Scottish Widows

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Scottish Widows Group Ltd
Type Subsidiary
Founded 1815
Headquarters Flag of Scotland Edinburgh, Scotland
Flag of the United Kingdom UK
Key people Lord Leitch, Chairman
Archie Kane, Chief Executive
Industry Financial Services
Products Life assurance
Pensions
Banking
Employees 4,000 (2005)
Website www.scottishwidows.co.uk

Scottish Widows is an investment company located in Edinburgh, Scotland, now a subsidiary of the Lloyds TSB Group.

Scottish Widows HQ, Morrison Street, Edinburgh
Scottish Widows HQ, Morrison Street, Edinburgh

Scottish Widows Fund and Life Assurance Society opened in 1815 in what is now Chambers Street, as Scotland's first mutual life office. The formation of the society had been discussed from March 1812 with the purpose of providing for widows, sisters and other female relatives of fund holders so that they would not be plunged into poverty on the death of the fund holder during and after Napoleonic wars.

Founded in 1815 in Edinburgh, its most famous early customer was Sir Walter Scott who took out a policy in 1824. Scottish Widows used this fact in advertising to promote their products during the 1990s. However, they did not mention that the following year, Sir Walter Scott narrowly averted being declared bankrupt and died heavily in debt.

Scottish Widows demutualised and became part of the Lloyds TSB group on 3 March 2000.

[edit] The Scottish Widow

The Scottish Widow first appeared in a television advert directed by David Bailey in 1986. There have been three 'Widows' to date: Deborah Moore 1986–1994, Amanda Lamb 1994–2005 and Hayley Hunt 2005-present.

[edit] External links