04/09/2026
Today marks the start of ✨NSW History Week✨ and this year's theme is 'Keeping Stories'. A story we wanted to share is of the London Chartered Bank of Australia, which opened in 1888, later becoming only the third drive-in bank to be opened in NSW. The London Chartered Bank of Australia, was built at 117 Scott St Newcastle, on the corner of Bolton St. The opening in 1888 was described in the Newcastle Morning Herald on 3 October: "A number of old landmarks which had not the slightest pretence to architectural beauty have been removed, and in their place premises ... for the London Chartered Bank of Australia ... The building will have frontage to Bolton-street of 63 feet, and to Scott-street of 66 feet. The style of the building is Dutch renaissance." The article goes on to describe the large and fashionable crowd in attendance, the laying of the memorial stone by the bank manager's wife Mrs Orr, much cheering and toasting to the Queen, the prosperity of the bank and its worthy manager - Mr W. A. Orr - as well as to the prosperity of Newcastle.
Fast forward to 1921, and the English, Scottish & Australian (E. S. & A.) Bank took over the London Bank of Australia. The Scott St building remained until January 1959 when it was demolished to make way for the "ultra-modern new premises" of the E. S. & A. drive-in bank (Newcastle Herald, 31/10/1959). The growing prevalence of car ownership led to the idea of drive-in banks, and Newcastle had its very own on this site, opening on 30 October 1959 by the Lord Mayor Ald. Dunkley. The drive-in access was via Bolton St to the rear of the building, and the exit was on Scott St. There was room for 8 cars "sheltered near the teller's window ... as a car approaches, the teller slides out a drawer to receive the customer's deposit or cheque. A two-way speaker system allows a confidential conversation" (Newcastle Herald, 30/10/1959). The building had other unique features including: an octagonal shape; aluminium and coloured glass walls achieving a transparent effect; a white terrazzo floor and bright red ceiling; a gold-coloured suspended circular mezzanine; a sunken pool with a mosaic tiled floor and central fountain; counters of tiled mosaic with polished copper counter boxes; and a white glass cylindrical manager's office lined with redwood boards. If only we had photos of these amazing features! The building still stands although the access and internal fit out has changed with further extensions
Opening of the London Bank of Australia, Newcastle, 1888
F. A. Cadell Collection
019 000063
The London Bank of Australia, 117 Scott Street (corner Bolton Street), Newcastle
Snowball Collection
001 000618
Trove article on the opening of the London Chartered Bank 1888
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139044138
Opening of the E. S. & A. Bank, 117 Scott Street (corner Bolton Street), Newcastle
30/10/1959
Newcastle Morning Herald Collection
104 012670
104 012672
104 012673
