OUR photo this week shows the scene on Saturday, September 8, 1956 when the Bathurst branch of the Bank of New South Wales commemorated the centenary of its opening. This week’s article is a continuation of a look at Westpac’s long history in Bathurst.
The then mayor of Bathurst, Alderman A. L. Morse, unveiled a bronze plaque on the front of the building on which was inscribed: “This plaque commemorates a century of continued service by the Bank of New South Wales in Bathurst, 1856 – 1956.”
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Several bank officials, representatives of other banks, official guests, church representatives, members of the Bathurst District Historical Society and the public attended the unveiling.
Bank officials included two Chief Inspectors, Messrs. D.W. Garland and R.R. McKellar (the latter had served at Bathurst as a teller), Staff Inspector Mr R.W. Peirce, Chief Accountant Mr C.R. Watson, Western Inspector Mr W.A. Morris and Public Relations Officer for the bank Mr R.B. Prowse.
In his speech, the manager of the Bathurst branch Mr A.W Clarke (left in the photo) spoke about the association of Governor Macquarie with both Bathurst and the Bank of New South Wales.
He pointed out that Macquarie was a man of vision in the early colony, a dynamic builder, a pioneer and a believer in the future of Australia and said both the bank and the city owed their beginnings to the Governor and both had vindicated his confidence.
The George Street building had some unique features, such as a moat, basement strong room and other features due to the ever-growing bushranger problem.
Much lime concrete had to be used in the construction.
The building was noted as being “a fine block” and a newspaper report at the time stated that it was “after the Italian style”.
The Bathurst branch was the fifth to open in a country area.
The manager, Mr Murdock, armed himself with a pistol and rode around the diggings on horseback buying gold on behalf of the bank.
The Carrier’s Arms Hotel in William Street was later demolished and the City Bank was built in its place in 1894 and 1895.
James Hine, a Bathurst architect, was commissioned to design and supervise construction.
The City Bank building was described as “a two-storey brick building, iron and slate roof, with Banking Chamber, strong-room and residence containing kitchen, two pantries, laundry, dining and lounge rooms”.
The first floor contained five bedrooms and sitting room and five rooms which were rented to a Government Department.
There was a brick carriage shed and stables with an iron roof at the rear.
The building’s design reflected the bank’s prosperous position then, even though all banks had just been through trying times.
The bank’s board was particularly impressed with the architect’s central entrance porch, which projected from the front of the building, and its use of the pairs of columns.
In early 1932, the Bank of New South Wales’ manager Mr O.D. Seal and staff started moving out of their original banking chambers over to the new City Bank location in William Street.
The Bank of New South Wales had merged with City Bank.
The signage was changed and a very heavy brass “Bank of New South Wales” plaque was attached to the building.
With the acquisition of the Victorian-based Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd in October 1982, the name was changed to the Westpac Banking Corporation.
Westpac will be showing an historical and informative slideshow in the Bathurst branch continuously every day during the month of April to mark the bank’s 200 years and illustrate the history of the bank in Bathurst.
The slideshow has been compiled by Alan McRae and the Bathurst District Historical Society.
