Material relating to Commercial Union Life Assurance Company Ltd.

Commercial Union Life Assurance Company Ltd. Incorporated 7 January 1904 as the British General Insurance Company Ltd. Became part of Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd. in 1926. On 21 August 1975 name changed to Commercial Union Life Assurance Company Ltd.

Constituents/subsidiariesNorthern Homes & General Insurance Company (post 1890 - 1904)British Clayworkers Mutual Insurance Corporation Ltd. (1898 - 1910)Northern Equitable Insurance Company (1907 - 1914) Cosmopolitan Insurance Corporation Ltd. (1905 - 1915) (part of business)London and Midland Insurance Company Ltd. (1913 - 1917) (all but the aircraft policies)British and European Insurance Company Ltd. (1908 - 1918) National Accident Compensation Company Ltd. (1905 - 1922)National Benefit Assurance Company Ltd. (1917 - 1922) Traders and General Insurance Association Ltd. (1907 - 1922)City Life Assurance Company Ltd. (1897 - 1923)Scottish Temperance Life Assurance Company Ltd. (1883 allied with 1920 link dissolved 1924) Profits and Income Insurance Company Ltd. (1901 - 1925 (life and sickness business only) Consolidated Assurance Company (1903 - 1926) (part of business)Mobile and General Insurance Company (1924 -1930) (part of business)

BusinessInitially established to undertake fire and accident insurance business in the UK and overseas. In 1910 a motor department was established followed in 1914 by a life department. By 1931 also had an engineering department. By 1926 company was offering fire, life, motor car, personal accident, fidelity, employers' liability, burglary, contract guarantee, plate glass, marine, householders and traders combined, third party liability and solvency.

Head office premises - London10 Queen Street (-1908)66 Cheapside (1908 - 1929)Bartlett House 9 Basinghall Street (1929 - 1932) temporary during office rebuilding 64 - 66 Cheapside (1932 - 1939, c 1945 -1960) new offices designed by Mr M E CollinsBatts Hill House Redhill (1939 - 1945) (war time evacuation)36 - 44 Moorgate (1946 - 1957) registered office although company continued at 66 Cheapside40 Moorgate (1957 - 1960) registered office24 Cornhill (1960 - 1969)St Helen's 1 Undershaft (1969 - )

Staff/OfficialsSecretaryJ Burrows (and general manager) (February 1904 - May 1904)Norman Marshall Walker ( May 1904 - 1931) (and managing director by 1922)Thomas P Foster (1931 -1947)J H Emmett (1947 - 1950)LN Wills (1950 - 1962 at least)

Managing Director (from 1940 title is manager)Norman M Walker (by 1922 - 1940)W Lambie Templeton (1940 - 1947) died in serviceA R Colwell (1947 - 1961)A B Kempton (1961 - 1962 at least )

ActuaryJohn Stark Benson Wilson (1914 - 1941)

Directors (1904)Henry C WalkerHorace Bertram NelsonHorace C HolmesDWR Green

Home branchesWest End, London (1904)Manchester (1904) Leeds (by 1908)Liverpool ( by 1908)Cardiff (by 1908) Birmingham (by 1908)Edinburgh (by 1922) Aberdeen (by 1925)Belfast (by 1925)Brighton(by 1925) Croydon (by 1925)Dundee (by 1925)Exmouth (by 1925)Glasgow (by 1925)Hull (by 1925)Ipswich (by 1925)Leicester (by 1925)Luton(by 1925)Newcastle-on-tyne (by 1925)Northampton (by 1925)Nottingham (by 1925)Portmadoc (by 1925)Reading (by 1925)Sheffield (by 1925)Southampton (by 1925)

Overseas branches and agenciesUnited States of America (1908) Australia (by 1914)Holland (by 1914) Egypt (by 1914)Calcutta, India (1918) in conjunction with Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd. Wellington, New Zealand (1919)Canada (by 1922) Belgium (by 1922)Dublin (by 1922)India (by 1922)Turkey (by 1922)Vietnam (by 1922)Dublin (by 1925)Singapore (1927)

LinksRecords at London Metropolitan Archive

Date range1920 - 2001

Interesting storiesIn 1910 the company turned down both a proposal of purchase from General Accident Fire and Life Assurance Corporation Ltd. (General Accident) and the opportunity to insure actress Sarah Bernhardt appearing at the London Coliseum.

The minutes of 1916 discuss taking on 3rd party risks on trams now that there are women drivers - decide women drivers will only be covered if tram companies pay an extra premium.

1922 agree to wine and spirit trader taking out prohibition insurance i.e. in case prohibition was established in this country.

1925 There was a fatal accident at head office - a cleaner/ lift attendant, W Norrie, fell down a manhole in front of lift shaft from ground floor to basement - died later of a fractured skull. Discussed liability and annuity for widow - decided on £300.