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London Metropolitan Archives

LLOYD'S PATRIOTIC FUND


IDENTITY STATEMENT

Reference code(s): GB 0074 CLC/120

Held at: London Metropolitan Archives

Title: LLOYD'S PATRIOTIC FUND

Date(s): 1803-1993

Level of description: Collection

Extent: 72 production units.

Name of creator(s): Lloyd's Patriotic Fund

CONTEXT

Administrative/Biographical history:

In 1803, Lloyd's Patriotic Fund was established at a general meeting of the subscribers of Lloyd's. It was known as the "Patriotic Fund" until the 1850s when the title Lloyd's Patriotic Fund was adopted. The Fund was governed by a Committee, later known as the Trustees, and administered by a Secretary. The Fund has extensive connections with Lloyd's, but is an independent charity.

Its original purpose was to provide relief for men wounded in military action (with both the army and the navy), to support the widows and dependents of men killed, and to grant honorary awards in recognition of bravery. These awards usually took the form of swords or vases, although recipients could choose to accept money instead. A total of 153 swords and 66 vases, many of which survive today, were commissioned by the Fund between 1803 and 1809, when honorary awards ceased.

In addition, the Fund took a keen interest in the education of children of men who had been killed in battle. Financial assistance was provided to a number of educational establishments. Most notably, in 1806, a grant was made to the Royal Naval Asylum (also known as Greenwich Hospital School and the Royal Hospital School), at Greenwich, and later at Holbrook, in Suffolk, which allowed the Trustees to nominate children to attend the school. The Fund's association with the school continues today.

Between 1805 and 1812, the Fund was also involved in sending money to English prisoners of war in France. The money was distributed by a Committee of prisoners at Verdun and was used to provide living allowances, a hospital and schools for children held captive.

The Fund was closed to new cases from February 1825 as it was considered that the Fund had fulfilled its original purpose. Following military action in 1841, however, the Fund was re-established on a broader basis and cases were once more heard. By 1918, the Fund had expended over £1 million.

Lloyd's Patriotic Fund continues to this day to provide financial assistance to former servicemen and women, their widows and dependants.

The Secretary of the Fund had offices at the following addresses: Lloyd's Coffee House at the Royal Exchange, 1803-13; 45 Lothbury, 1813-28; 8 Royal Exchange Gallery, 1828-38; 37 Old Broad Street, 1838-48; Sun Chambers, Threadneedle Street, 1848-57; County Chambers, 14 Cornhill, 1857-99; Brook House, Walbrook, 1899-1928; Lloyd's of London, Lime Street, 1928-.

The meetings of the Trustees were held at the following addresses: Lloyd's Coffee House at the Royal Exchange (in the Merchant Seamen's Office or in the Old Committee Room), 1803-28; 8 Royal Exchange Gallery, 1828-38; 62 Old Broad Street, 1838-42; Gresham Chambers, 75 Old Broad Street, 1842-8; the Fund's offices, as listed above, 1848-1928; and finally at Lloyd's of London, Lime Street, 1928-.

Records of the Fund were partially destroyed in the fire at the Royal Exchange on 10 January 1838.

CONTENT

Scope and content/abstract:

Records of Lloyd's Patriotic Fund, comprising trustee and committee minutes and reports 1803-1993 (Mss 31590, 35166-7, 35174); annual reports and accounts 1915-86 (Ms 35168); letterbooks and other correspondence 1803-1961 (Mss 31592-4, 35172-3, 35175); ledger 1803-61 (Ms 31591); annuitants' ledgers 1838-56, 1905-37 (Mss 31595-6); papers and correspondence re awards 1803-10, 1968, 1989 (Mss 35169, 35176-8); papers re swords made 1806, 1968 (Ms 35170); papers re subscriptions to the fund 1805-6 (Ms 35171); press cuttings 1804-54 (Ms 35179); deeds 1927-8 (Ms 35180); notes re Pontack's tavern 1926-7 (Ms 35181) .

ACCESS AND USE

Language/scripts of material: English

System of arrangement:

The records have been sorted into an order which reflects divisions between the different functions and operations of the organisation and its administration.

Conditions governing access:

These records are available for public inspection, although records containing personal information may be subject to access restrictions.

Conditions governing reproduction:

Copyright to these records rests with the depositor.

Finding aids:

Please see online catalogues at: http://search.lma.gov.uk/opac_lma/index.htm

ARCHIVAL INFORMATION

Archival history:

Immediate source of acquisition:

The archives of Lloyd's Patriotic Fund were deposited in the Manuscripts Section of Guildhall Library in 1998 and 1999. The Guildhall Library Manuscripts Section merged with the London Metropolitan Archives in 2009.

ALLIED MATERIALS

Publication note:

For further information about the Fund's history, see Britons Strike Home - a history of Lloyd's Patriotic Fund by Jim Gawler (1993), copies of which are held by Guildhall Library Printed Books (L 41:51).

DESCRIPTION NOTES Rules or conventions: Compiled in compliance with General International Standard Archival Description, ISAD(G), second edition, 2000; National Council on Archives Rules for the Construction of Personal, Place and Corporate Names, 1997.

Date(s) of descriptions: June to August 2010.


INDEX ENTRIES
Subjects
Armed forces | State security
Charitable trusts | Charities | Charitable organisations | Associations | Organizations
Charities administration | Charities | Charitable organisations | Associations | Organizations
Charity records | Documents | Information sources
Military awards | Awards | Social norms | Social behaviour
Poor relief | Social welfare
Prisoners of War | War victims | International conflicts
Schools | Educational institutions
Military organizations
Nonprofit organizations

Personal names

Corporate names
Lloyd's Patriotic Fund

Places
London | England | UK | Western Europe | Europe