AFRICA HOUSE

On the south side of Leadenhall Street, Nos. 44 to 46, east of Billiter Street. In Aldgate Ward.

First mention:" African House" (O. and M. 1677). Part of the site was then occupied by Whitchurch House. Strype calls it" Royal African House" (ed. 1720 and 1755).

Originally the offices of the Royal African Company, a trading Company formally established by Act of Parliament, 23 George II. The Company seems to have been formed as early as 1588, and before coming to Leadenhall Street, they had their offices in Warnford Court, in Broad Street Ward (L. and P. Chas. II.1672, D.S. XII. p.87). The original Company got into debt and surrendered their Charter to the Crown, assigning their estates to a new company incorporated in 1672 as the Royal African Company. The house in Leadenhall Street was pulled down in the 18th century to enlarge the East India Warehouse in Billiter Lane and in 1766 the offices were in Cooper's Court, Cornhill, being removed later to 3 Suffolk Lane, Cannon Street. The Charter was recalled in 1821 and the Company's possessions on the west coast of Africa incorporated into the colony of Sierra Leone. Strype says that Sir Nicholas Throgmorton lodged in the house in Leadenhall Street before the Company went to it (Strype, ed. 1720, I. ii. 54). Now occupied as warehouses, etc.