NAB: An Integral Part Of Parkes’ History And Future

With several of the big banks closing their regional branches, the newly refurbished Parkes National Australia Bank (NAB) offices are a strong indicator that NAB has no plans on leaving Parkes. 

During the recent refurbishment works, NAB’s Historical Services Curator was looking through the archives and discovered some incredible photographs of the branch dating back as far as 1877.

“It’s pretty amazing thinking how far back the history of this building goes. It shows we’ve been a key part of Parkes’ history. Some of the old records even show our first Branch Manager was the grandfather of Banjo Paterson,” said Parkes NAB Branch Manager, Heilala Mill. 

On 1st December 1873, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney opened a branch in Parkes. The same year that Napoleon III of France died and a protective alliance was formed between Germany, Russia and Austria-Hungary. That year New South Wales also had its seventh Ministry under the Colonial Secretary, Sir Henry Parkes, after whom the town is named.

The original records reveal cash was supplied from Forbes and the safe came from Hill End where, the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney also had a branch at the time. 

According to the records in the original bank general ledger, the first entries through the branch were: Current a/cs 2/12/1873, Fixed Deposits £50 on 9/12/1873 and the first lot of gold bought on 4th December 1873 being 52oz. 5 dwt, 23 gr. £3/15/’- 0zt 196/2/40. 

Items of interest through bank expenditure were such charges as gold escort, candles and water; the latter a far cry from the town’s modern water supply today. In the early 1890s Mr. J.R.Dryhurst was second officer, later to be appointed General Manager. His salary was £50 p.a. plus £50 allowance and the Manager received £200 p.a. 

Aside from the bank’s name, the only written sign outside the office was the legend, “Gold Bought”, painted across a front window. The first manager was C.H. Barton, the maternal grandfather of the poet Andrew Barton (Banjo) Paterson. 

Gold bought from miners in the district had to be transported to Orange through Forbes, along the river and across the steep, rough ranges. Armed escorts were needed against attacks from bushrangers and, in 1876, a letter from Head Office warned the manager at Parkes to be on guard against the Kelly gang, known to be in the area. Fortunately for the Commercial Banking Company (CBC), Mr Kelly and his associates did not turn their attention to Parkes 

Branch records also revealed a branch opened at Tichbourne, six miles south of Parkes on 22nd June 1878 when they were debited £2955 for cash supplied. At that time Tichbourne was a very large mining center with a population between 30,000 and 40,000 people. This land has since reverted to wheat and sheep grazing country. 

Among the local mines doing business with the CBC in those early days were such names as “No Mistake”, “The Bushman’s”, “Welcome”, “Victoria Gully”, “Line”, “Flat”, “Racecourse”, “Possum Gully”, “Frenchman’s”, “Richardson” and “Sparling’s”. 

With the expansion of business in 1877, the bank moved to a slightly larger premises, later to be occupied by Tattersalls Hotel and now the site of the Coachman Hotel Motel. 

In 1901, what must have been a former pub was purchased in Taylor Square fronting onto Clarinda Street, the bank used the existing building until 1925 when the building was demolished, to be replaced by the bank’s current offices.