Historical information

This cash book, found in the old Mackay Taylor building in Kepler Street, contains entries relating to Costs Accounts and Trust Accounts for the Warrnambool firm of Fletcher and Mackay which had been formed from the amalgamation of the law firms of George Mackay and James Fletcher in 1893. In the 1920s the firm became Mackay and Taylor after J. McD. Taylor became the partner with George Mackay. This firm was a prominent one in Warrnambool until the 1990s.

Significance

This cash book is of considerable interest as the entries show the names of many well-known residents of Warrnambool at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. The firm of Fletcher and Mackay was an important one in Warrnambool at that time and George Mackay, one of the partners of the firm, was prominent in local community and civic affairs.

Physical description

This is a ledger with black binding and buff-coloured spine and corner reinforcements. There are 135 double-sided pages. The pages have been printed with red ruled lines for accounting purposes. There are red and blue mottled coloured cardboard pages at the beginning and end of the book. There are two loose pages which appear to be scrap notes only. The entries are written in black ink.

Inscriptions & markings

White paper pasted on front cover: ‘Cash Book from April 26th 1898 to March 22nd 1902’
Spine: ‘1898-1902 Cash Book’