General Hail Storm Insurance Society
The General Hail Storm Insurance Society was established in Norwich on November 21 1843. It was acquired in 1898 by the Norwich & London Accident Insurance Association, which was subsequently taken over in 1908 by Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society.
Company History
General Hail Storm Insurance Society promotional sign
General Hail Storm Insurance Society advertisement
A prospectus of 1843 outlines the objectives of the society. These were to
"grant policies of insurance against loss by Hail Storm to crops of Corn, turnips, and other Farming and Gardening produce, as well as Glass in Dwelling houses, Hot-houses, Green-houses, and other buildings".
The society ceased to exist following its acquisition by Norwich & London Accident in 1898.
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1843 | The society is established |
| 1898 | The society is acquired by the Norwich & London Accident Insurance Association and stops transacting business |
| 1908 | Norwich & London Accident is acquired by the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society |
Did you know...?
- An advertisement from 1889 warns customers of the potential threat presented by hailstorms.
"June 2nd and 3rd Norfolk: various parts of this county were visited by storms of unprecedented violence, causing immense damage to growing crops and glass. Especially in the Western Division of the county. The Hail stones are described in the Local press as larger than walnuts. One measured eight inches in circumference".
- Another advertisement, this one from 1892, includes a similar warning.
"July 3rd Yorkshire: Hailstones as large as pigeons eggs and hard as bullets, fell totally destroying large quantities of peas and other crops as well as breaking glass".
Subsidiaries and constituents*
| Year | Company name |
|---|---|
| 1855 - 1857 | National Economic Hail Storm Assurance Company |
| 1865 - 1867 | Equitable Hail Insurance Company |
| 1847 - 1892 | County Hailstorm Insurance Company |
* Please note the first date given is the date of the establishment of the company and the second date is the date the company was acquired or became a subsidiary. Where only one date is given the company was established as a subsidiary of the parent company. Where one date is preceded by a hyphen the date of the establishment of the company is not known.
Head office premises
Norwich
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1843- 1850 | Bethel Street |
| 1850 - 1898 | Fisher's Lane St Giles Street |
London
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| c 1843 | 26 Birchin Lane |
Staff and officials
Secretary
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1843 - pre 1846 | E C Morgan (joint secretary) |
| 1843 - 1888 | Charles Suckling Gilman (joint role until c1846) |
| 1889 - 1898 | Charles R Gilman |
Directors (c 1843)
- Samuel Bignold (also of Norwich Union)
- John Wright
- John Skipper
- F J Blake
- Roger Kerrison
- Robert Pratt
- Thomas Salter
- James Neave
- John Cann
- J Hilling Barnard
Home branches and agencies
Agencies
- Cheadle (1843)
- Cambridge (by 1849)
- By 1875, according to company literature it had agents all over Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire
In the archive
The Aviva archive contains records relating to the running of the General Hail Storm Insurance Society between 1847 and 1898. The collection includes deeds of insurance settlement, policies, proposals, almanacs, share certificates and notices to agents.
