History of the Insurance Institute of Ipswich, Suffolk and North Essex from 1913 to 2026

The Institute was founded in April 1913, when the local insurance companies decided to form a group, under the eye of the national CII, to be the Insurance institute of Ipswich. The first president, Mr. Samuel Cahsmore was the manager of the 'Pearl', one of the common-in-those-days Industrial Life companies, whose main function was to provide endowment insurance for funeral expenses. The members were office managers, and Chief Clerks of the 20 local offices(!) All members under 21 had to pay 2/6d (12 ½ p) annual subscription, approximately the cost of 3 loaves of baker's bread. No note was made of Managers' subscriptions! Membership fees were suspended for the duration of the War for members in H M Services, and examinations were suspended for the same time. There is no record of the date of the first meeting, but the first AGM was on 26 May 1914, at the Commercial Union offices, when a timetable for educational, and social events was agreed. The Annual Dinner was to be on 11 December 1914, but there is no record of the location. Evening dress was worn by the diners. There was a tennis party at the home of Mr. M Making, manager of the Sun Life office, which was enjoyed by all who attended on 25 July 1914. A Whist Drive and Dance was held on 18 January 1915, as a Ladies Social evening, but the location was not recorded. Membership fees were reduced by 50% for the duration, except for members serving in the Forces, whose subs. were suspended entirely. For the 1915/16 session, there were 87 fee-paying members. After the war, in 1918, things returned to a new norm, and the Institute prospered throughout the 1920's and grew substantially. The national C I I had a restriction on the number of member institutes to 40 , under the Royal Charter terms, including Ipswich. There were a further 36 Insurance centres, not formally Institutes. After the Second World War, all the centres were granted full Status, to make 75 Institutes. During the War, annual dinners were replaced by lunches ( probably due to rationing!), held in the Great White Horse Hotel, Ipswich. Other locations were the Hippodrome, St. Nicholas St. Ipswich, the Spa Pavilion, and the Corn Exchange, Felixstowe. In recent years, dinners have been held at the Best Western Hotel,Copdock, the Stoke-by-Nayland Golf club, Seckford Hall, Woodbridge, and currently at Milsoms, Kesgrave. The early dinners had up to 9 courses, plus coffee, but with 65 to 75 diners. Tickets cost 10/6 in 1935, equivalent to 52p in today's money, but then the average weekly wage was about £4.00 ! In real terms it's less expensive now, even if it's more in cash terms. Early in W W 11, Gordon Warren was working as a junior clerk in his father's office of the Alliance. He was co-opted onto Council as assistant secretary, and remained on Council until the early 2000's, some 60 years of service to this Institute. His son and Grand daughter also worked in Insurance, so it must have been in their DNA! HE later set up the Gordon Warren prize for our institute. Other prizes were commissioned over the years - The Taylor prize for the best C I I completion, from the late 1930's given by Mr Taylor, who was with the Alliance,(now R S A) . The prize then was £5.00, more than an average week's wage, so quite a signifiant sum. The Jubilee fund was set up in 1963 to commemorate the Golden jubilee of the institute, and the money raised by donation was invested to provide a prize. In 1979 the Taylor and Jubilee funds were merged the criterion to be as the Taylor prize, but to be increased to allow for inflation (not a 1030s problem!) Council have attempted to maintain the prize asa signifiant part of a month's salary, to congratulate candidates on their achievements. The Theed cup, for the best pass in Motor insurance was donated by his family in his memory. Harry Theed was the Motor Underwriter in Colchester, and found the subject so fascinating that it was his favourite topic of conversation. The cup is awarded annually in his memory. The Institute's main aim is to provide training I Insurance and other 'soft skill' subjects. In earlier years, this was usually a monthly talk, held I a convenience location for members attend in person, but with Zoom, we can now deliver one or two events every week for members, and have an annual conference of topical interest, giving one of the busiest programmes in the U K, thanks to the efforts of Council members who organise this busy event programme. In recent years membership has increased, in spite of the relatively smaller numbers in the profession, following computerisation, but now numbers in excess of 2000 members, with a programme of events the many other institutes can only wish to copy. It is signifiant that our annual dinner attracts very senior members of the National C II as guests, showing the esteem in which it is held. Given it's strength, there is every prospect that our Institute will continue to flourish into the 21st century and beyond.