Jonathan’s Coffee House (plaque)

This plaque marks the site of Jonathan’s Coffee House, founded by Jonathan Miles around 1680—a place where coffee, conversation and share trading came together. It became a meeting place for stockbrokers, including traders excluded from the nearby Royal Exchange. In 1698, John Castaing began publishing lists of stock, commodity and currency prices here: the London Stock Exchange traces its history to this activity.

Imagine the room crowded with brokers exchanging news, comparing prices and negotiating deals over coffee. Information was essential: news of a ship’s arrival, a war or a company’s fortunes could change what buyers were prepared to pay. Jonathan’s became one of the principal centres of London’s developing share market, including during the speculation surrounding the South Sea Bubble of 1720.

The coffeehouse burned down in 1748 but was rebuilt. In 1773, the traders moved to larger premises in nearby Sweeting’s Alley, initially called “New Jonathan’s”. They soon renamed it “The Stock Exchange”, reportedly celebrating the new name with a bowl of punch. The original Jonathan’s was destroyed by another fire in 1778, but the market associated with its name had already outgrown the coffeehouse and taken a more formal shape.