Historical information

This cheque book was found in a shop on the corner of Sturt and Camp Streets, Ballarat by a builder around 2004.

The English, Scottish & Australian Bank Limited was founded in 1852 by Royal Charter in London as the English, Scottish and Australian Chartered Bank.

The bank opened its first Australian branch in Sydney in 1853. Australian banknotes were printed by the bank and issued at branches in Sydney, Adelaide, Hobart and Melbourne. In 1893, the bank was renamed the English, Scottish & Australian Bank following the financial upheaval. The bank was one of 16 banks which supplied blank note forms to the Australian Government in 1911 which were superscribed as redeemable in gold and issued as the first Commonwealth notes. The bank took over the Commercial Bank of Tasmania Limited and the London Bank of Australia Limited in 1921 and the Royal Bank of Australia Limited in 1927.
On 1 October 1970, the bank merged with the Australia and New Zealand Bank to form the Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English,_Scottish_and_Australian_Bank, accessed 27/03/2014)

Physical description

A half used cheque book from the English, Scottish & Australian Bank Ltd. The used cheques date from 1858 to 1860. Cheques are made out to the Old Colonists Club and Hotel Warrnambool.

Notes on the inside cover are precautions against fraud.