HISTORY OF "LLOYD'S"

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22345, 8 March 1938, Page 6

HISTORY OF "LLOYD'S"

ADDRESS TO BUSINESSMEN'S CLUB The development of the world-wide underwriting business of Lloyd's from the London coffee house of the seventeenth century to the present day, was outlined by Mr J. G. D. Ward in an address to the Christchurch Businessmen's Club yesterday. Mr Ward was employed by Lloyd's during his visit to England a little more.than a year ago. The beginning of Lloyd's was in the coffee house of Edward Lloyd, Tower street,-said Mr Ward. Lloyd came to London in 1680. He could not be described as a "shark"—it was on record that he was a parish churchwarden. About the year 1769 the coffee house fell on evil days, and those men in the city who had done business there founded "New Lloyd's Coffee House." In 1774 the business was moved to the Royal Exchange Buildings, where it continued for 150 years, till in 1928 it was moved to the present site. Only 10 year; ago. said Mr Ward, all letters re?eh'e;l ei Lloyd's were addressed "Lloyd's Coffee House. London." He had seen .some cf these letters, which v.vi-o only a small Dart of the relics housed in Lloyd's building, i