in 1934, the company name was changed again to Ind Coope and Allsopp Ltd and then to Ind Coope Ltd in 1959. In 1961 the company merged with Tetley Walker Ltd and Ansells Brewery Ltd to form Ind Coope Tetley Answell Ltd, later Allied Breweries Ltd. The company is now part of the Carlsberg-Tetley group.

This company was established in 1824 as the Indemnity Mutual Marine Assurance Company in premises at 36 Great Winchester Street. By 1907 its address was 1 Old Broad Street and in 1958 4 Fenchurch Street. The company changed its name to Indemnity Marine Insurance Company in 1935, although its business covered both marine and aviation insurance. It became a subsidiary of the Northern Assurance Company in 1917 which in turn became a subsidiary of Commercial Union Assurance in 1968.

Independent Burial Society

Established in 1833 in Manchester, the Independent Burial Society was taken over by the Liverpool Victoria Friendly Society in 1953.

A deed of settlement for the Company was recorded in 1824. It was incorporated in 1829 by the Act of Parliament. The Company amalgamated with the (Chartered) Gas Light and Coke Company in 1876.

A deed of settlement for the Independent Gas Light and Coke Company was recorded in 1824. The Company was incorporated in 1829 by the Act of Parliament, 10 George IV, cop.118. The Company Gas Works were at Haggerston. The Company amalgamated with the (Chartered) Gas Light and Coke Company in 1876.

Independent Labour Party

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856 - 1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Labour Party: The activities of the Manchester Independent Labour Party (established in 1892) inspired Liberal-Labour MPs to consider setting up a new national working class party. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) was consequently formed in 1893 under the leadership of James Keir Hardie (1856-1915). The chief objective of the ILP would be "to secure the collective ownership of the means of production, distribution and exchange". The ILP had 35,000 members at the time of the 1895 General Election, and put forward 28 candidates, but only won 44,325 votes. The party had more success in local elections, winning over 600 seats on borough councils. The ILP joined the Social Democratic Federation in 1898 to make West Ham the first local authority to have a Labour majority. On 27th February 1900 representatives of all the socialist groups in Britain (the Independent Labour Party, the Social Democratic Federation and the Fabian Society, joined trade union leaders to form the Labour Representation Committee.

The Independent Order of Rechabites was a friendly society, which was founded in Salford in 1835. The Order was part of the temperance movement. The name of the Order was inspired by the Rechabites, who feature in the 35th Chapter of Jeremiah. The founders of the Order were concerned that many friendly societies met in public houses and their members were therefore vulnerable to the temptations of alcohol. The Order spread around the world: there were branches in New Zealand, Australia, the United States and India. Branches were known as "tents" and presided over by High Chief Rulers, who were assisted by Inside and Outside Guardians, a Levite of the Tent and a group of Elders. Before joining the Order, a prospective member had to sign a pledge that they and their family would abstain from alcohol. The Order is now known as Healthy Investment. Until July 2003, membership of the Society was exclusively for teetotallers but members may now join if they have a healthy lifestyle.

India General Steam Navigation Company was established in India in 1844 to compete with the steamers of the Indian government on the Ganges, later turning its attention to Assam, where the tea industry was developing and in need of improved communications.

From the 1870s onwards, the company faced much competition from Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited (CLC/B/123-47), as a result of which various working agreements between the two companies were reached in the 1880s. As a result of one such agreement, made in 1889, the two companies came generally to be known as the Joint steamer companies, operating many joint services but maintaining separate management.

In 1899, India General went into liquidation, partly in order to raise more capital, and partly in order to register in London. The new company was named India General Navigation and Railway Company Limited (so called because a few years earlier India General had undertaken the construction of an extension of a railway to the banks of the Brahmaputra at Jaganathganj).

During both world wars, vessels of the Joint steamer companies were impresssed for military use in India, and also in Iraq during the First World War. After the Second World War the partition of India caused difficulties in the transport of commodities from Assam to Calcutta for export, as they had to pass through Pakistan as well as India. As a result, the fleets of the Joint companies were divided and separate repair workshops set up to service the Pakistani fleet (in addition to those set up by India General in the 1880s at Raja Bagan).

In 1959, Pakistan River Steamers Limited was formed to manage the Pakistani fleets of the Joint companies, as the government of Pakistan would not Company-operate except with a company incorporated in Pakistan (for further details of PRS Limited see the introductory note to Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited.)

In 1962 a strike by crews in Pakistan nearly brought about the collapse of India General, but Rivers Steam Navigation Company Limited bought out its Indian assets and liabilities, India General retaining its Pakistani interests. India General was managed in India by Kilburn and Company and in London by Kilburn, Brown and Company. (The Inchcape group archives include some records of Kilburn, Brown and Company, CLC/B/123-37).

India General had London offices successively in St. Helen's Place, New Broad Street and Mincing Lane.

The India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Ceylon Conferences (IPBCC) were the oldest of the conferences involved in the mangement and development of trade in the Far East. They had an international scope and strong links with several shipping companies. Membership of the Conferences was made up of associations of owners of both 'short sea' and 'deep sea' freight lines. These owners acted together to set common prices for the carriage of goods over designated routes, forming policies over discounts and rate rebates with the 'tied-in' companies, with tariffs to combat competition from non-members. They also had the power to admit or exclude shore trade.

The Industrial Life Offices Association was founded in 1901 as the Association of Industrial Assurance Companies and Collecting Friendly Societies, by representatives of industrial assurance companies and friendly societies. It acted as a forum for combined action and mutual protection of the Industrial Assurance business. The Association was concerned, in particular, with co-operation to prevent the practice of "transferring", whereby agents poached clients from one company to another, gaining a commission in the process. The Association changed its name to the Industrial Life Offices Association in 1940; and ceased to exist in 1985 when its functions were transferred to the Association of British Insurers.

The Association appears to have been based in its members' offices until it acquired its own offices at 73-76, King William St., EC4 (1950-53); 1, Regent St., SW1 (1954-62); and Aldermary House, 10-15, Queen St., EC4 (1963- ).