In 1739, the Office insured within the Bills of Mortality 42,676 houses for 9,231,4007. Maitland was unable to obtain information as to number of houses insured from any Offices but the Hand in Hand, and Westminster. The losses of the Contributionship during the first thirty-seven years of its existence (1696 to 1733) are stated to have been :— The south side of London and the Country were classed as follows: In District 4. In Southwark and parts adjacent . 5. In the Country under. Called £151,000. 12,370 2,000 £151,151 The limit on one risk had been 800l. In 1718, but more probably 1716 (see Union), the range of operations was extended beyond the Bills of Mortality to Chelsey, Kensington Gravel pits, Paddington, Marybone, Pancras, Hampstead, Highgate, Stoke Newington, and Camberwell. 1719, (i.e. 1719) 2 Jan., Hand in Hand. 201 The Directors give notice that this Society does now insure Timber Houses, and Buildings, in all those places to which they have lately extended their Insurances on Brick. 25th Feb. Hand in Hand now insure at Edmonton, Enfield, Kingstonon-Thames, at 14 per cent., Brick-double for Timber for 7 years. This was evidently meant for 145. 1720, June. Union refer to the range being extended to 10 miles. from London, though the preceding resolutions accepted by the Union imply that such extension had already taken place. It must have been at some of these places where the losses, classed as in the Country, occurred. In 1722, the Society issued "an Abstract of the Settlement of the Amicable Contributionship or Hand in Hand Fire Office for insuring Houses, etc., from loss by Fire" mentioning amongst other things : 12 Directors to be chosen from West of Holbourn Bridge and Fleet Bridge. 12 Directors to be chosen from East of one-third to be out for 2 years. Holbourn Bridge and Fleet Bridge. Then the Notice about Union Losses above given. 1 Brit. Mus., 816 m. 10. in ; A demolished house is when from first floor up is burned or fallen And repeating that estimates of damages and rates of contribution were to be affixed to the City gates, and advertised in Gazette (see No. 28 of original Deed). In May, 1731, new proposals were issued.1 Insurance from Loss by by the Amicable Contributors at their Office in Angel Court, Abstract The premium was 4s. per cent. on brick, and double on timber, for any sum from 1,500l. to 2,000l. insured, which insurances might be for any term of years not exceeding 7, and for any sum not exceeding three-fourths of the value of the buildings so far as 2,000l., but not higher, upon any one house, without the consent of a general meeting of contributors. All halls, hospitals and other large buildings, consisting of several limbs or parts divided by sufficient party-walls, might be insured in several policies at the above rates. The surplus stock of the Society invested in public securities, amounted at this date at their par value to 51,8747. 3s. 6d. At the end of every year, or oftener, the rates of contributions to fires and dividends of profits are stated by the directors; which rates are registered in a Table affixed to the office for the information of all the members. No person insuring is obliged to pay above 10s. per cent. contribution for brick, and double for timber, in case so great a loss should happen as to require the same; which, according to the present state of the Office, can hardly be supposed ever to happen. The affairs of the Contributionship are now managed by 24 directors (who give their service gratis), annually chose by balloting at the general meeting held in November, 16 of them out of the directors of the preceding year, and 8 out of the members, in the way of a constant rotation. The universal approbation and encouragement the Office hath met with from the public sufficiently evidenceth the happy contrivance, faithful management, and stable security thereof it being apparently preferable by the nature of its constitution to all others of a different foundation, and to any other undertaking which may be formed after this model; having not only overcome the hazardous state of its minority (when the premiums and interest received were insufficient to defray the necessary expenses, and whilst for several years one or two considerable fires might have utterly destroyed it); but having moreover advanced its stock to so great a height as is above mentioned, that the very interest coming in is more than double the constant yearly expenses: and which being under the most frugal and disinterested management, may reasonably be esteem'd a certain security to all its members, and beyond comparison superior to what any other office can pretend to. The surveyors and clerks are to dispatch all policies that are to be renewed for houses within the Cities of London and Westminster in 7 days; and all new ones within 10 days; and all beyond those cities within 14 days after directions given. 