A view of the Royal Exchange Fire Mark mounted on the wall of the Manor House in Long Newton, as seen in January 1986. 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
A view of the Royal Exchange Fire Mark mounted on the wall of the Manor House in Long Newton, as seen in January 1986.
According to my copy of The British Firemark 1680-1879 the Rochester Fire Mark 176017 was registered in the Royal Exchange Assurance register between 1800 and 1802.04/03/2012 18:52:55
The london lives online database contains details of the Fire Insurance Register 1777-1786 which might be useful for tracking down the original policy holders. One of my ancestors had Royal Exchange fire policies 70285 (1777) and 101511 (1787). Both for properties in Deal, Kent. I presume that the policy numbers are those that appear on the fire marks??
We have a Royal Exchange fire mark on our cottage in Seaford too. Its number is 754398. I have no idea of its date, and I gather many of the Royal Exchange records were destroyed – in a fire in the nineteenth century. I assume the policy number might in itself be a clue to date: higher = later?
I too have a Royal Exchange fire mark that is not attached to my house, it is currently used as a paperweight and which does not relate to the property – a Georgian Town House in Linconshire, dated 1720. The fire mark is in fine condition and is also numbered 754398!
There used to be several properties in Yarm High Street that bore these marks of the insurance companies. I hope that they are still there.
A house on Yarm Road on the corner of Spring Street had a fire insurance plate on the wall that faced Yarm Road. I am unable to recall the exact details as the last time I noticed it would have been in the 1960s, however I am sure it had a sun symbol and a policy No. I doubt the plate is still there. Is anybody able to recall it’s existance and further details?
A building in Rochester has a fire insurance wall mark, which I believe was issued by the Royal Exchange Assurance Company. The plaque is similar in design to the one shown on this site (Manor House in Long Newton). Its number is 176017. Any information would be appreciated.
Fire marks were issued by insurance companies to identify those buildings that it was liable for in the event of a fire. Fire insurance and fire fighting used to be a very lucrative and competitive business following the Great Fire of London in 1666 and right up to the nineteenth century. Is there any more evidence of this history in Stockton?
The date that this fire mark was issued by The Royal Exchange Assurance was c1772.