The 70s
Up to 1974 when the club was founded there had been 3 other underwriting clubs operating in the UK. There was the LUC and Benefactors based in London and the Scottish LUC based in Edinburgh.
In the late 60s and early 70s there was a significant move of Life Insurance companies moving out of London for various economic reasons. Sun Life, Phoenix, London and Manchester, Eagle Star, M&G Re, London Life, Clerical Medical all moved some or their entire Underwriting Departments west. There were already a few companies in the region already.
Select 74 was conceived by 4 Underwriters from M&G. newly moved to Cheltenham from London, Ian Wilson, Eve Briers, Geoff Coley and Mick Furie. Their motives were not entirely pure as it was seen as a good marketing opportunity for M&G away from the gaze of their main London based competitors. It fell to the M&G people to get the thing off the ground as no-one in a direct office would dream of taking such an initiative. Geoff was designated Secretary/Treasurer and Eddie Lloyd Underwriting Manager of National Farmers Union Mutual was the first Chairman.
A list of founder members and companies is at the end of this piece as far as can be recalled by myself and Mick Furie.
The first meeting took place at the Carlton Hotel in the autumn of 1974 and the speaker was Dr Bob Ellis the M&G CMO and he spoke about his speciality – chest diseases. Mick recalls the talk as full of jokes with very little technical content. After a few meetings the club settled at the LilleyBrook Hotel Charlton Kings (Now renamed the Charlton Park). Also Mick Furie became the regular Secretary and Treasurer.
The issues of the day are interesting.
The cost of the meals and membership were matters of contention. Some of the members actually had to finance their own expenses so the treasurer had to do some fast talking at the AGMs.
The meals themselves also became a matter of discussion as the Lillybrook who gave us a very cheap deal insisted on serving chicken every meeting.
Where we met came up regularly but Cheltenham won the day as being more central than Bristol and after all it was convenient for the M&G!
List of original members and Companies
Geoff Coley – M&G Re Secretary/Treasurer
Mick Furie – M&G Re
Eve Briers – M&G Re
Eddie Lloyd – NFU Mutual Chairman
Don Scruby – NFU Mutual
Bill Lawrence - NFU Mutual
Peter Sparkle – Ecclesiastical Life Office
Mick Dean – Eagle Star
Dave Freshwater – Eagle Star
Alan Nelmes – Brittanic
Dave Ralphs – Brittanic
Ken Woollorton – Original Holloway Society
Wilf Beetham – Original Holloway Society
Ken Waller – Phoenix
Ron Blackhurst – Phoenix
Chris Woolacott – Clerical Medical and General
David Shepherd – Clerical Medical and General
Peter Brading – Sun Life
Robin Dales – Sun Life
Dave Mills – London Life
Malcolm Gough – London and Manchester
Stan Prince – Ideal Insurance
Fred Smith – Ideal Benefit Society
If your name is missing from this list, please let us know by emailing us at contact@select74.org
Click here for the 80s.