Historical information
This set of banknotes was issued by the Bank of Australasia's Head Office in Sydney, New South Wales. Two banknotes are dated before the Federation of Australia on 1st January 1901 and two are dated just two years after Federation. Each of the banknotes in this set has a rectangular piece cut from it. This indicates that the banknote was cancelled when the note was exchanged for Australian dollars after Decimal Currency was introduced on 14th February 1966.
The Bank of Australasia was established under the Royal Charter of England. It first came to Australia in 1835, opening in Sydney. The Bank of Australasia was the first bank in Warrnambool. It was established in 1854 and operated from leased buildings in Merri Street then Timor Street. The bank opened its own building on May 21, 1860, on the north-east corner of Timor and Kepler Streets. In that year, the Acting Superintendent of the Bank of Australasia in Sydney was David Charters McArthur. He went on to become the Superintendent 1867-1876.
In 1951 the Bank of Australasia amalgamated with the Union Bank to form the Australia and New Zealand Bank, now known as the ANZ. Then in 1970 the ANZ merged with both the ES&A and the London Bank of Australia to form the ANZ Banking Group Limited. The ANZ Banking Group Ltd kindly donated a variety of historic items from the Bank of Australasia.
Significance
This set of banknotes has historical significance as it was issued by the Bank of Australasia. The Bank of Australasia was the first bank in Warrnambool, established in 1854. The bank continued to operate until its merger in 1951 when it became the ANZ Bank, which is still in operation today. The Bank was an integral part of the establishment and growth of commerce in Colonial Warrnambool and throughout Australia.
The banknotes also have a significant place in Australia’s history as two notes are just prior to the Federation of Australia and two notes just after.
Physical description
This banknote set of four notes comprises three (3) £1 one-pound notes and one (1) £5 five-pound note. The notes were published by The Bank of Australasia, Sydney, New South Wales between 1899 and 1903. The denominations of the notes and their round pound-coin symbols are printed in green ink, and the remainder of the printing is in black ink. All notes have a black ink stamp impressed twice on each side. The stamp states that the notes are cancelled. There are handwritten initials in red ink on each note's obverse and text in pencil on their reverse. The reverse of the one-pound notes is unprinted but the five-pound note has a printed decorative border and images with an inscription and shield. The notes have a rectangular cut-out on the lower edge.
Inscriptions & markings
Serial Numbers, Denominations and Dates:
5054.1 "ONE POUND" "Q50,806" "NEW SOUTH WALES" "1st July 1903"
5054.2 "ONE POUND" "O50 551" "NEW SOUTH WALES" "1st July 1903"
5054.3 "ONE POUND" "O24,385" "NEW SOUTH WALES" "1st July 1899"
5054.4 "FIVE POUND" "A36,191" "NEW SOUTH WALES" "5th February 1900"
Stamp "BANK OF AUSTRALASIA / CANCELLED"
Handwritten in red [initials]
Image on five pound note"(around border) "BANK OF AUSTRALASIA INCORPORATED BY ROYAL CHARTER"
and (image on shield) [suspended sheep] in diagonal corners, and [sailing ships] in other diagonal corners, and four stars (or open flowers)"
Text in pencil "L24"
Subjects
- flagstaff hill,
- warrnambool,
- one pound note,
- bank of australasia,
- legal tender,
- £1,
- banknote,
- banknotes,
- flagstaff hill maritime museum & village,
- shipwreck coast,
- five poind note,
- australian currency,
- shipwrecked coast,
- flagstaff hill maritime museum,
- maritime museum,
- flagstaff hill maritime village,
- great ocean road,
- union bank,
- australia & new zealand bank,
- anz bank,
- david charters mcarthur,
- d c mcarthur,
- one-pound note,
- five-pound note,
- £5,
- sydney,
- new south wales,
- pre-federation,
- post-federation,
- currency,
- set of banknotes
References
- History of the ANZ bank in Portland, Victoria ANZ Bank in Portland, Victorian Heritage Database