The London Stock Exchange: A History

This book was initiated by Sir Nicholas Goodison who suggested the idea of an independent and authoritative history of the London Stock Exchange. It was he who arranged access to the records still held--and used--by the Stock Exchange. Without his support this book would never have been written but he is not responsible for the views expressed here. They are mine and mine alone, though Sir Nicholas did share his knowledge of the 1980s with me. Similarly, though the Stock Exchange made available whatever I wanted to see, and I found the Council Minutes all I could manage, they have neither vetted nor commented on anything I have written. This is not an official history and I thank Sir Andrew Hugh Smith and Sir John Kemp-Welch--successive Chairmen of the London Stock Exchange for both their willingness to grant access and, even more, their ability not to try and influence. Louise Anstead was responsible for providing me with a room to work in and the volumes to work on, and I am very grateful to her. The Guildhall Library staff provided me with all the other original and secondary material with their usual efficiency. I conducted the research myself and so have no assistant(s) to thank! I also financed the research trips to London myself but am very grateful to the University of Durham for giving me a Sir Derman Christopherson fellowship for a year. That allowed me to write up my findings. I would like to record my thanks to David Kynaston for the use of his published and unpublished work, as it provides that human element that my own lacks. In addition, I would also like to thank Melissa Handley for all her hard work in producing the index. Finally, my wife and family have had to put up with a great deal while I worked on this book but, probably, less than the office staff in the Department of History at Durham University. This is probably the last book I will write for, after this one, Wendy and Tracy refuse to type another! I am very grateful that they have typed this one!

Ranald C. Michie

Durham

1998

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