Author: Tara Oldfield
Senior Communications Advisor
The State Bank Victoria Archives Ephemera Collection holds many fascinating items dating back as far as 1842 all the way to 1992. With 'Old Stuff Day' coming up on the 2nd of March, we thought it an excellent time to take a trip back in time with one of the boxes from this collection - we've chosen Unit 248 from the series. Let's take a look...
The back inside cover of the same book - including the State Savings Bank of Victoria' brand. 08936 P1/ 248/E461. 
'Journey of the Sun' a mural by Leonard French commissioned for State Bank Centre. \ 08936 P1 /248 / E463. 
A book of "Business Lectures for Business Men" 1933. 08936 P1 /248 /E464. 
A share certificate from 1889. 08936 P1 / 248 /E466.
A cheque book from 1913. 08936 P1/248/E467. 
An unpresented Port Phillip Bank cheque dated 1842. 08936 P1/ 248/E467.
A series of cheques donated to the archive. 08936 P1/ 248/E467.
Burroghs Adding Machine Short Cuts Manual. vprs 08936 P1 Unit 248 Item E455.
A letter of donation 1928. vprs 08936 P1/48/ E468.
A brochure about easy banking from 1986. 08936 P1/248/ E483.
The State Savings Bank archive collection was transferred to Public Record Office Victoria in 1995. The first Government controlled savings bank was established on 1 January 1842 under New South Wales legislation. Known as the Savings Bank of Port Phillip it was administered by a Board of Trustees and a Vice-President. Branches of this Bank were subsequently established in other parts of the colony.
In 1853 a statutory body known as The Commissioners of Savings Banks in the Colony of Victoria was constituted under the Savings' Bank Act and each bank was thereafter to be a separate and independent institution with its own trustees and officers - however, between 1896 and 1912 the independent Savings Banks of Victoria merged to become a single institution and this development was formalised by the 1912 legislation.
From 1980 the Bank was known as the State Bank of Victoria under the provisions of the State Bank Act 1980.
The State Bank of Victoria established its own Archives before the Bank was sold in 1990 to the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. After the sale, the Archives of the State Bank continued to operate until the Archives' holdings were transferred to the state archives.
Material in the Public Record Office Victoria archival collection contains words and descriptions that reflect attitudes and government policies at different times which may be insensitive and upsetting
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples should be aware the collection and website may contain images, voices and names of deceased persons.
PROV provides advice to researchers wishing to access, publish or re-use records about Aboriginal Peoples