Cessnock
117 Vincent Street
 We held a Mystery Branch guessing competition to raise funds for the Tsunami disaster in 2005 and Frank Chapman correctly guessed the branch. Frank was a Teller at Cessnock exactly 70 years ago and he was very pleased to enter the contest and collect First Prize.
Forde Leathley presenting prize to Frank Chapman 2005. | 
1935
1993
2004
GS
| 1904 Opened (113th Report)
1934 Listed in Century of Banking.
1935 B&W photo by Frank Chapman when he was a Teller there.
Of historic significance as evidence of the confidence of external commercial enterprises in the continued wealth of the coal resources of the South Maitland field (Source: Pike, Walker and Associates, 1994). One of the few major banks to establish in Cessnock in the post war period and the best example of the Classical Revival in the Centre. Prominent building in an important part of the street (Source: Purdon Associates, 1992).
Designer: Kent & Massie
Physical Description: Two storey classical styled bank originally of brown face brick with cream painted columns and glazed brick decoration (Source: Pike, Walker and Associates, 1994). The major modifications to the building is the painting of external brickwork and flamboyant colour scheme (Source: Purdon Associates, 1992).
1993 photo from Cessnock Council
Further Information: Inter-war Academic Classical
Historical Notes: Built at the time of consolidation of the mining towns following the initial surge of population and development in the first decade of the century. Its imposing architectural style illustrates the bank's confidence in the wealth of the coal resource in the 1920s. It is presently used for office and retail space.
2004 August Colour Photograph2012 February Kevin Greenaway was visiting Graeme Stevenson at Tweed Heads last Sunday and he showed Kevin some old photos he had of a few Branches Kevin thinks he worked at, including this one.
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| Chatsworth | | Chatsworth is on the Pacific Highway 10Km North of Maclean. 8 miles North of Maclean on Chatsworth Island, on the north arm of the Clarence River. At one time this was a very busy centre, with 5 hotels and a change station for coaches.
1880 Opened (65th Report);
1882 Opened and
1888 closed and business transferred to Maclean (according to Current Accounts July 1970). After closure of the branch in 1888, with business transferred to the newly opened Maclean branch, the premises were leased to J Murray for 7/- a week, and in 1895 were sold to H J Daniels for $300. Note from Geoff Chapman sourced from Maclean District Historical Society.
1888 closed (80th Report) |
| Chinderah (receiving office of Murwillumbah) | | Chinderah is 8Km South of Tweed Heads
1934 Listed in Century of Banking.
2008 Ian Holston advises that Chinderah agency of Murwillumbah branch was conducted in old Turnock's Store, now demolished. |
| Clarence River district | | 1851 "Select Documents of the 19th Century" edited by HW Nunn states that the bank had an agency at Clarence River district - Board Minute 28 November, 1851. |
| Copeland North | | An old gold mining town near Gloucester NSW (Current Accounts July 1968).
Closed 1880 (64th Report) |
Copmanhurst
9 Prescott Street | 
1916
1931
 
2003 | 31Km by road from Grafton, Copmanhurst was established at the limit of navigation of the Clarence River and in the early days was the distribution point for goods and services for rural and mine workers
1906 Branch opened 19th June
1907 Closed 11/7/1907
1916 photo of ES&A branch from ANZ Bank
1923 Re-opened in March, in ex-ES&A premises
1931 photo from NSW Heritage
Information from NSW Heritage Office:
Statement of Significance
This building confirms that Copmanhurst was the major commercial centre in the Shire. It is a rare example of a commercial building in Copmanhurst Shire and is representative of the combined timber bank and residences constructed on the north coast in the early 20th Century.
Description
Physical Description: A weather board building which was both a residence and bank. The building has a front facing gable and a bull-nosed verandah extends around the front and side of the house. Banking activities operated from the front room, underneath the gable. An external door indicates that the bank was accessed from the verandah. Inside the building the banking section consisted of a main room with an smaller managers office and an associated brick lined safe. The safe door has now been removed and a doorway cut from the managers office to an adjacent bedroom. The residence contains 3 bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen and bathroom/laundry. The double fireplace between the lounge and kitchen is still in position. The rear verandah has been enclosed. The entrance to the kitchen has been widened. Photographs show that two windows, under the gable, fronted the main street. At some stage they were removed and a single window installed. The two doors fronting the veranda are original.
Physical Condition and/or Archaeological Potential: Well maintained. Date Condition Updated: 21 Jul 03
Modifications and Dates: The building has been re-roofed and lattice added to the verandah. Modifications have been made to the kitchen and rooms associated with the bank. The front of the house is now obscured by several ornamental pine trees.
Current Use: Residence Former Use: Bank and Residence
History
Historical Notes: Little is known about banking in Copmanhurst Shire. Mr David Robinson (pers. comm. 2003) states that on the 19th June 1906 the Commercial Bank of Sydney opened a bank in Copmanhurst and that it remained open until 11th July 1907. The location of this bank is unknown. Information supplied by Mr Robinson from the ANZ Banks records in Melbourne suggest that ES & A Bank established a presence in Copmanhurst in July 1909. It is not known which building the bank was using at that time. A special notice appeared in the Clarence & Richmond Examiner 28th June 1910 advertising " That from the 1st July 1910 the Copmanhurst Agency (of the ES& A Bank) will be converted to a full time branch under the management of Mr A. Fleming". Mr Fleming was to remain the manager of the Bank until it closed in October 1917. A photograph of Mr Fleming and his children, thought to have been taken about 1916, shows the outside of the bank with the ES& A Ltd. sign clearly printed on the building we now know at the Copmanhurst CBC Bank (see images). The CBC Bank subsequently opened a branch in the same building. A public notice appeared in the Daily Examiner 12th March 1923 stating "CBC Bank - A branch is now open at Copmanhurst for the transaction of usual banking business". This advertisement continued for several weeks and it is assumed to reflect the opening of the new branch. A letter from the National Australia Bank (26/8/2003 ) states that the bank opened in March 1923 and the Managers who saved there were: 1923/1924 Mr R.F De Salis; 1924/1928 Mr T. Gibson; 1928/1930 Mr H.L. Phillips; 1930/1932 Mr H.W Stephenson; 1932/1938 Mr W.H.G. Redhead; 1938/1941 Mr E.V. Single and in 1941 Mr R.B. Adam. Mr H.W. Stephenson was also photographed outside the bank in 1931(see images). The CBC Bank closed in 1941 probably as a result of wartime rationalisation. It was eventually sold and used as a private residence.
Assessment of Significance
SHR Criteria a) [Historical Significance] The establishment of a bank indicates the growth of Copmanhurst and the need for banking facilities.
SHR Criteria f) [Rarity] This appears to be the only bank in Copmanhurst shire.
SHR Criteria g) [Representitivenes] It is representative of the combined bank - residence buildings constructed on the north coast in the early part of the 20th centurary.
Integrity/Intactness: Internal modifications have been made, but the original layout of the bank and residence is still obvious and the safe is largely intact.
1934 Listed in Century of Banking
1941 Closed, probably as a wartime rationalisation measure
2003 photos of side (bank) and front (residence) by Jane Gardiner from NSW Heritage. |
Cor
Cu | | Click at left for continuation. |
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