Guide to the Paper Currency
MS 119
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Created: May 2016
Collection Summary
- Title
- Copper printing plates and printer’s proofs for 16 promissory notes issued by Lachlan and Waterloo Mills Co. afterwards the Waterloo Warehouse
- Date Range
- 1822-1833
- Collection Number
- MS 119
- Extent
- 0.03 metres (1 folder)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- NLA
- Sponsor
- The digitisation of the Library’s Currency Collection was made possible by the generous financial support of donors to the Banknotes and Currency Preservation Appeal (2015). The Library gratefully acknowledges this support.
Introduction
Scope and Contents
This collection comprises 16 copper printing plates and 32 printer’s proofs (2 of each) of company promissory notes of denominations two shillings and sixpence, five shillings, ten shillings, one pound (4 varieties), 1 Spanish dollar, 2 Spanish dollars, 4 Spanish dollars, 20 Spanish dollars, 10 dollars, 10 pounds (2 varieties) issued by Lachlan and Waterloo Mills Co., Waterloo Warehouse and Waterloo Warehouse and Bank.
Conditions Governing Access
Please refer to the collection's catalogue record for the access conditions (http://nla.gov.au/nla.cat-vn2650237).
Conditions Governing Use
Copying and publishing of unpublished manuscript material is subject to copyright restrictions. For such material, written permission to publish must be obtained from the copyright holder(s). Copying of unpublished material for research purposes is permissible 50 years after the death of the creator of the material.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Acquired in 1924 from the executors of the estate of Sir Daniel Cooper.
Related Materials
Promissory notes made out to Cowper are held in the papers of Samuel Deane Gordon at MS 9865.
References
References used in the creation of this finding aid include:
Australian colonial currency and promissory notes by Michael P. Vort-Ronald, second edition, 2012 and Standard catalogue of world paper money by Albert Pick, vol 2, c1990.
Historical Note
The Lachlan and Waterloo Mills Co. began as a flour-milling business in Sydney around 1820. In June 1822 it added note issue and moneylending to its store, ship owning and importing activities under the name Waterloo Company. The first notes issued were for 1, 2, 4 and 20 dollars. In 1825 control of the Lachlan Waterloo Mills Co. was sold to Daniel Cooper and Solomon Levey. The business name became Cooper & Levey but was more commonly known by its place of business, Waterloo Warehouse. By May 1826 notes were issued in sterling denominations of 10/-, £1, £5 and £10 and watermarked Waterloo Company. Although regarded as a private bank at the time, Waterloo Warehouse notes were actually company promissory notes and were one of the few paper currencies of the day were worth their full face value. After Levey’s death in 1833, note issue was abandoned and the company business wound up in 1834, thus ending the last instance of an important Sydney merchant enterprise participating in banking.
Item Descriptions
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of two shillings and sixpence (Item 1)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: 2s-6d sterling
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Printer: S Clayton (engraver)
Domicile of issuer: Cnr George & King St, Sydney
Issue date: 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x130 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of five shillings (Item 2)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: 5s sterling
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Printer: S Clayton (engraver)
Domicile of issuer: Cnr George & King St, Sydney
Issue date: 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x130 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of ten shillings (Item 3)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: 10s sterling
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Cnr George & King St, Sydney
Issue date: 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 267x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of one pound sterling (Item 4)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: £1 sterling
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Cnr George & King St, Sydney
Issue date: 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 267x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of one Spanish dollar (Item 5)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: one Spanish dollar
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca. 6 Sep 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions- -266x130 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of two Spanish dollars (Item 6)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: two Spanish dollars
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca. 6 Sep 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 267x152 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of four Spanish dollars (Item 7)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: four Spanish dollars
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca. 6 Sep 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of twenty Spanish dollars (Item 8)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note (first issue)
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: twenty Spanish dollars
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: June 1822
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche left centre and vignette of Waterloo Mills
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company for promissory note of ten dollars (Item 9)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: ten dollars
Issuing agency: Lachlan & Waterloo Mills Company
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca. 6 Sep 1822-1826
Circulation status: uncirculated
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p41
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of one pound (light background) (Item 10)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: one pound sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date ca.1826-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 220x155 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Additional information
In 1826, the law required the change to sterling denominations.
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of one pound (light background), January 1829 (Item 11)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: one pound sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: January 1829
Signatures: Cooper & Levey; ent'd C J Rayner (in pencil)
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 220x155 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Additional information
As a result of forgeries of their one and two pound notes, printed illegally from their plates on their own paper, this plate was altered to include 3 signatures and removal of the engraver's name, S.Clayton.
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of five pounds (light background) (Item 12)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: five pounds sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca.1826-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of ten pounds (light background), 182[-] (Item 13)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: ten pounds sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca.1826-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: C & L monogram in cartouche, left centre
Physical description: dimensions - 266x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of one pound (dark background), 183[-] (Item 14)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: one pound sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca.1831-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: front - vignette of Waterloo Warehouse
Physical description: dimensions - 220x155 mm; black print on off white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse for promissory note of five pounds (dark background) (Item 15)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: five pounds sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca.1831-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: front - vignette of Waterloo Warehouse
Physical description: dimensions - 266x153 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52
Two printer's proofs for Waterloo Warehouse and Bank for promissory note of ten pounds (light background) (Item 16)
Issue details
Category: Company promissory note
Type: printer's proof
Country: Australia
Denomination: ten pounds sterling
Issuing agency: Waterloo Warehouse and Bank
Domicile of issuer: Sydney
Issue date: ca.1831-1833
Circulation status: unissued
Illustrative content: front - vignette of Waterloo Warehouse
Physical description: dimensions - 266x151 mm; black print on off-white paper
Industry catalogue/number: MVR p52