Collection GB 0074 CLC/B/192/A - SUN INSURANCE OFFICE LIMITED: CONSTITUTION

Identity area

Reference code

GB 0074 CLC/B/192/A

Title

SUN INSURANCE OFFICE LIMITED: CONSTITUTION

Date(s)

  • 1706-1891 (Creation)

Level of description

Collection

Extent and medium

7 production units.

Context area

Name of creator

Biographical history

In 1708 Charles Povey founded the Exchange House Fire Office. In the next year, a Company of London Insurers was formed, consisting of 24 members. In 1710 Povey transferred his right in the Exchange House, also known as the Sun Fire Office, to the Company of London Insurers. The business of the Sun Fire Office was henceforth conducted in Causey's Coffee House near St Paul's Cathedral. In March 1711 it moved to a house in Sweeting's Rents. The Company was governed by two bodies: the General Court which was a meeting of all the managers, and the Committee of Management (consisting of 7 members) which met weekly.

A branch office, known as the Charing Cross office (or Westminster House), was opened in Craig's Court in 1726. The office was moved to 60 and 61 Charing Cross in 1866.

Business in Germany was established during the first half of the 19th century, and during the second half of the century the Sun Insurance Office began to operate in rest of Europe, the Near East, the Far East, the USA, Canada, South America, Australasia, China and Africa.

The Accident Department and the Marine Department were established in 1907 and 1921 respectively.

The name of the company was changed to the Sun Insurance Office in 1891. It became a public limited liability company in 1926. In 1959 it merged with Alliance to form Sun Alliance Insurance Limited, and in 1996 Sun Alliance merged with Royal Insurance to form the Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group.

The Sun Life Assurance Society was established in 1810 to take over the life insurance business of the Sun Fire Office. The membership of each company's board of managers was identical. Sun Life was based in Bank Buildings, then at Threadneedle Street, and later at Cheapside. The collection includes very few records of Sun Life Assurance Society.

The Sun Insurance Office archive includes records relating to the Sun Indemnity Company of New York. In 1822 the Sun Fire Office took over the Watertown Insurance Company and a US manager was appointed. By the end of 1886 the company was represented in 20 states. The following year the head office of the US branch was moved to New York. The Sun Insurance Office floated the Sun Indemnity Company of New York and the Patriotic Insurance Company of America in 1922. In 1929 the Sun Underwriters Insurance Company of New York was formed. In 1955 these companies were reorganized into two firms: the Sun branch, and the Sun Insurance Company of New York (incorporating Sun Indemnity, Patriotic, and Sun Underwriters).

The Sun Insurance Office had a number of UK subsidiary companies, including: Bath Sun Fire Office (from 1838, see CLC/B/192-06); Patriotic Assurance Company of Dublin (from 1906, see CLC/B/192-30); Alliance Assurance Company (from 1959, see CLC/B/192-02); London Assurance (from 1965, see CLC/B/192-26); and Planet Assurance Company (from 1968, see CLC/B/192-32).

The company was based at Causey's Coffee House in St Paul's Church Yard (1710-11), Sweeting's Rents (1711-27), Threadneedle Street (1727-63), Bank Buildings in Cornhill (1763-1843), and Threadneedle Street (1843-).

Archival history

GB 0074 CLC/B/192/A 1706-1891 Collection 7 production units. Sun Fire Office x Sun Insurance Office Ltd x Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd x Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group

In 1708 Charles Povey founded the Exchange House Fire Office. In the next year, a Company of London Insurers was formed, consisting of 24 members. In 1710 Povey transferred his right in the Exchange House, also known as the Sun Fire Office, to the Company of London Insurers. The business of the Sun Fire Office was henceforth conducted in Causey's Coffee House near St Paul's Cathedral. In March 1711 it moved to a house in Sweeting's Rents. The Company was governed by two bodies: the General Court which was a meeting of all the managers, and the Committee of Management (consisting of 7 members) which met weekly.

A branch office, known as the Charing Cross office (or Westminster House), was opened in Craig's Court in 1726. The office was moved to 60 and 61 Charing Cross in 1866.

Business in Germany was established during the first half of the 19th century, and during the second half of the century the Sun Insurance Office began to operate in rest of Europe, the Near East, the Far East, the USA, Canada, South America, Australasia, China and Africa.

The Accident Department and the Marine Department were established in 1907 and 1921 respectively.

The name of the company was changed to the Sun Insurance Office in 1891. It became a public limited liability company in 1926. In 1959 it merged with Alliance to form Sun Alliance Insurance Limited, and in 1996 Sun Alliance merged with Royal Insurance to form the Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group.

The Sun Life Assurance Society was established in 1810 to take over the life insurance business of the Sun Fire Office. The membership of each company's board of managers was identical. Sun Life was based in Bank Buildings, then at Threadneedle Street, and later at Cheapside. The collection includes very few records of Sun Life Assurance Society.

