1995

The year we were born…

What else happened in this year?

In finance…

Annual UK Inflation: 3.5% CPI

Bank base rate:

• 2 February 6.6250%
• 13 December 6.3750%

IHT threshold: £154,000

In the charts…

• The highest selling single of the year was Unchained Melody/White Cliffs of Dover by Robson & Jerome, selling 1,844,000 copies

On the screen…

• On November 22 the first-ever full length computer animated feature film, Toy Story, is released in the US by Pixar Animation Studios and Walt Disney Pictures

Around the world…

This was the year that the Internet entered public consciousness and also the year it was completely privatized and the United States Government no longer funded it with public money

• 1 January – The World Trade Organization (WTO) is established to replace the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT)
• 24 August – Microsoft releases Windows 95
• 3 September – eBay is founded

In the UK…

• 26 February – The United Kingdom’s oldest investment banking firm, Barings Bank, collapses after securities broker Nick Leeson loses $1.4 billion by speculating on the Tokyo Stock Exchange
• 4 July – Prime Minister John Major wins his battle to remain leader of the Conservative Party

Originally known as Applewood Financial, 1995 was the year that the business was founded by managing partner, Colin Lawson. The original name came about as a result of a street called “Applewood Heights”. When passing the road the name struck a chord and as it begin with an “a” it meant that the business would be at the front of the Yellow Pages and other directories…how times change!

Colin’s vision was to create a specialist wealth management business with an innovative approach. The business was regulated by the Personal Investment Authority (PIA), which was later replaced by the Financial Services Authority (FSA) in December 2001.

From its outset, Applewood offered truly impartial advice and was focused on building long-lasting professional relationships to put clients at the very heart of the business. Our 21^st anniversary countdown will document how the business has developed and grown exponentially over the years, however this vision is still its focus today: to provide clients with confidence both now and in the future.

Key Events

• Applewood established on 10 August 1995
• Regulated by the PIA
• Our longest serving client came on board

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