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About this object

  • ID:

    49.8

  • Production date:

    1682

  • Location:

    In Store

  • One of the huge problems after the Great Fire of London was that no one had fire insurance so they had to find the money themselves to rebuild their houses. In 1680 the first insurance company, the Fire Office, was set up by Nicholas Barbon. Barbon was a building entrepreneur who had made money during the rebuilding of London. This document is an insurance policy (no. 1403) from the Fire Office and dates to 7 August 1682. The policy was taken out by Sr William Twisden on a house described as 'on the south side of Barbican now in the possession of James Sadler being the third howse westward from Redrose [Red Cross] Streete and distant from thence to the middle of the said howse about seventy fower foote'. The house was insured for £130. Twisden paid £5, 19 shillings and 2 pence for the policy. The policy has Barbon’s signature at the bottom. This is one of very few surviving policies from the Fire Office.  < ...Read more

  • Measurements

    H 423 mm; W 277 mm (overall)

  • Materials

    paper

  • Last Updated

    2024-03-14

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