The Sun Insurance Office archive includes records relating to the Sun Indemnity Company of New York. In 1822 the Sun Fire Office took over the Watertown Insurance Company and a US manager was appointed. By the end of 1886 the company was represented in 20 states. The following year the head office of the US branch was moved to New York. The Sun Insurance Office floated the Sun Indemnity Company of New York and the Patriotic Insurance Company of America in 1922. In 1929 the Sun Underwriters Insurance Company of New York was formed. In 1955 these companies were reorganized into two firms: the Sun branch, and the Sun Insurance Company of New York (incorporating Sun Indemnity, Patriotic, and Sun Underwriters).

The Sun Insurance Office had a number of UK subsidiary companies, including: Bath Sun Fire Office (from 1838, see CLC/B/192-06); Patriotic Assurance Company of Dublin (from 1906, see CLC/B/192-30); Alliance Assurance Company (from 1959, see CLC/B/192-02); London Assurance (from 1965, see CLC/B/192-26); and Planet Assurance Company (from 1968, see CLC/B/192-32).

The company was based at Causey's Coffee House in St Paul's Church Yard (1710-11), Sweeting's Rents (1711-27), Threadneedle Street (1727-63), Bank Buildings in Cornhill (1763-1843), and Threadneedle Street (1843-).

The records of the Sun Insurance Office have been deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library by the Sun Alliance in a series of deposits from 1966. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Constitutional records of the Sun Insurance Office Limited, including articles of agreement; deeds; registration as a joint stock company; laws and regulations of the company; and papers relating to the take-over of other companies.

THESE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 50 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD. LIFE POLICY REGISTERS, CLAIMS REGISTERS AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY POLICY REGISTERS ARE CLOSED FOR 75 YEARS.

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Access by appointment only. Please contact staff.

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

English

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

The Sun Insurance Office Limited papers have been divided over several sub-fonds:
CLC/B/192/A: Constitution;
CLC/B/192/B: Meetings;
CLC/B/192/C: Shares and investments;
CLC/B/192/DA: Administrative records: correspondence;
CLC/B/192/DB: Administrative records: reports / visits;
CLC/B/192/DC: Administrative records: agencies;
CLC/B/192/DD: Administrative records: general;
CLC/B/192/DE: Administrative records: staff;
CLC/B/192/E: Finance;
CLC/B/192/F: Policies;
CLC/B/192/G: Premises and property;
CLC/B/192/H: Other bodies.
In addition, the papers of various subsidiary companies and companies which merged with the Sun Insurance Office or with Sun Alliance are catalogued as CLC/B/192-02 to -37.

A history of the company, P.G.M. Dickson, The Sun Insurance Office 1710-1960 (London, 1960), is held in the Printed Books Section of Guildhall Library.

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.

January to May 2011. Life insurance Enterprises Companies Assurance companies Accident insurance Service industries Insurance services Financial service industries Finance Insurance Fire insurance Information sources Documents Insurance records Business records Maritime insurance Sun Fire Office x Sun Insurance Office Ltd x Sun Alliance Insurance Ltd x Royal and Sun Alliance Insurance Group London England UK Western Europe Europe

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

The records of the Sun Insurance Office have been deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library by the Sun Alliance in a series of deposits from 1966. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

Content and structure area

Scope and content

Constitutional records of the Sun Insurance Office Limited, including articles of agreement; deeds; registration as a joint stock company; laws and regulations of the company; and papers relating to the take-over of other companies.

THESE RECORDS ARE SUBJECT TO A 50 YEAR CLOSURE PERIOD. LIFE POLICY REGISTERS, CLAIMS REGISTERS AND EMPLOYERS' LIABILITY POLICY REGISTERS ARE CLOSED FOR 75 YEARS.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

Records arranged by MS number, assigned during cataloguing at the Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section.

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access by appointment only. Please contact staff.

Conditions governing reproduction

Copyright to this collection rests with the depositor.

Language of material

  • English

Script of material

  • Latin

Language and script notes

English

Physical characteristics and technical requirements

The Sun Insurance Office Limited papers have been divided over several sub-fonds:
CLC/B/192/A: Constitution;
CLC/B/192/B: Meetings;
CLC/B/192/C: Shares and investments;
CLC/B/192/DA: Administrative records: correspondence;
CLC/B/192/DB: Administrative records: reports / visits;
CLC/B/192/DC: Administrative records: agencies;
CLC/B/192/DD: Administrative records: general;
CLC/B/192/DE: Administrative records: staff;
CLC/B/192/E: Finance;
CLC/B/192/F: Policies;
CLC/B/192/G: Premises and property;
CLC/B/192/H: Other bodies.
In addition, the papers of various subsidiary companies and companies which merged with the Sun Insurance Office or with Sun Alliance are catalogued as CLC/B/192-02 to -37.

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

Related descriptions

Notes area

Alternative identifier(s)

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Description control area

Description identifier

Institution identifier

London Metropolitan Archives

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

Script(s)

    Sources

    Accession area