1 Brit. Mus., 816 m. 10. The marks are to be put up by the messenger within 7 days after the policies are taken out, or deliver'd with them to persons insuring at a distance. From the advertisement of 1714, above given, it would seem that new policies were granted for renewals. From the above, we incline to think that renewals were endorsed on the old policies, as was then done by the Royal Exchange and London Corporations. In 1780 the business was extended to most of the Home Counties, and this limitation of range continued until about 1838, when we believe that the Office began to extend its operations throughout the Country. In 1805 there was a new Deed of Settlement, by which the Class of Business to be undertaken by the Society was extended, so as to include Goods, Merchandize, Stock in trade, Farming stock, implements of Agriculture, in addition to houses and buildings. The title of the Society was now changed to the Hand in Hand Contributionship, or Society for the Insurance of Houses and Goods from Loss or Damage by Fire. This terminated the arrangement with the Union Fire Office. For nearly a century the Society has had its Office in New Bridge Street, Blackfriars. In 1836, the Office entered upon Life Insurance business, and a new Deed of Settlement was prepared to meet the altered circumstances. It was therein declared that the present members were the Septennial Insurers of the said Society. The title of the Company was henceforth to be THE HAND IN HAND FIRE AND LIFE INSURANCE SOCIETY. In 1876, the Directors resolved to make an annual return of profits on Annual Fire policies of five years standing or upwards, at the rate of 20 per cent., such return having previously been restricted to Septennial policies. Walford, in Cyclo., iii. 538, gives a copy of a Hand in Hand Policy, but is of opinion that it is not the form first adopted. marginal note thereto it was stated, "That no Officer or Servant of this Office is to demand from the persons insuring, any money for his own private use." Walford imagines that this had reference to some practice of charging for fixing up the mark. In Clause 30 of the original Deed of Settlement it was stated: That no house, Chamber, or Roome, shall be esteemed a secured or insured house, Chamber, or Roome, till the same be fully finished and tenantable, and the marke of the Contribuconship being the two hands joyned with a crown over them, fixed upon such insured house, Chamber, or Roome. The Hand in Hand Office, in a statement of the Origin and History of the Society, calls attention to a reference in Cowper's poem on "Friendship," published 1782, and quotes the following stanza : "A Friendship that in frequent fits Of controversial rage emits The sparks of disputation, Like Hand in Hand Insurance plates, Most unavoidably creates The thoughts of conflagration." Southey, in his edition of Cowper's Works (vol. ix., p. 328), gives the stanza as follows: "Friendship that wantonly admits A joco-serious play of wits In brilliant altercation, Is union such as indicates, Like Hand in Hand Insurance plates, Danger of conflagration." CHAPTER IV. GENERAL INSURANCE OFFICE. THE CHARITABLE CORPORATION AT THE LOMBARD HOUSE. WE have now to deal with two Companies of uncertain date. The General Insurance Office seems to have escaped the researches of Mr. Walford. The Charitable Corporation, or Lombard House, is dated 1704 by Mr. Walford, but we think we shall be able to prove that that date is erroneous. On reference to the Broadside indicated by the above entry in the British Museum Catalogue, we found that the date of 1720 must be an absolute error. The following is a copy of the document. Heading: St. George and the Dragon. Fire in all the Cities, Burroughs, Corporations, Market Towns, and other Street The proposals of the GENERAL Insurance Office for Insuring houses from Loss by Towns in the kingdom of England. Whereas, fire is, for the common good and benefit of all Inhabitants of Cities, Burroughs, Cor a publick and General Insurance Office for insuring houses from loss by porations, Market Towns, and other Street Towns, within the kingdom of England, Dominion of Wales, and Town of Berwick upon Tweed, erected and set up in the New Square in Lincoln's Inn, London, by the Undertakers of the same; they, the said Undertakers, have for the said common benefit deputed and commissioned five Gentlemen under them to fix and set up the said office, and to appoint and authorize such officers as they shall think fit in all or most of the said Cities, Burroughs, Corporations, Market Towns, and other Street Towns, to attend with Books and other needful Instruments signed by one or more of the Commissioners of this General Insurance Office for taking Subscriptions and giving Securities for satisfaction to all persons who shall insure any house from Loss by Fire, or otherwise desire to be con cerned therein. The proposals are as followeth, viz. at the time the house or houses is or are insured to deposit 5s., and to pay half-yearly Imprimis. Every person insuring any house or houses of the yearly Rent of 57. is after the Rate of 5 groats per annum as a Rent to the said Office for the term of 12 years, the first half years payment thereof to be made at the time of paying the |