Private Bank Issues

Lot 4627    Session 15 (7.30pm Thursday)    Private Bank Issues

Estimate $4,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

BANK OF AUSTRALIA, share certificate for one hundred pounds sterg., No 2042, issued to Thomas de la Condamine 1st July 1833, imprint S. Clayton Sct., printed in black ink on vellum by W.M.Moffitt. Named to an important person in colonial New South Wales, this certificate is of great historical significance, good very fine and very rare.

Thomas de la Condamine, born in Guernsey, educated at the Royal Military College, commissioned as an ensign in 1814, appointed to Royal Staff Corps 1815, promoted lieutenant in 1825 transferring to the 57th Regiment. He arrived at Sydney in December of the same year as aide-de-camp to Governor Sir Ralph Darling. He served in many positions in government both paid and honorary and was connected with several institutions. He lived as a part of Governor Darling's household and had considerable influence over goverment affairs much to the consternation of more senior government figures. The Condamine River was named in his honour as was Condamine Street, Balgowlah. He established the Australian Subscription Library which later became the Public Library of New South Wales. The Bank of Australia was established by John Macarthur in 1826 with William Henry Mackenzie as cashier after an exclusive subscription of 1000 ú100 shares. In it's early years it was an aggressive competitor to the Bank of N.S.W. However, the bank failed during the banking crisis in 1843 because of heavy over-lending. (see MVR pp64-5). As a shareholder, Thomas de la Rue lost more than ú1,200 when the bank collapsed.