History

The national Chartered Insurance Institute (CII) saw its early development in Lancashire from which we too take our origin.

From 1873 to 1897 the 'Insurance Institute', as it was originally known, was an independent body. From 1897 to 1912, it was affiliated with the Federation of Insurance Institutes of Great Britain and Ireland. In 1912 came the incorporation of the Manchester Insurance Association (MIA) under the provisions of the Royal Charter. F. W. Pascoe Rutter, of Manchester, was heavily involved in arranging the Charter as President of the Federation of Insurance Institutes of Great Britain and Ireland in 1911. The result - the CII as we know it today.

The Insurance Institute of Manchester (the oldest Institute in the country) held their first council meeting on 15 Nov 1912 following the merger of the Insurance Institute and the Insurance Association. Until 1921 their responsibility took in the whole of the county of Lancashire, but as the industry grew and expanded, it was decided to form The Insurance Institute of Preston to cover the north of the county.

At an inaugural meeting that year, addressed by Sir Harold Elveston, Mr A Tebay (Commercial Union) was elected Chairman and Mr S N Jackson (Royal) was appointed Secretary.

In December of the same year, Mr Jackson was elected first President of the new Institute and Mr T Walmsley took over as Secretary. Did they I wonder envisage that we would still be here live and active some 91 years later?

We would like to think so and perhaps just wonder and perhaps marvel at the changes that have happened in the interim years.

Or would they hark back to those heady days of the silent pictures, horse drawn buses, pen nibs, ink pots, no calculators just how did they manage! They say a picture paints a thousand words and here we have the latest cutting edge technology – typewriters! And it must have been dressing down day!

By 1930, membership stretched from Barrow in Furness in the north to Blackburn in the east and the Institute was renamed the Insurance Institute of North Lancashire. At the time, a centre was established in Blackburn. Centres were also set up in Blackpool in 1931 and in Barrow in Furness in 1935. By 1946 there was also a centre in Kendal.

In 1950 there was a reorganisation of local institutes and their territorial areas. As a result, local institutes were formed in Blackpool, Blackburn (later Blackburn and Burnley), Barrow and Kendal. In 1951, the Insurance Institute of North Lancashire reverted to being the Insurance Institute of Preston.

In 1963, a local committee was set up in Lancaster as part of the Insurance Institute of Preston and continued to serve members in the north of the county until it was disbanded in 1995.

On 21 February 2001, a Special General Meeting of the Insurance Institute of Blackpool was held at which it was determined to merge with Preston and the merger was ratified later at Preston’s Annual General Meeting, thus The Insurance Institute of Preston and Blackpool was born.

Although The Insurance Institute of Preston was founded in 1921, we can find no trace of any involvement in the 1922 Preston Guild, neither does there appear to be any reference to participation in 1952 when our capitation grant was £30 and our total expenditure was £19.13s.5d. A further £22.13s.0d was raised for the Charities Day Appeal.

It would seem that plans to take part in the 1972 never got off the ground and the accounts reveal a refund of £50.00 deposit in respect of a Guild Float. During the year, we held an educational conference at Alston Hall in May and were represented by the president, Tony Cupper, at various civic and trade events.

In 1992 we were again represented at a number of civic events by president, John Garratt and we also hosted the Chartered Insurance Institute’s Conference and Annual General Meeting. There were a number of social events including a Lancashire Night Out and tour of Blackpool Illuminations, but the highlight for many was the appearance at the Guild Hall of Roy Castle in what was his first public performance following the diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer.

So we look forward to another Preston Guild – history will, undoubtedly, record that the Insurance Institute of Preston and Blackpool is alive, well and active and that, seemingly for the first time, has taken an active part in the city’s historic celebrations.

At the same time, we can’t help but wonder what the insurance landscape will look like in 2032. How will the industry developed and how far will technology have taken us – new needs and new solutions, no doubt, but before then, we can look forward to our Centenary (and that will come round soon enough!!).

George Turner FCII
Honorary Vice President for Life
February 2012