Stocks and Shares (UK)
Old Stocks & Shares Certificates
Tracing the companies from an old share certificate can be difficult, especially when the company involved has changed their name, or are no longer listed on the stock exchange.
Start with the share registrar named on the old share certificate they should be able to tell you the history of the company while they where the registrar. Computershare, Equiniti and Capita are the main registrars in the UK. They should be able to track the history of the company.
However, companies not only change names, they change registrars, they get taken over, they get sold again and sometimes they go bust and disappear for ever. Sometimes the same trading name appears as the brand was the only asset left to sell by the administrator. The new company in those circumstances has no connection with the one who’s the share certificate you hold.
If the registrars can't help, the London Stock Exchange will be able to tell you if a listed company has been taken over, changed its name or still exists.
Contact Details
Computershare Investor Services
Registrar’s Department
PO Box 2411
The Pavilions
Bristol
BS3 9WX
Telephone: 0870 703 0143
Web: http://www-uk.computershare.com.
Equiniti Limited
Aspect House
Spencer Road
Lancing
West Sussex
BN99 6DA
Telephone: 0870 600 3964
Web: www.shareview.co.uk
Capita Registrars
The Registry
34 Beckenham Road
Beckenham
Kent
BR3 4TU
Telephone: 0871 664 0391
Email: shareportal@capita.co.uk
Web: http://www.capitaregistrars.com/shareholders/
For other share registrars, click here.
