Historical information
An original Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia Depositor's Passbook belonging to the Emerald History Museum. This passbook was issued 15th February 1980 and features UV signature technology.Methods of banking developed significantly between the 1970's and 80s in Australia with the credit card, black light passbook signatures and later the passbook-less card based accounts and EFTPOS. While a very few passbook accounts may still exist, this item is a great reminder of the days before the convenience we now enjoy.
Emerald Museum was established as a formal collecting entity in 1969 based at the Emerald Hall, acquiring material by donation from local community members. In 1988 the former Shire of Sherbrooke with the help of State Government purchased the only remaining section of the former C. A. Nobelius & Sons Nursery (VHR place details ID/H2285). By the late 1980s the collection had been relocated to a shed on the former nursery. This collection included written records of the nursery’s operations that had been maintained throughout its ownership by the Nobelius family and L. Linton. However in the damp shed, the collection’s condition deteriorated. The nursery records received extensive conservation treatment to restore their condition and are now held as a complete collection at Emerald Museum. After the Emerald community lobbied extensively for a place to house their local heritage, the Shire agreed to construct a purpose-built facility within the former nursery where it has resided since 1993. The land was officially opened as the public ‘Nobelius Heritage Park’ in the same year.
Significance
This item is significant to our collection due to the relevance of financial transaction data belonging to the Emerald Museum.
Physical description
Emerald History Museum's Depositor's Passbook, issued by Commonwealth Savings Bank of Australia. Black on grey in colour, Covers the period of 1980-1991
Inscriptions & markings
Obverse:
COMMONWEALTH/
SAVINGS BANK/
OF AUSTRALIA/
DEPOSITOR'S PASSBOOK/
BELGRAVE/
VIC/
Reverse:
MANAGERS, STAFF AND AGENTS/
OF THE/
COMMONWEALTH SAVINGS BANK/
ARE AT YOUR SERVICE/
THROUGHOUT AUSTRALIA AND/
ITS TERRITORIES, SURROUNDING/
ISLANDS AND IN LONDON/
Typical inscription inside:
July 9 Twenty . five dollars 25 - 125 - [bank stamp]
