The Lancashire and Yorkshire Insurance Company Ltd
The Lancashire and Yorkshire Insurance Company was established on November 23 1877 as The Lancashire and Yorkshire Accident Insurance Company Ltd. The company was acquired by the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company in 1906.
Company History
Lancashire and Yorkshire Accident Insurance Company specimen policy
The company's first board and shareholders were made up primarily of the Manchester branch managers of other insurance companies, including the West of England Insurance Company, the Edinburgh Life Assurance Company and the Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd.
In 1883, business was extended to include employers' liability insurance and, in 1891, the company expanded its range to all but life, fire and plate glass insurance. In 1896, business was expanded again to include special contingency, guaranteeing completion of contracts, bad debt insurance and life insurance guaranteeing payment of premiums.
On August 10 1906, the company changed its name to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Insurance Company Ltd. In October of the same year, it was acquired by the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company and went into liquidation. Scottish Union and National became part of the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd in 1959.
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1877 | The company is established |
| 1906 | Name changes to the Lancashire and Yorkshire Insurance Company |
| 1906 | The company is acquired by the Scottish Union and National Insurance Company and goes into liquidation |
| 1959 | Scottish Union and National is acquired by the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society |
Did you know...?
- In 1890, the company ran a competition offering a silver tea and coffee service as an incentive to agents who brought in the most new business.
- In 1891, the company was approached by the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd about a potential merger of the two companies but could not agree terms.
Subsidiaries and constituents*
| Year | Company name |
|---|---|
| 1877 - 1879 | Accident Insurance Association of Scotland Ltd. |
| 1808 - 1887 | The Atlas Assurance Company (accident business) |
| 1881 - 1896 | Employers' Liability and Workpeople's Provident and Accident Insurance Company Ltd. of Birmingham |
| 1824 - 1901 | Manchester Assurance Company (accident business) |
* 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
Manchester
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1878 - 1880 | 63 King Street |
| 1880 - 1884 | 33 Princess Street |
| 1884 - 1904 | 35 - 37, Princess Street |
| 1904 - 1906 | 30 Brown Street |
London
| Year | Address |
|---|---|
| 1892 - 1899 at least | 78 King William Street |
Staff and officials
Manager
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1878 - 1891 | Charles McBride (also secretary to 1889) |
| 1891 - 1906 | R Kennedy Mitchell (also secretary by 1904) |
Secretary
| Year | Name |
|---|---|
| 1878 - 1878 | Philip G Swanwick |
| 1878 - 1889 | Charles McBride |
| 1889 - 1898 at least | James Burne |
| by 1904 - 1906 | R Kennedy Mitchell |
Directors (1878)
- Richard Haworth
- James B Northcott (Manchester Fire Office)
- W Brown (Scottish Widows’ Fund, Manchester)
- James Croston (Imperial Insurance Companies, Manchester)
- Sidney Jewsbury (West of England Insurance Company, Manchester)
- T M MacDonald
- J V C Rivaz (Commercial Union Assurance Company, Manchester)
- Thomas Rose (Royal Exchange Assurance Company, Manchester)
- James Samuels (Law Union Insurance Company, Manchester)
- Thomas Swanston (Edinburgh Life Assurance Company, Manchester)
Home agencies (1878)
- Rochdale
- Banbury
- Taunton
- Douglas, Isle of Man
- Manchester
- Birmingham
- Liverpool
- Oldham
- Ashburton
- Swansea
- Chester
- Grimsby
- Glasgow
Home branches
- Liverpool (by 1878)
- Glasgow (1888)
- Newcastle (1890)
- London (1892)
- Cardiff (by 1898)
- Leeds (1899)
- Birmingham (1899)
- Leeds (by 1899)
- Edinburgh (1900)
- Belfast (1903)
- Nottingham (1903)
Overseas branches and agencies
Dublin, Ireland (c1899)
In the archives
The Aviva archive contains records relating to the running of Lancashire and Yorkshire Insurance Company between 1877 and 1908. The collection includes memoranda and articles of association, deeds, correspondence, agents' agreements, policies, board minutes, share certificates, agreements and acquisition papers.
