Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1816-1983 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
5.38 linear metres
Context area
Name of creator
Biographical history
Customs and Excise Officers, including coastguards, did not have protection in case of death, injury, illness and old age. In response to this the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund was established by the Customs Office in 1816. The Fund was formed as a mutual insurance fund, to provide conditional benefit to widows, children and other immediate relatives of civil servants. Any person aged 16-65 was able to effect an Insurance upon their lives, answerable to their respective cases. The Fund was to be raised by subscription, both annual and occasional.
Initially named the 'Civil Fund' but 'Customs Annuity Fund' was substituted shortly after foundation, resulting from extension of the same benefits to all other departments under the Crown. Operated as 'Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund' from 1879, 'Customs Fund' from 1893 and from 1896 it was incorporated by Act of Parliament as 'The Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated' but referred to as the 'Customs Fund'.
The Fund was based at Customs Office, London initially at City Gate House, Finsbury Square and later at Kings Beam House, Mark Lane, City of London.The organisation continued to operate as a Life Assurance and Pensions Mutual Company until it was acquired by National Friendly (National Deposit Friendly Society (NDFS), established in 1868) in 2004. The Customs Fund Division continued under NDFS.
Repository
Archival history
GB 0074 LMA/4675 1816-1983 Collection 5.38 linear metres Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated x Customs Fund
Customs and Excise Officers, including coastguards, did not have protection in case of death, injury, illness and old age. In response to this the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund was established by the Customs Office in 1816. The Fund was formed as a mutual insurance fund, to provide conditional benefit to widows, children and other immediate relatives of civil servants. Any person aged 16-65 was able to effect an Insurance upon their lives, answerable to their respective cases. The Fund was to be raised by subscription, both annual and occasional.
Initially named the 'Civil Fund' but 'Customs Annuity Fund' was substituted shortly after foundation, resulting from extension of the same benefits to all other departments under the Crown. Operated as 'Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund' from 1879, 'Customs Fund' from 1893 and from 1896 it was incorporated by Act of Parliament as 'The Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated' but referred to as the 'Customs Fund'.
The Fund was based at Customs Office, London initially at City Gate House, Finsbury Square and later at Kings Beam House, Mark Lane, City of London.The organisation continued to operate as a Life Assurance and Pensions Mutual Company until it was acquired by National Friendly (National Deposit Friendly Society (NDFS), established in 1868) in 2004. The Customs Fund Division continued under NDFS.
Donated by National Deposit Friendly Society in 2014.
Records of the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated including minutes of Court with expenditure accounts; 'T,MandS' Committee minutes; balance sheets and Board of Trade Returns; Benevolent grants; Rules and rates, and Register of assurances and profit (with separate index volumes).
The records document benevolent payments to individuals and their families. The main series which can be used are the Court minutes (1816-1983) (LMA/4575/01/01) and the indexes to insurance holders (1891-198-) (LMA/4675/02/03).
The Court minutes contain letters to Committee and presentations to the Board giving proposals for insurance received from individuals; life losses; surrenders; mortgages and reversions; cash statements and expenditure and details of benevolent loans including amounts advanced, paid and outstanding.
The records provide an insight into the types of proposals for support received and whether these met with success. In minutes of 5 Sep 1889 a Benevolent Grant is ordered to be paid to the widow of John Fox of Liverpool, being the amount of Poundage contributed (£5.8.10). In minutes of 10 Apr 1890 an application is shown to have been received from Henry Casserley for a loan of £20 in consideration of his being insured No.1318 (for repayment by instalments). Decision recorded that there is no power to make such a loan but that he may commute under Rule 6. An Index of insurance holders [LMA/4675/02/03/001] confirms just the one insurance number 1318 for Henry Casserley.
Arranged in two sections as follows:
LMA/4675/A: Corporate
LMA/4675/B: Grants and members receiving funds
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Copyright rests with the City of London.
English
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
The National Archives (TNA) hold the records of the Boards of Customs, Excise, Customs and Excise and HM Revenue and Customs. Records of the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund include correspondence and papers of the Government Actuary's Department; Assurance Companies' Returns to the Board of Trade and records relating to the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Act.
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Added June 2016. Law Legislation Customs and excise legislation Financial resources Funds Mutual funds Finance Fiscal policy Taxation Benevolent societies Societies Associations Organizations Customs and Excise Office Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Donated by National Deposit Friendly Society in 2014.
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Records of the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Incorporated including minutes of Court with expenditure accounts; 'T,MandS' Committee minutes; balance sheets and Board of Trade Returns; Benevolent grants; Rules and rates, and Register of assurances and profit (with separate index volumes).
The records document benevolent payments to individuals and their families. The main series which can be used are the Court minutes (1816-1983) (LMA/4575/01/01) and the indexes to insurance holders (1891-198-) (LMA/4675/02/03).
The Court minutes contain letters to Committee and presentations to the Board giving proposals for insurance received from individuals; life losses; surrenders; mortgages and reversions; cash statements and expenditure and details of benevolent loans including amounts advanced, paid and outstanding.
The records provide an insight into the types of proposals for support received and whether these met with success. In minutes of 5 Sep 1889 a Benevolent Grant is ordered to be paid to the widow of John Fox of Liverpool, being the amount of Poundage contributed (£5.8.10). In minutes of 10 Apr 1890 an application is shown to have been received from Henry Casserley for a loan of £20 in consideration of his being insured No.1318 (for repayment by instalments). Decision recorded that there is no power to make such a loan but that he may commute under Rule 6. An Index of insurance holders [LMA/4675/02/03/001] confirms just the one insurance number 1318 for Henry Casserley.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Arranged in two sections as follows:
LMA/4675/A: Corporate
LMA/4675/B: Grants and members receiving funds
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information are subject to access restrictions under the UK Data Protection Act, 1998.
Conditions governing reproduction
Copyright rests with the City of London.
Language of material
- English
Script of material
- Latin
Language and script notes
English
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
The National Archives (TNA) hold the records of the Boards of Customs, Excise, Customs and Excise and HM Revenue and Customs. Records of the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund include correspondence and papers of the Government Actuary's Department; Assurance Companies' Returns to the Board of Trade and records relating to the Customs Annuity and Benevolent Fund Act.
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation revision deletion
Language(s)
- English