NOTES ON FIRE INSURANCE MARKS. 
55 
merely mentioned though they form of themselves a record of Fire 
Insurance from early times. But some brief notes from the 
history of the Yorkshire Fire Insurance Company may fitly be 
recorded in the annals of a County Society. 
As to the Plates of the Yorkshire : The first issue was of copper, 
circular, with “ Yorkshire Fire Life Insurance Company, Estab¬ 
lished 1824 " around the edge, and a view of the Minster from the 
S.W. in good perspective. This Plate is not figured here but the 
second issue is shewn on Plate 1. The fourth and fifth, which 
I have not included in the photograph, have been issued solely 
for their Colonial and Foreign business. 
The York Herald and General Advertiser of 5th June, 1824, contains 
an announcement headed “ Yorkshire Fire & Life Insurance 
Office.” The establishment of such an Office being desirable, 
etc. All persons interested, are requested to meet at the York 
Tavern on the 14th June, 1824, to consider the most expeditious 
means of carrying this into effect. (The York Tavern is now 
Marker's Hotel). 
This project was at once confronted with the proposed establish¬ 
ment of the Leeds & Yorkshire Insurance Company; but nothing 
daunted the scheme was followed up vigorously, for in the York 
Herald of 10th July, the following paragraph appears : 
“We are glad to find that notwithstanding the aspersions 
cast by interested parties, the number ol shares already taken 
by Noblemen and Gentlemen in the County leave no doubt of 
the establishment taking place.” 
In the Herald of 17th July, 1824, the announcement is made of 
a further meeting, to be held at the York Tavern on the 26th July, 
“to determine laws and regulations, and to appoint Directors and 
such Officers as requisite.” 
From the Herald of the same date, the following extract from 
the correspondence column shews the opposition to the proposal. 
“ It is amusing to observe the pains which certain parties 
are taking to persuade the Public that Insurance Companies 
are unprofitable, and that many of those which have been 
established have now been abandoned. On a cursory glance 
over the list of those departed Companies, which have been 
industriously circulated, we notice several which are to our 
knowledge still alive and flourishing but which have made 
