THE CHAPTER VII. LOCALITY OF THE OFFICE. HE first Meeting of the Company of London Insurers was held at the Exchange House Fire Office (Povey's Traders' Exchange House) in Hatton Garden, it being declared in December, 1709, that Povey, by his own desire, was not allowed rent for the Exchange House Office. There they continued to meet until 24 March, 1709-10, when they hired an office, as follows: This day the Company did agree with George Causey (called afterwards Coffeeman) for one room in his house called the Paul's Coffee House, for one year, at 157. per ann., with the use of the forward Room for the General Meetings upon due notice, with a closet for Coals, his Servant to clean ye room and light the fire. The said Coffee-house was adjoining to Dean's Court at the West End of St. Paul's. A Sign appears to have been necessary, for on 14 April it was ordered that 16s. be paid to ye Carver for making ye Sun. 1710-11. 21 March. A new office was taken near the Royal Ex change. They were to have 2 rooms, etc., on the first floor, and the then occupier was bought out. The Landlady was Mrs. Alice. Garway, or Garraway. Rent 187 per ann. In the absence of any evidence it was for a long time supposed that this Office was at Garraway's Coffee House, but on examination of the British Mercury we found that the Sun Fire Office carry'd on by the Company of London Insurers removed to the corner of Swithen's (Sweeting) Alley, next door to the Amsterdam Coffee House behind the Royal Exchange.1 Mrs. Garway had a shop at the South Entrance to the Exchange. In November, 1711, an order was given "to buy a handsome Lanthern for the Staircase at the Office." After the first year's tenancy it becomes a matter of uncertainty whether the Company repeatedly moved its office, or simply changed the designation of its locality. 1 "Behind the Royal Exchange" meant North of that Building in Threadneedle Street. 1712. April. In No. 368 of British Mercury the Office Advertisement was dated from the House next door to the Amsterdam Coffee House. In the next Number, 369, the Office was stated to be in Threadneedle Street. No advertisement of removal seems to have been published. 1713. A house to be enquired for, and the locality was, six months afterwards, stated to be behind the Royal Exchange. In the meanwhile the Company apparently gave up possession of Mrs. Garway's rooms. Yet next year they occupied some of her premises, for 1714. 13 Sept. Rooms fit for an office were to be taken, and then in November they took another room (two pair stairs forward of Mrs. Garraway), to commence Christmas next, Mrs. Garraway to have no farther use of the Dining Room, which said Roome was taken for a farther conveniency to the Office, according to an order of 13 September last. The Committee acquainted the Clerk that they had taken another room of Mrs. Garraway, and therefore did expect that he should lye constantly in the office, and for that reason offered him and his wife a lodging gratis. From this it would seem, either that they never gave up possession, or that Mrs. Garraway had more than one house, and that the Company moved from one to the other. 17 Feb. The Clerk was "to buy a handsome pair of brass Candlesticks" for the Committee table. 1715. Carpenter to repair a Umbrello below, and provide one for above presumedly Sun Blinds. Ordered to buy a curtain and put it up at window of 2 pair of stairs. 1719. 6 May. Ordered to provide four Genteel, thick Blue Curtains and Vallains to them for the Committee Room against next Wednesday, and that the Old Curtain be put on the Inside of the Sash Door, where the Chest stands, and the Glass of the same mended. 179 There was a negotiation for an Apartment in the Royal Exchange, which proved fruitless. From 1712 till 1723 the Office seems to have occupied one or more premises "in Threadneedle Street, behind the Royal Exchange" or "near the Royal Exchange," and frequently it is recorded that Rent was being paid to Mrs. Garway. In April, 1720, the Company began to negotiate for a more convenient office, near Stocks' Market,' and viewed Hulse's House. The whole House was taken at Mids., 1721, and at different times orders were given to buy— Grate, Tongs, Shovell, Poker, Fender, Bellows and Brush. 24 Chairs and an Elbow Chair. A Clock or Dial. A convenient Table. The house was not, however, apparently occupied until 1723. Stocks' Market House seems to have been vacated in 1725, at which time, until 1730, the Office was again located in "Threadneedle Street, behind the Royal Exchange," or "near the Royal Exchange.” 1 Stocks' Market for flesh and fish was at the N.E. corner of Walbrook. In 1282 Lord Mayor Henry Wallis ordered the buildings to be erected, and applied the rents towards the maintenance of London Bridge. The Parochial Stocks were in the centre in 1322. The houses surrounding the Market were rebuilt in 1410. The Stalls and houses were let. The buildings were burnt in the Fire of London, 1666, and re-erected. 1737. 