Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd (No. 2)
The second Commercial Union Assurance Company was incorporated on March 17 1871 as the Merchants' Marine Insurance Company Ltd. The company became part of the first Commercial Union Assurance Company in 1968 and was dissolved on September 4 2007
Company History
Merchants' Marine Insurance Company report and accounts
The company's original objectives were
"to insure against every description of Marine Insurance risk... Relating to perils of the seas, fire, men of war, reprisals and all other risks of like nature incidental to the seas, ships, goods, merchandise, cargo, earnings and property whatsoever in or on board of the same, also to insure all other matters and things which may be lawfully or can be from time to time insured or be the subject of insurance against the perils of the sea'.
On June 2 1919, the company became a subsidiary of the Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation Ltd, which itself became a subsidiary of the Northern Assurance Company Ltd in 1960. By that year, the company was offering accident, fire, marine and motor insurance.
On January 1 1967, the company's marine business was transferred to another Northern subsidiary, the Indemnity Marine Assurance Company Ltd. A year later, the company became a subsidiary of the first Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd and, by 1969, was offering marine, fire and life insurance, which was wholly reinsured with its parent company.
The company was dissolved on September 4 2007.
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1871 | The company is established |
| 1919 | The company becomes a subsidiary of the Employers' Liability Assurance Corporation |
| 1960 | Employers' Liability Assurance is acquired by the Northern Assurance Company |
| 1968 | The company becomes a subsidiary of the first Commercial Union Assurance Company |
| 1999 | Name changes to the Commercial Union Assurance Company |
| 2007 | The company is dissolved |
Head office premises
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1872 - 1879 at least | 1 Royal Exchange Buildings, London |
| by 1881 - 1922 | 37 Cornhill, London (extended to 36-38 Cornhill by 1922) |
| 1922 - 1923 | 21 Birchin Lane, London |
| 1923 - 1928 | 36-38 Cornhill, London |
| 1928 - 1941 at least | Lloyds Buildings, London |
| by 1946 - 1963 | 36-38 Cornhill, London |
| 1963 - 1965 | Hamilton House, Victoria Embankment, London |
| 1966 - 1973 | 4 Fenchurch Avenue, London |
| 1973 - 2007 | St. Helen's, 1 Undershaft, London |
Staff and officials
Underwriter
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1871 - 1872 at least | J J Tidd |
| by 1879 | Joseph Angus |
| by 1881 - 1888 | T Robson |
| 1888 - 1890 at least | A Hyslop |
| by 1919 - 1924 | William Irwin |
| 1924 - 1928 | Charles Anderson |
| 1928 - 1941 | Charles E Roberts |
| 1941 - 1966 at least | Willis, Faber & Dumas Ltd. (underwriting agents) |
Secretary
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1871 - 1879 at least | Joseph Angus |
| by 1881 - 1890 at least | Alfred Dawson |
| 1906 - 1932 | Edward Griggs |
| 1932 - 1943 | H F Giles |
| 1943 - 1955 | Eric Nelthorpe Shearer (also manager) |
| 1955 - 1969 | Vincent Leicester Powell |
| 1969 - 1971 | Horace Thomas Frost |
| 1971 - 1977 | D R Cobden |
| 1977 - 1988 at least |
G T Spratt |
Manager
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| Role created in 1947 | |
| 1947 - 1963 | Eric Nelthorpe Shearer (also secretary) |
| 1963 - 1966 | Hector William James Spittle |
| 1967 - 1968 at least | Leonard Alfred Locke |
| Position not listed after 1968 | |
Directors (1871)
- John Anderson
- Seth Arratoon Apcar
- William Dunn
- William Thomas Marten
- John Thomas Rennie
In the archives
The Aviva archive contains records relating to the running of the second Commercial Union Assurance Company between 1917 and 1997. The collection includes board minutes, ledgers, financial papers, annual reports and accounts and company registers.
