Historical information

The subject of this photograph, David Charteris McArthur was the founding manager of the Bank of Australasia in Port Phillip (Melbourne). McArthur was born in 1808 in Gloucester, England, and educated in Scotland. He worked for an insurance firm in Edinburgh where in 1835 he married Caroline nee Wright. McArthur and his family party sailed from the U.K. to arrive in Sydney in October 1835, where he joined the Bank of Australasia when it opened in Sydney in December.

McArthur sailed to Melbourne in August 1838 with 3000 pounds in coins, protected by armed guards and two bulldogs, to open the Melbourne branch of the Bank of Australasia. The branch grew quickly, servicing both private and government customers. He opened many branches in the goldfields during the1850’s. In 1862 he was appointed as general inspector of branches. He spent time with the bank in New Zealand. On his return to Melbourne, at age 57, he was put in charge of the entire bank.

McArthur lived in the hills of Heidelburg, Melbourne. He was the first chairman of Associated Banks and was advisor to politicians and merchants. He was retired in October 1876 by the London directors and given a free trip to London, an annuity and a seat on the bank’s Advisory Board.

McArthur was active in the community, being a member of the Mechanics’ Institute, on the committee that advised Governor Hotham on the Colony’s finances, chairman of the Heidelburg Road Board, one of the original trustees of the Library of Victoria in 1853 and president of trustees of the Public Library, Museums and National Gallery of Victoria in 1880-83. He was also on many other community organisations. He died in his home “Charterisville” in East Ivanhoe in 1887. He and Caroline had no children.

The Melbourne branch of Australia and New Zealand Bank has a portrait of McArthur in its boardroom. St John's Church, Heidelberg, commemorates him with a stained-glass window entitled 'King David'. The McArthur Gallery in the National Gallery of Victoria is also named after him.

(David's brother, Donald, moved from Sydney to Melbourne in 1836 with the first government survey team.)

ABOUT THE BANK OF AUSTRALASIA

In 1836 the Bank of Australasia was established in London by Royal Charter.
In 1951 the bank merged with the Union Bank of Australia, to form ANZ Bank Limited.
In 1970 it merged with the English, Scottish and Australian Bank to become Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited.

Since that time the ANZ has acquired other banks and introduced Internet banking and mobile banking.

BANK OF AUSTRALASIA IN WARRNAMBOOL

The Bank of Australasia first opened in Warrnambool in July 1854 in a building on Merri Street. The manager was Mr Samuel Hannaford. The bank then purchased and moved to a stone building on the corner of Timor and Gibson Streets, previously owned by Cramond and Dickson and almost opposite the Examiner’s office. In January 1957 Mr W.H. Palmer became the new manager and was there until November 1869. The bank then built its own building on the corner of Timor and Kepler Streets in 1859. Mr Basil Spence, the teller, was appointed acting manager in 1869 and Mr H.B. Chomley was the next appointed manager, in April 1873 and was still manager in 1886.

The municipality of Warrnambool first banked with the Bank of Australasia from 1856 to April 1857.

Significance

David Charteris McArthur was the founding manager of the Bank of Australasia.

This photograph of him represents the beginnings of Warrnambool's commercial history, with the municipality using the Bank of Australasia as its bank from 1856-April 1857.

Physical description

Photograph; portrait of David Charteris McArthur. Heavily retouched black and white print in plain brown varnished frame, behind glass, with plaque on lower edge and inscription lower left corner.

Inscriptions & markings

Lower left corner "A-H 1-9".
Engraved on plaque "DAVID CHARTERS MCARTHUR \ SUPERINTENDENT \ BANK OF AUSTRALASIA \ 1867-1876"