Finding a (possible) old pension, company long defunct

G

Gordanus

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I've had a chequered career, quite a few different jobs especially in the first decade and more, and now it's time to retire.

The company I worked for back in the late 70s when I was about 20 or so, was taken over a few years after I left by another company whose name I don't remember. Is there ANY way of tracking down whether I paid pension contributions during that employment? It was a permanent and pensionable job as far as I recall, but the company was small, with about 10-20 employees.
 
Can you put the name of the company here?

It's amazing what people might know.

The pension fund administrator is supposed to look for you when you qualify for the pension. But they might have difficulty finding you if you have moved address a lot.

Are you in contact with any of your colleagues from the time? Someone might be retired and in receipt of a pension. They can tell you who is actually paying it out.

There is a good chance that Mercers are the managers of the pension fund, so you could ask them.
After that, you could ask Irish Life if they manage it.

Brendan
 
ClubMan said:
The Pensions Authority might be able to advise/help - e.g. with identifying the trustees of the scheme so that you can check if you were ever a member.
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Pensions Authority said they don't have records when I rang them some years ago.
The company's name was C.H. Arthur Ltd. They provided financing for car loans, specifically Renault iirc.

Yeah, I've moved a lot. I was living in a shared house in Inchicore at the time, so no hope of finding me from that. I've no idea what happening my colleagues, most were older than me. I shared an office with Brigid from Baltinglass, can't remember her surname.

Never heard of Mercer's, will google.

Thanks, all!
 
C.H. Arthur Ltd had a receiver appointed to it - not sure when though. I checked the CRO but couldn't find details of the Receiver. If you could find the name of the firm e.g. KPMG, they might know about the pension fund.

Irish Life was an investor, so there is a fair chance that they managed the pension fund.

Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 20 Nov 1963

Ceisteanna — Questions. Oral Answers. - Appointment of Receiver. Dáil Éireann debate - Wednesday, 20 Nov 1963
www.oireachtas.ie

Brendan
 
Gordanus said:
The company I worked for back in the late 70s
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Gordanus said:
The company's name was C.H. Arthur Ltd.
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Something doesn't add up here.
@Gordanus is referring to working with a company in the late 70s.
@Brendan Burgess is referring to a company in receivership in the early 60s.
 
If Irish Life was an investor then as was said above, it's a fair bet that the pension scheme was with Irish Life. Definitely worth a phone call to Irish Life - give them your name and date of birth and ask them if they have any record of a pension fund in your name. Be aware that there are two distinct divisions of Irish Life - Irish Life Retail and Irish Life Corporate. If you speak to someone in Irish Life who tells you they don't know you, ask if they've checked the records for both Irish Life Retail and Irish Life Corporate as they operate separate systems.
 
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ClubMan said:
Something doesn't add up here.
@Gordanus is referring to working with a company in the late 70s.
@Brendan Burgess is referring to a company in receivership in the early 60s.
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Lol, I was in primary school in the 60s! The company's name stuck in my head as I was the entire legal dept for it, and had to go give evidence in the various District Courts on the loan defaulters on a regular basis.

I'll try Irish Life, so.

Many thanks, all!
 
They're the same company. Receivership started in 1963, and ended in '75. Company was struck off in 2002.
 
Just phone up all the life companies and get them to do a name search. Pension schemes are transferred to different providers all the time. There's not too many of them these days, Irish Life, New Ireland, Aviva and Zurich Life. Standard Life got out of the group pension business a long time ago but you never know if you have a legacy policy with them. Ark Life would be another
 
Brendan Burgess said:
Did you deal with the auditors in your work?

They might know who the pension administrators are.

Brendan
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No, I was basically the office junior.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I think asking all the pensions companies is probably best. I know my various policies have changed company several times, making it difficult to know who's got what offhand. But I'm pretty good at filing so can search that for known ones.

But who on earth collects payslips etc from age 19, lots of moves, many jobs, and through two emigrations? (Except maybe some foresightful contributers here )
 
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