Stock Exchange

Date updated: 8/04/2024

1. About this guide

The London Stock Exchange was officially founded on 30 December 1801, although its history can be traced back to 1698.

This guide outlines the key records within the Stock Exchange collection for researching listed companies and members.

All Stock Exchange records must be viewed at Guildhall Library. Please contact them at guildhall.library@cityoflondon.gov.uk to arrange a visit. Advance booking is required.

2. Searching the catalogue

The Stock Exchange collection consists of historic archives and library books.

You can search for the archival records on the LMA Collections Catalogue (CLC/B/004) and for the library items on the Guildhall Library Catalogue.

3. Searching for listed companies

3.1. Applications for Listing, 1850-1965

Companies would have to formally apply to the Stock Exchange for the authority to deal or to be listed. Applications from 1850 to 1965 can be viewed at Guildhall Library.

For the period 1850 to 1938, please start with the card index (MS 18001). The card index is arranged alphabetically by company name and will give you the bundle number and file number of the relevant application. These details can be used to order the actual applications for listing (MS 18000). For example, bundle 93B, file 186 can be found in MS 18000/93B/138-187.

For the period 1939 to 1965, there is no index as the applications for listing (MS 18000A) are themselves arranged alphabetically by company name. The quotation reports (MS 29798) can be used as a rough guide to the companies included in the applications each year from 1939-1949 and as a reliable guide from 1950-1964.

Files after 1965 have been destroyed by the Stock Exchange on a rolling basis with only the most recent six years being retained. 

Further information about companies can be found in the following records:

Report Books, 1881-1938 (MS 29797)
Quotation Panel minutes, 1946-83 (MS 29754)
Minutes of the Sub-committee on New Issues and Official Quotations, 1930-63 (MS 29763)

3.2. Annual Reports, 1880-1965

Guildhall Library holds annual reports for many companies listed on the Stock Exchange. These reports are bound alphabetically by company name within subject/industry headings devised by the Stock Exchange (such as British Railways; Tea, Coffee and Rubber; Electric Lighting and Power etc.).

The following sources can be used to identify which subject/industry heading a company is listed under:

Burdett's official intelligence (1882-1898)
Stock Exchange Official Intelligence, (1899-1933)
Stock Exchange Yearbook (1934 onwards)

Please note that the collection is not complete as some companies failed to deposit annual reports with the London Stock Exchange.

3.3. Loan and company prospectuses, 1824-1964

Guildhall Library holds prospectuses for many companies listed on the Stock Exchange. The prospectuses for the period 1824-1880 are bound in one alphabetical sequence by the name of the company. From 1881 to 1964 the prospectuses are bound alphabetically on an annual basis. Printed indexes to company names are available in the library.

4. Searching for jobbers and brokers

Since 1802, the London Stock Exchange has only been open to members. These members were split into two classes:

Jobbers (dealers in stocks and shares)
Brokers (mediators between the jobber and the public)

Everyone had to apply for membership and then reapply each year.

Membership application forms from 1802 to 1948 (MS 17957) are held at Guildhall Library. They are bound annually and arranged alphabetically by surname. The membership forms up to 1924 are searchable on Ancestry.co.uk. See London, England, Stock Exchange Membership Applications, 1802-1924.

The forms include successful and unsuccessful applicants. The General Purposes Committee minutes, 1802-1946 (MS 14600) or the register of new applicants, 1886-1903 (MS 17974) can be used to discover if an applicant was successful.