Records of 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.

Constituents/subsidiaries National Economic Hail Storm Assurance Company (1855 - 1857) Equitable Hail Insurance Company (1865 - 1867) County Hailstorm Insurance Company (1847 - 1892)

BusinessA prospectus of 1843 gives the objectives of the society as 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."

Staff/ officialsDirectors (c 1843)Samuel Bignold (also of Norwich Union)John WrightJohn SkipperF J Blake Roger KerrisonRobert PrattThomas SalterJames Neave,John Cann, J Hilling Barnard

SecretaryE C Morgan (1843 - pre 1846) (joint secretary)Charles Suckling Gilman (1843 - 1888) (joint until c 1846)Charles R Gilman (1889 - 1898)

Head office premises - NorwichBethel Street (1843 - 1850)Fisher's Lane St Giles Street (1850 - 1898)

London office 26 Birchin Lane c 1843

AgenciesCheadle (1843) Cambridge (by 1849)According to company literature by 1875 it had agents all over Huntingdonshire and Cambridgeshire