Our expanding world

Ten objects showing how the horizons of bankers, communities and customers have developed from local to global over the centuries.

Explore the objects

51: Coat of arms, 1696

Arms of the Company of Scotland Trading to Africa and the Indies.

52: Chinese wallpaper, c.1793

Owned by Thomas Coutts of Coutts & Co.

53: Garibaldi letter of credit, 1860

Issued to Giuseppe Garibaldi, hero of Italian unification, by National Bank of Scotland.

54: Florence Nightingale letter, 1872

To her bankers Glyn, Mills, Hallifax & Co.

55: Loan certificate, 1880

Dominion of Canada 4% loan certificate issued through Glyn, Mills, Currie & Co.

56: Bank dinner photograph, 1905

Taken at a London dinner in honour of Korekiyo Takahashi, vice governor of the Bank of Japan.

57: War loan poster, 1919

Issued by London County & Westminster Bank (Paris) Ltd.

58: Overseas business advert, c.1923

Promoting services offered by Westminster Bank.

59: Foreign delegate telegram, 1931

To the Royal Bank's head office from its foreign delegate, Edward Davies.

60: Konkani-English leaflet, 1950s

Dual language brochure advertising Westminster Bank's money transfer services.