Aust. Banknotes - Private Bank Issues

Lot 3913    Session 15 (7.30pm Thursday)    Aust. Banknotes - Private Bank Issues

Estimate $5,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $4,000

HANDWRITTEN BILL OF EXCHANGE, the first, issued at Augusta November 14th 1835 by J.G.Bussell for £50 payable to Stephen Henty Esq., addressed to Captain Swanston, Derwent Bank, Van Diemens Land, 341 lower left corner, endorsed on back 'Pay Messrs Henty & Co, or order, Stephen Henty, Henty & Co.' 'Pay James P.Poynter Esq or order, C.S.Henty , James P.Poynter'. Crowned cartouche with Britannia enclosed as watermark. Top left corner torn off, not affecting the note otherwise nearly extremely fine and of outstanding historical interest, the only known example to the renowned Henty family, the founding fathers of Victoria.

Ex W.J.D.Mira Collection, Noble Numismatics Sale 80 (lot 2803).

The Hentys. Six months before their arrival at the Swan River on the Warrior in March 1830, Stephen, James and John, sons of Thomas Henty, a Sussex merino wool breeder and banker of middling wealth, had on 12 October 1829 landed from their chartered ship the Caroline. Thomas, with seven sons and one daughter, saw the promise of free land grants proportionate to the 'wealth' he would bring with him; servants, labourers, artisans and their families - an entourage exceeding thirty. The Henty brothers, like the Bussells and their colleagues six months later, found the Governor had made all the grants he intended for the foreseeable future. Malloy stayed in Augusta. Bussell moved further north and it is from his holdings there that the town of Busselton came into being.

Edward set up trade store at Fremantle until he could plan the future. The land around King Georges Sound was checked; a quasi military outpost had been constructed to deter possible French designs, however it was unsuitable. The Hentys migrated again, this time to northern Tasmania, and they were thwarted again - there were no grants of suitable land.

In 1832 Thomas and the family migrated and moved to Launceston but not until Thomas called in at the Swan to vet the quality of the land he may have owned. He was not impressed. The family; Thomas and his wife Jane (26), Charles [the banker] , William [the solicitor, who remained in England], Edward [the businessman], Stephen [pastoralist and trader] and Frank and John [the pastoralists]. In the interim a small schooner, the Thistle, was purchased by James in view of Stephen being active in trading, whaling and sealing. The family enterprise, now Henty & Co., expanded to Augusta, King Georges Sound, The Vasse and on at least one occasion as far as New Zealand. Always looking for suitable land, Edward noted on one trip a group of whalers and sealers settled at Portland Bay. The land was perfect. It was unsettled and ripe for the taking. The only government was in far away Sydney, so they squatted.

It took over a decade for the Government and the Hentys to reach a compromise regarding the ownership of the Portland Bay holdings, Merino Downs, Muntham, Sandford and Connells's Run. In mid-1835 Edward bought a schooner, the Sally Anne; this was hired by the government to run a monthly trading service between the Western ports and Launceston. This operated until late-1835. It was during this period that the Bussell - Henty note was issued, 14th November 1835. From here the Henty Dynasty grew in stature and status making major contributions to the development of Victoria and northern Tasmania.

A contemporary wrote of Stephen Henty: 'trustworthy, effective man of business - the boldest of the brothers... more balanced than Edward - stronger than William - more flexible than James - wider interests than Francis.' Of Frances, Stephen's wife, he said: 'a nonagenerian... a historic personage.'

James P.Poynter was the first manager of the Bank of Australasia.