Lloyd's Coffee House

Lloyd's Coffee House

first established in Tower Street in 1688, removed to Abchurch Lane 1692.

Lloyd's Coffee-house, [Tower Street,] to which the existing "Lloyd's" traces back its origin, was not one of the first of the coffee-houses opened in the City in the reign of Charles II. as convenient meeting-houses for merchants, sea-captains, and men of business, Hain's and Garraway's were places of repute at least as early as 1674–1675. Edward Lloyd is first heard of at his "Coffee-house in Tower Street" in 1688. His business grew, and in 1692 he removed to the corner of Abchurch Lane in Lombard Street.

735 LLOYDS or LOYDS Coffee House in Tower Street c1688–91.

735. Lloyd's or Loyd's Coffee House, Tower Street. Established by Edward Loyd, or Lloyd, date unknown.

1688–89

The earliest known mention of this house, is a Notice in the 'London Gazette', 18–21 Feb. 1688–9, No. 2429, relating to a theft of sundry items on the 10th February from one Edward Bransby in Derby: '... whoever gives Notice of them at Mr. Edward Loyd's Coffee House in Tower Street ... shall have a Guinea Reward.'
     The name of Loyd or Lloyd is indifferently used. His ancestors are noted in the parish registers of All Hallows Church, Barking. His father Edward, buried 21 Sep. 1680, and a daughter Mary, and a son Hugh are recorded baptised in 1680 and 1681 respectively. Although the earliest mention of the coffee-house is 1688, it is highly probable it was established some years earlier.

1691

In 1691, Edward Lloyd removed his coffee-house to Lombard Street. These notes, and the following ones dealing with Lloyd's Coffee-houses are partly taken from the very comprehensive History of Lloyd's by Wright & Fayle, 1928, supplemented by other sources and the contemporary press &c.

From this early coffee-house, can be traced the history of the present day Lloyd's the international insurance market.

See Nos. 736; 934; 893.