History

Although founded in 1991, Payton & Tate’s origins stem from June 1921 when, following his retirement from the Indian Army, Lieutenant Colonel Alfred Aquilla Smith established “The Advisory Agency”, at 8 Lower Regent Street, London. Using his past contacts in the intelligence branches of the army, he undertook various investigative assignments. However, by July of 1922, he was working with the “Transatlantic Estates and Credit Company” of Portland, Oregon, investigating intestate estates where the beneficiaries were unknown.

In 1924, the offices were moved to Kings Bench Walk, in the Temple, where they remained until the 1940′s, when the move was made to Knightsbridge. Alfred Smith died in 1930, following which the business was taken over by his son, Charles Aquilla Vincent Smith who ran the firm, from then named “Alfred A Smith & Son”, until his death.

The transfer of the business to the then existing management team of Charles Payton (now retired from the firm) and John Tate, brought a change in direction; with expansion of services, research resources and international correspondents. That expansion and development is maintained today, with continuing adaptation and integration of information technology and the addition of new research methods and resources, as they become available.