The Nedbank Historical Collective is a 20-entity-strong assemblage of archives and historical data, dating back to 1831. The previous article (click here to view) looked at the Cape of Good Hope Bank Savings Society, The Board of Executors, The South African Association for the Administration and Settlement of Estates and The Kimberley Permanent Mutual Building and Investment Society. This article will continue the journey through the entities in our archive.
Paarlsche Afrikaanse Trust Maatschappij / Boland Bank
In 1890 De Paarlsche Afrikaanse Trust Matschappij Beperkt was established in Paarl as a general regional bank and operated as such until 1954. Then, in partnership with local lawyers, the Paarlsche Trust established the Wes-Kaaplandse Afslaers as the Trust’s presence had begun to spread further afield. The Trust’s reach and growth was explosive and by 1960 De Paarlsche Afrikaanse Trust Maartschappij Beperkt changed its name to The Paarl Trust Limited. In 1963, The Paarl Trust Limited merged with African Mutual Trust and Assurance Company Limited, and changed its name to the Boland Board of Executors Limited. On 21 August 1969 the Boland Board of Executors listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) with total funds of R86,1 million. In the same year, the first branch opened its doors in Cape Town.
The year 1970 saw a merger with Stellenbosch Distriksbank and Vogdy Bank, and a 30% shareholding of Mercabank Limited. As a result, the bank began building a bigger head office in Paarl. On 5 August 1971, the Boland Board changed its name...
Nedbank’s history is an assemblage of 15 entities that merged into the group throughout the past two centuries allowing Nedbank to trace its origins back to 1831. This collective consists of entities such as the Board of Executors (BoE), Syfrets, the Permanent Mutual Building Society, the Cape of Good Hope Bank Savings Society, Boland Bank, UAL, the Natal Building Society, and of course the Nederlandsche Bank en Credietvereeniging.
Pretoria roots
The first South African branch of the Nederlandsche Bank en Credietvereeniging was opened in Church Street, Pretoria, in 1888. By 1897, the bank’s presence had grown exponentially, and a larger building was built. The structure, designed by WJ de Zwaan, was completed in 1897 and still stands today, and is in use by the Tshwane Tourism Office and is still known affectionately as the Old Netherlands Bank Building. This sandstone masterpiece served as Nedbank’s head office until 1953, when the bank moved into its third, and final, Pretoria-based head office, designed by Norman Eaton. It is still in use today, on what is now known as Thabo Sehume Street.
The first South African branch of the Nederlandsche Bank
