London Pawnbrokers: A Brief Account of its Past and Present

Pawnbroking may not be known as the oldest profession of the world, but its origin can be traced back to more than 3,000 years ago when pawn shops first turned up. Pawnbrokers used to provide credit to the peasants while being supervised by Imperial authorities.

Pawn shops were famous in ancient Greece and Rome. While small merchants used a pawn loan to begin their businesses during the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church imposed restrictions on charging interests for pawn loans. This eventually hindered the growth of pawn shops. However, with the increase in demand for such kind of credit in 14th and 15 century, the constraints loosened....Read More