Westpac Group Archives, Sydney

Westpac Group Archives, Sydney

• Formerly Westpac Historical Services

• Business

Westpac has a long and proud history as Australia's first and oldest bank. It was established in 1817 as the Bank of New South Wales under a charter of incorporation provided by Governor Lachlan Macquarie. In October 1982 it changed its name to Westpac Banking Corporation following the acquisition of the Commercial Bank of Australia. For further details about the bank's history, see https://www.westpac.com.au/about-westpac/westpac-group/company-overview/our-history/?searchsource=search-results&kw=our%20history&cat=other&rank=9&result-type=natural

Westpac's archives was established in 1955 under the purview of notable economic historians and is one of only a handful of corporate collections in Australia and is the largest privately held archives in the Southern Hemisphere. It holds almost six kilometres of records and a photographic collection with more than 10 000 images, and 5000 or so architectural plans.

Officer-in-charge: Head of Historical Services

Records deemed to be of permanent value from Westpac Banking Corporation and its predecessors:

• Bank of New South Wales
• Commercial Bank of Australia Ltd
• Australian Joint Stock Bank Ltd
• Australian Bank of Commerce
• City Bank of Sydney
• Australian and European Bank
• Town and Country Bank
• Mercantile Bank of Sydney
• Bank of Tasmania
• National Bank of Tasmania.
  Rare banking memorabilia and the papers of former officials are also accepted.

Includes, for example:

• Bank of New South Wales - Chief Inspector: Half yearly reports, 1907-1971 (80m)
• Various Branches: Current account ledgers, 1850-1950 (50m)
• Chief Executive: Correspondence, 1864- present (50m)
• Premises Departments: Branch photographs, 1870- present; Architectural drawings, 1870- present
• Westpac Banking Corporation (and predecessors): Board minutes, 1817- present (60m).

No longer open to the public: visit by appointment only.

Researchers must complete an application for access to archival records. Advance notice of visit required including proof of identity.

Research services provided by staff in response to written (letter or email) or telephone requests.

Limited copying services available for photographs.

Revised 4 May 2018

• Industry, Manufacturing and Commerce (Thematic area)