the world of private banking
the world of private banking
the world of private banking
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
102<br />
THE WORLD OF PRIVAtE BANKING<br />
The Location <strong>of</strong> Source Material for Private Banks<br />
Families seem to have made little distinction between <strong>the</strong>ir own <strong>private</strong> papers and<br />
<strong>banking</strong> records. As a result, both exist at a variety <strong>of</strong> locations – in <strong>the</strong> archives <strong>of</strong><br />
banks, in local record <strong>of</strong>fices or o<strong>the</strong>r publicly accessible repositories, or in <strong>private</strong><br />
hands. Fortunately Pressnell’s and Orbell’s Guide provides an invaluable tool for<br />
locating <strong>the</strong>m. <br />
For example, although Thomas Barnard & Co. <strong>of</strong> Bedford became part <strong>of</strong><br />
NatWest and a researcher might reasonably expect to find <strong>the</strong>ir records in <strong>the</strong><br />
NatWest archives, <strong>the</strong>y were actually retained by <strong>the</strong> Barnard family. Subsequently,<br />
<strong>the</strong>y were deposited, along with <strong>the</strong> estate and <strong>private</strong> family papers, with<br />
Bedfordshire and Luton Archives Service.<br />
Similarly, partnership agreements and correspondence, relating to both <strong>the</strong><br />
<strong>banking</strong> and o<strong>the</strong>r business and family interests <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Minet and Fector families,<br />
were deposited by a descendant with University College London.<br />
Conversely, some family papers survive among <strong>the</strong> <strong>banking</strong> records and<br />
now reside in bank archives. When a <strong>private</strong> bank was taken over, <strong>banking</strong> <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
continued to be conducted from <strong>the</strong> same building. Consigned to <strong>the</strong> strongroom<br />
and cellars, <strong>the</strong> family papers remained in situ. At NatWest, <strong>the</strong>re are many <strong>private</strong><br />
papers connected with family matters – especially those <strong>of</strong> a quasi-legal nature –<br />
marriage settlements, wills and probate, as well as papers connected with property,<br />
estates and o<strong>the</strong>r business interests.<br />
Once bank archives were established, <strong>banking</strong> archivists also acquired records<br />
from <strong>banking</strong> families by purchase or gift. In <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Smith family, <strong>the</strong><br />
continued involvement in <strong>banking</strong>, notably by Eric L. Smith as chairman <strong>of</strong> National<br />
Provincial Bank from 1930 to 1950, led to <strong>the</strong> deposit <strong>of</strong> many <strong>private</strong> Smith<br />
family papers in <strong>the</strong> NatWest archives. Westminster Bank added to its holdings <strong>of</strong><br />
Crompton Newton and Co. records by purchasing some eighteenth-century account<br />
books belonging to <strong>the</strong> Crompton <strong>banking</strong> family in <strong>the</strong> 1960s. In addition archivists<br />
<strong>of</strong> both <strong>the</strong> Westminster Bank and <strong>the</strong> National Provincial Bank sought to identify<br />
and copy archives <strong>of</strong> <strong>private</strong> banks still remaining in family hands. 10<br />
Records in Private Hands<br />
Some <strong>banking</strong> and family records still remain with family members. Unfortunately<br />
records held in <strong>private</strong> hands <strong>of</strong>ten disappear. In <strong>the</strong> 1950s <strong>the</strong> archivist <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
National Provincial Bank was informed about <strong>the</strong> existence <strong>of</strong> a letter book<br />
belonging to William Fryer, son <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> founder <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Dorset bank, Fryer & Sons.<br />
Copied extracts from this letter book are held in <strong>the</strong> NatWest archives, but <strong>the</strong><br />
<br />
Pressnell et al., Guide.<br />
10<br />
Westminster Bank and National Provincial Bank merged in 1968 to form National<br />
Westminster Bank.