Lloyd's

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The name (which has become in some degree generic) of an association in London, consisting of members and subscribers, for the transaction of marine insurance for all parts of the world through individual underwriters, and the promotion of shipping interests in general. The association has occupied Lloyd's Rooms in the Royal Exchange since 1774. These rooms were originally called the New Lloyd's Coffee-House, from a house established by Edward Lloyd in Tower street, in the latter part of the seventeenth century, where merchants and underwriters met to transact business. About 1692 the establishment was removed to Lombard street for the convenience of merchants of the highest class doing business in the old city. About 1770 the place came into the possession of the society of marine underwriters, together with “Lloyd's List” (formerly “Lloyd's News”), a newspaper devoted to shipping intelligence, that was founded about 1726, probably by Lloyd, and has been published daily since 1800. The society retained the official title Lloyd's Coffee-House until 1871, when it was for the first time incorporated by act of Parliament, under its present shortened name. Its operations are so extensive and important that the name has been adopted by several continental associations for maritime and mercantile enterprises, the principal of which are the Austrian Lloyd at Trieste and the North German Lloyd at Bremen.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. An association of underwriters and others in London, for the collection and diffusion of marine intelligence, the insurance, classification, registration, and certifying of vessels, and the transaction of business of various kinds connected with shipping.
2. n. A part of the Royal Exchange, in London, appropriated to the use of underwriters and insurance brokers; -- called also Lloyd's Rooms.