Material relating to the Edinburgh Assurance Company Ltd.

Established 28 August 1823 under a deed of co-partnership as Edinburgh Life Assurance Company. In December 1918 the company was acquired by Commercial Union Assurance Company Ltd. Incorporated 17 February 1919 registered number 153220 the name of the company was changed on 3 May 1919 to Edinburgh Assurance Company Ltd. In August 1975 the name changed again to Commercial Union Assurance of United Kingdom Ltd. and in August 1980 changed again to Commercial Union Pensions Management Ltd. On 14 March 2000 the company name changed again back to Edinburgh Assurance Company Ltd. From 26 October 2006 the company was in liquidation.

Constituents/subsidiariesGlasgow Life Association (1845 - 1847)

BusinessThe projector and founder of company was James Thomas Murray writer to the signet (WS). Initially the directors limited themselves to insuring the lives of members of legal bodies, accountants, bankers, bank directors, mercantile and bank accountants in Scotland. The company wrote its first policy on 11 September 1823 for £1000 on the life of Mr John Donaldson WS and by 1824 they were already insuring between 400 - 500 lives.

In June 1833 the company obtained an act of parliament to enable it to sue and be sued and further changes were made to company powers in 1845. By 1908 the company was calling itself the oldest office transacting only life annuity and endowment insurance. Despite the pride in their position the company felt squeezed between the mutual life insurers and the composite offices offering all classes of insurance so ten years later they merged with Commercial Union and in July 1919 the company's powers were extended to allow transaction of fire, accident and employers' liability insurance.

Staff/OfficialsManager Mr George Crosbie (1823 - 1824) Mr George Mylne (1824 - 1833) Mr Gilbert Laurie Finlay (1833 - 1866)Mr David Maclagan (1866 - 1883)George Macritchie Low (1883 - 1900)Archibald Hewat (1900 - 1911)Thomas Macleod Gardiner (1911 - 1924)Arthur Gorges (1924 - 1927)John Henderson (1927 - 1943) (also secretary)A J Makins (1943 - 1958) (later Sir)F E P Sandilands (1958 - 1959 at least)

Secretary Mr Robert Baillie (1823 - 1824)Mr James Dickson (1824 - 1834)Mr William Dickson (1834 - 1867) (son of James) Mr Alexander Whytt (1867 - 1869) Mr John Craig (1869 - 1874)George M Low (1874 - 1883)Archibald Hewat (1883 - 1900)Thomas MacLeod Gardiner (1900 - 1911)Dr Alfred Ernest Sprague (by 1921 - 1927)John Henderson (1927 - 1943) (also manager)R K Lochhead (1943 - 1959 at least)

Head Office Premises - Edinburgh24 George Street (September 1823 - 1843) (purchased February 1824 for £2333 18s 10d) 22 George Street ( 1843 - 1908) (new offices built) 26 George Street (1908 - 1959 at least) (new building designed by J M Dick Peddie)

London11 King William Street (by 1848 - c1911)3 Birchin Lane (c1911 - 1943)24 Cornhill (1943 - 1969)

Material HeldBoard minutes, board of trade returns, annual report and accounts, policy registers, policies, proposals, loan registers, stock registers, committee reports, registers of mortgages, promotional material, marine salvages register, staff book, photographs.

Other locations for material Manuscripts Section of London Metropolitan Archive holds records from company's Marine Department