28 June. At a Court of Common Council in Guildhall. Resolved-that Stocks Market be enclosed with Boards on the 30 Sept. next in order for the beginning a Mansion House for the Lord Mayor-that the Fleet Market shall be opened the same day, and that a Carcase Market, pumps, and all other Conveniences be immediately made to it, and for the encouragement of those who intended to take Shops Stalls etc., they are to pay no Rents or Taxes whatever for Six Months to commence from the said 30th of September. —Gent's Mag., July, 1737. 1738. The Market was broken up to lay the foundation of the New Mansion House, of which a Mr. George Dance was the Surveyor. There seems to have been much discussion as to the best site for the New Mansion House. We find the following lines: "At Guildhall fierce debates arose, Twixt Common Council, friends and foes, Some were for having it erected At Stocks Market, as first projected ; But others, nor their numbers small, Voted for Market Leadenhall : One of the places, all agreed, Should for the purpose be decreed. Whence springs this strife, we're in th' dark yet, And on th' affair, all can be said They differ but as Stocks and Lead." -Gent's Mag. Stocks Market was removed to the site of present Farringdon Street, in 1737. The Church of St. Christopher le Stocks was at the S.W. corner of the Bank of England. It was damaged by the Great Fire, and demolished when the present front of the Bank of England was erected. The Bank Garden is supposed to be the old Churchyard of St. Christopher le Stocks. The parish was united with that of St. Margaret's, Lothbury. In September, 1727, the Company took on lease the South Sea Annuity Office and a small house at the back of the same, and proceeded to the fitting up thereof. In 1728 it is recorded that they paid Rent on Old Office, and in 173 on New Office in Threadneedle Street. 29 30 In 1730 the Office was described as being near the Royal Exchange, which address continued, we believe, till 1763. We have now an identification of the Office House as being in a court leading to Crown Tavern, Threadneedle Street, and it consisted of a kitchen, office, 4 rooms and upstairs. It is believed that the site of the Rotunda of the Bank of England embraces that of the Office. In October, 1763, it was referred to the Committee to let any of the houses belonging to the Office in Threadneedle Street, as they shall think convenient from time to time. This implies that the Company had several houses on their hands, although they had occupied the one in Crown Tavern Court for over thirty years. We are inclined to think that the Company must have taken houses, probably on lease, with a view to making a profit by letting them. 1763, September 24, London Chronicle. Thursday they began to remove the Sun Fire Office from behind the Royal Exchange into Freeman's Court, in Cornhill. All the houses from the Bank down Bartholomew Lane, from the corner of Wenman's Punch House, are to be pulled down, the Directors of the Bank having taken that ground on a Building Lease to enlarge the Bank. SUN FIRE OFFICE. Notice is hereby given that the said Office is removed from Threadneedle Street to the corner of Freeman's Court, in Cornhill, near the Exchange, where the business thereof is carried on as usual. 1765. The Bank offered to accommodate the Office with a building in the new street from Cornhill (Bank Street), which offer the Managers accepted. In 1766, Bank Buildings were finished, and the address of the Office was Cornhill, near Royal Exchange. October 23, SUN FIRE OFFICE. Notice is hereby given that this Office will remove on Monday next, the 27 inst., from the corner of Freeman's Court to Bank Street, in Cornhill, and that for the convenience of all persons coming to said Office on business two doors will be opened at said house, one in Cornhill, the other in Threadneedle Street. It might have been supposed that the wanderings of the Company had now ceased; but in consequence of the burning of the Royal Ex change in 1838, the whole of Bank Buildings and the block between said buildings and the Exchange, involving Bank Street and Castle Alley, were by Act of Parliament doomed to destruction, and the Office had to seek another resting-place. The Sun Fire Office bought St. Bartholomew's Church and several houses in Threadneedle Street, which were scheduled in the Act for demolition, in order to widen the thoroughfares in the vicinity of the Bank, and upon that site they erected their present office. The Church was taken down carefully and re-erected as what is now St. Bartholomew's, Moorfields. The Parish was united to St. Margaret's, Lothbury. Under the Communion Table in the Church were found the remains of Miles Coverdale, translator of the Bible, said to have been in perfect condition. They were removed to Exeter for re-interment, he having been Bishop of that place. Mr. C. R. Cockerell was the architect of the new office, and the following lines appeared in the Morning Post of 1 September, 1842. Serjeant Storks was the reputed author thereof. CITY ARCHITECTURE. THE NEW SUN FIRE OFFICE. Gods! what a temple for the Sun! No wonder crowds admiring run To view the work divine. Breathes in each sculptured line. Not here at least shall Phoebus shine For sots to gloat upon; Here suns of various shape and size See, first the infant orb appears, And, in the topmost story, |