Guernsey Commercial Banking Co Ltd

This joint stock bank was established in 1835 as Guernsey Commercial Banking Co with a capital of £80,000 of which £20,000 was paid up. The bank issued its own notes.

It opened an agency at Alderney in 1836. In 1852 it erected a purpose-built bank at 33 High Street, which was extensively refurbished in 1875 and extended in 1894. It assumed limited liability in 1912 as Guernsey Commercial Banking Co Ltd, with a capital of £200,000 of which £42,000 was paid up. Deposits were £335,000. Sub-branches were opened at St Sampsons in 1914 and at St Peter-in-the-Wood in 1922. The bank was acquired by Westminster Bank Ltd in 1924.

Branches: The bank opened 3 branches or agencies between 1835 and 1924. In 1924 2 branches and one agency were operating.

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of Guernsey Commercial Banking Co have the reference code GCB.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

Corporate records

• correspondence re Bank of England account 1835
• letterbooks 1835-46
• directors’ meeting minute books: 1835-1924, rough 1835-1924
• letter from London agent 1866
• deed of incorporation 1873
• amalgamation papers 1924

Customer records

• signature book c.1894-19(15)
• credit slip n.d.

Note issue records

• register of banknotes 1835-c.83
• banknote issue ledger 1835-1946
• banknotes 1868, 1913-21