The 10 oldest investment companies in the UK have a total of 1,264 years experience between them, according to the Association of Investment Companies (AIC).

Investment companies have a long history in the UK. Foreign & Colonial Investment Trust, the oldest investment company, celebrates its 140th birthday this year, while Scottish American Investment Company (SAINTS) and Dunedin Income Growth Investment Trust have both been in operation for 135 years.

Annabel Brodie-Smith, communications director at the AIC, said: “It’s worth remembering that the investment company sector has a long and proud history, with many of the oldest investment companies, for example, playing an important role in the American railway boom. Many have survived the great depression and numerous other financial crises along the way, two world wars, the technology boom and bust, and have continued to hold their appeal for a great many private investors, as well as playing a founding role in the formation of the UK’s savings and investment landscape.”