Lowes Magazine 117

50 YEAR ANNIVERSARY SUPPLEMENT

A brief history of Lowes Financial Management over the past 50 years

1979 Margaret Thatcher becomes the UK’s first female Prime Minister

1973 Stock market crash

1981 First floppy disc for data transfer launched

1971

1972

1973

1978

1980

1984

1984 FTSE 100 launched

Lowes founded by Ken Lowes, trading as Kenneth J Lowes Estate Planning and Investment Services Ken Lowes: “I set about offering the best advice, with the best available companies, covering all aspects of financial need. I became what was then one of a tiny number of truly independent financial advisers.”

Lowes moves to Market Street Ian Lowes: “While I don’t remember the Pilgrim Street office from my childhood, I can clearly remember Lowes in Market Street, and the office expanding from number 10 to include the neighbouring property.”

Tom Harris becomes Lowes first Consultant

Lowes moves to Holmwood House In this year, Lowes moved out

First client dinner held, at Civic Centre, Newcastle

Published and distributed the first Lowes Newsletter on pink paper

Tom Harris, one of the company’s first clients, became its first Consultant. Tom also formally opened Fernwood House for Lowes in 2016.

of Newcastle city centre to the leafy suburb of Jesmond. Holmwood House opened up opportunities for Lowes to expand and also to run seminars for potential clients. It remained the Lowes headquarters until 2016.

1989 Bank of England base rate rises to 14.875%

Pilgrim Street Newcastle

1993

1992

1987

1990

1985

2004

1990 First Iraq War

Brand evolution The evolution to a Crane logo further represents the values that we hold so dearly.

Lowes grows to over thirty people Everyone got involved in arranging the first garden party which helped raise £16,000 to provide a Minibus for St Oswalds Hospice.

Lowes Defensive Strategy Fund

New name, new logo The company name is changed to Lowes Financial Management and the new logo is the Feng, a mythological creature that brings health and prosperity.

Lowes magazine launched More of a newsletter in style than magazine in the early days, the aim was the same, to provide our clients with added value by providing regular information and updates on financial and investment matters.

Stockmarket crash The Yuppies and the rest of the UK were given a short sharp investment shock as years of slowly rising share prices were lost in a single day, known as Black Monday. The UK stock market dropped 11% and the S&P 500 by 20.5% on 19 October.

A London office is established in Westminster

Jerry Hall and Caroline Robinson join the company

Launched in Jersey, along with several specific funds for inheritance tax.

Lowes awarded Fund Manager of the year by Royal Life International.

Lowes awarded Financial Adviser Unit Trust Association Marketing Award

2007

2004 ‘The Facebook’ launched

1998

2000

2002

2004

2006

2007 iPhone launched

Ian Lowes among Britain’s 50 Most Influential IFAs

Lowes becomes a Chartered Independent Financial Advice firm Lowes was among the first IFA firms to achieve this status. It is a reflection of Lowes’ commitment through the years to provide the best advice we can for our clients.

Dotcom bubble bursts The FTSE 100 was hugely

Ken Lowes retires as Managing Director and his son,

1998 Google founded

2003 Second Iraq War

Lowes implements The Personal Choice Portfolio

overvalued by the end of 1999 as investors poured money into ‘hot’ technology stocks and a shock was inevitable. The markets continued their downward trajectory until March 2003, when the second Iraq War began.

2003 Stockmarket recovery begins

Ian Lowes is recognised as being among Britain’s 50 Most Influential IFAs by industry magazine Professional Adviser.

Neil McLachlan becomes a director of Lowes

Ian Lowes is appointed as Managing Director and Chair of the Board

2012

2011

2010

2009

2008/9

2009 Bank of England base rate cut to 0.5%

2010 iPad launched

Lowes client referral charity initiative To mark our 50 years, Lowes has pledged to donate up to £50,000 to charity. One initiative will consist of £50 being donated to a chosen charity whenever a new client comes on board generated by a referral from an existing client. £50 will be donated to a charity on behalf of the new client, another on behalf of the person who referred the client, as well as a £50 donation on behalf of Lowes – a total of £150 per referral. We have five charities to choose from: Dementia UK MacMillan Cancer Support Chronicle Sunshine Fund Plastic Oceans Blue Cross

Doug Millward appointed as Investment Manager Lowes’ Investment Manager Melvyn Bell (right) retires and passes the mantle to his ‘understudy’ with 16 years’ experience with Lowes, Doug Millward.

Financial Crisis The third largest stockmarket event in 100 years arose from the growth and subsequent collapse of the US subprime mortgage market resulting in the failure of Bear Stearns and later investment firm Lehman Brothers. This saw markets plunge in 2008. The recovery strategies including Quantitative Easing (QE) are still with us today. Lowes moves to Fernwood House After 32 years, Lowes had outgrown Holmwood House and was in need of larger premises. Coincidentally, Fernwood House, then the national headquarters of Greggs the bakery chain, came onto the market. It was perfect for our needs, and just two doors down from Holmwood House! We bought the premises and officially opened it as the new Lowes headquarters on 23rd May 2016. 2016

Winner of Best Tax and Estate Planner – Moneyfacts Awards

Winner of Best Retirement Adviser – Moneyfacts Awards

Lowes Charity account established

Winner of Best Investment Adviser – Moneyfacts Awards

2016 Donald

2013

2015

2015 Pensions Freedoms introduced

Trump voted US President Elect

First Mariana 10:10 Structured Product launched The 10:10 Plans extended the maximum potential investment term of a structured product to 10 years giving an extra 4-5 years for markets to recover in the event of a fall. The plans proved very popular, influencing the sector with most providers following suit, launching 8-10 year plans as a result.

Lowes launches SP-Perspective

2016 UK votes to leave the EU - Brexit

2021

2020

2018

2016

2017 New £5 and £10 notes introduced

Coronavirus pandemic The Coronavirus pandemic is, of course, still with us. It caused a stockmarket crash, which saw the FTSE 100 fall from over 7500 to 4993, before starting to recover again. The full impact on the UK economy has yet to be seen.

Lowes launches UK Defined Strategy Fund

Lowes grows to over ninety people In 2020 the team has grown to over 90 personnel all working together to provide our personal approach to financial planning. During this year we also said happy retirement to five long-serving colleagues.

100 th issue of the

50 years! Lowes marks 50 years serving clients in accordance with our strapline: ‘Where personal finances are cared for personally’ .

Lowes magazine This was a major

Winner of Best Investment Adviser - Money Marketing Awards

Winner of Best Investment Adviser - Money Marketing Awards

An OEIC which invests in auto-call style

milestone for our quarterly magazine and celebrated accordingly.

structured products with the advantages of a mutual fund.

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9 Lowes.co.uk

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Pilgrim Street image courtesy of the Newcastle Chronicle