Alexander Kerr (banker)
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Alexander Kerr F.R.G.S. (21 February 1838 - 17 June 1909) was a Scottish banker who was the first manager for the Bank of New Zealand.
He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society in 1872[1] when in New Zealand, with Lord Dufferin as his sponsor.
Early life and education
He was born at 108 Argyll St., Glasgow, Scotland on 21 February 1838,[2] the third child of Alexander Kerr and Helen Shanks; he was brother of Norman Kerr. His father Alexander was a merchant and ship owner[3] who lived at Florentine Bank House, Hillhead, and who died in 1855 leaving instructions in his will that "my children receive a liberal or what might be termed a first rate education." However, his children did not come into their full inheritance until they were 25.[4]
Career
Australia
After school in Glasgow he worked as a clerk before leaving (1858) at the age of 19 for the goldfields in Australia. There he worked in Castlemaine, Victoria, for the new branch of the Oriental Bank Corporation which opened in 1861. When the Oriental Bank opened a new branch in Chewton (1862)[5] he was appointed the first manager.[6] He joined the local volunteer Rifle Corp No.1 with the rank of private, in 1860.
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In 1863 he was initiated into the Freemasons and was a member of the Mount Alexander Lodge, Castlemaine, becoming its master in 1866.
He returned to the Castlemaine branch as its manager in about 1864. He remained in Castlemaine until 1867; the local paper, The Mount Alexander Mail, reported the presentation made to him on his leaving.
The centre-piece was inherited by his grandson, Francis Archibald Kerr (b 1906), but was taken from the family home in Manchester during a burglary.[8] The Emu eggs, probably broken, were removed and replaced by candle sconces. It is now part of the National Gallery of Australia’s collection.[9][10]
London
He returned to the London branch of the Oriental Bank in 1867 as director of the correspondence department, until he resigned in 1872 to work for the Bank of New Zealand.
New Zealand
The National Bank of New Zealand had been formed in London in 1872 with the first branch opening in March 1873 in Wellington, New Zealand, with Alexander Kerr as the first manager.[11] Alexander Kerr was engaged by the Board in London in 1872, initially on a three-year contract. He was recommended by his previous employer, the Oriental Banking Corporation, and Lord Dufferin. He had also worked for the London & Victoria Bank.[12]
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In April 1875 he was appointed manager of the Nelson branch, which had opened in October 1873.[13][14] He remained at Nelson until February 1877 when he was transferred as manager of the Oamaru branch. He stayed at Oamaru until he resigned from the National Bank in December 1881.
He was a member of the Wellington Philosophical Society and active in local charities, such as the Nelson Aid Society, the Caledonian Society of Nelson, Management Committee of the Nelson Hospital,[15] and the Oamaru Hospital Committee.
He evidently was a success as manager, as noted by the Colonist newspaper in 1877 when it was reported that Mr Kerr was moving to Oamaru from Nelson. "It is an unusual thing for one in his position to acquire so much esteem as he has gained in the short time that he has been amongst us. During his eighteen month &c., in the administration of which he has taken on his residence in Nelson, Mr Kerr has proved himself a cautious banker and a useful citizen, and several of our local charities, active part, will miss him much, and from the opinions we hear expressed the clients of the Bank, who have benefited by his council and matured advice, will especially regret his removal."[16]
One of his duties as manager in Oamaru seems to have been pigeon shooting, as reported by the local paper. "At the meeting of Municipal Council last evening, Mr Alex Kerr, manager of the local branch of the National Bank, by letter applied for permission to shoot the pigeons that infest the bank building to the manifest annoyance of the public. The writer stated that he had tried every other method of getting rid of them that he could think of, but without success."[17]
On his retirement the North Otago Times reported in 1881 "Mr Kerr has been over twenty years in the banking business; during quite five of those years he has resided in Oamaru, and while here he has, both as a bank manager and as a private gentleman, been held in high estimation. As might be expected in connection with the retirement of a man of Mr Kerr's bonhomie from a position which he has long held approbation, it is proposed to present him with a public testimonial in recognition of his merits and to mark the closing of his banking career. It is Mr Kerr's intention to enter into business in Oamaru, and many besides us will wish him what he deserves - all possible success in his new sphere."[18]
He was then in business, General Stores and Insurance, operating from the Colonial Bank Buildings in Oamaru, until about September 1883.
England
Alexander returned to Europe, where he lived in Kensington, London, and in Paris, at 18 rue du Pré-aux-Clercs, Faubourg St Germain. He worked for the African Banking Corporation.[19]
Personal life
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In 1871 he was married in Chelsea to Latitia Marie Marguerite Dumay, daughter of the late Dr Alexandre Dumay, Professor of the Faculty of Medicine, Paris;[20] their daughter, Helen Ladoiska Elizabeth Jane Kerr, was born the same year. His sons born in New Zealand were Alexander Victor Dumay Dufferin Kerr (b 1873, Wellington), Victor Norman Dumay Kerr (b 1874, Wellington), Archibald Dumay Kerr (b 1876, Nelson), Norman Dumay Kerr (b 1882, Oamaru) and a daughter Marie Delanoe Kerr (b 1879, Otago). A further daughter, Jane Dolores Dumay Kerr, was born about 1885 in Paris.
Alexander died 17 June 1909 at Scarsdale Terrace, Kensington,[21] and is buried at St Mary Magdalen, Mortlake, with his wife and daughter Jane.
References
- ↑ "Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society XVII". Hathi Trust. 25 November 1872. p. 34.
- ↑ Glasgow Herald, 23 February 1838
- ↑ "FLORA KERR". Scottish Built Ships.
- ↑ "Kerr Alexander 21/8/1855 tinman, residing in Glasgow, spouse of Helen Shanks or Kerr. Trust Disposition and Deed of Settlement and Codicils. Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills. SC36/51/35". www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. Missing or empty
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(help) - ↑ Bradfield, R.A. (1988). Early banking in Castlemaine. pp. 9–10. ISBN 0959450963.
- ↑ "The Chewton Oriental Branch Bank". Mount Alexander Mail (1030). 28 March 1862. p. 5 – via National Library of Australia.
- ↑ "PRESENTATION TO MR KERR". Mount Alexander Mail (2517). National Library of Australia. 10 April 1867. p. 2.
- ↑ Email (2002) from Brigid Whitman (née Kerr)
- ↑ ‘Houstone, J.M. (2012). Early Australian Silver: The Houstone Collection. Halstead Press, Australia. pp. 180–181. ISBN 9781920831943.
- ↑ "Candelabrum c.1867". NGA National Gallery of Australia.
- ↑ "The National Bank of New Zealand". Evening Post (Wellington). IX (33). 21 March 1873. p. 3 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ Letter from the archivist, The National Bank of New Zealand. 10 Aug 1992
- ↑ "INTER-PROVINCIAL". Nelson Evening Mail, Volume X (91). 16 April 1875. p. 2 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "New Zealand Times". New Zealand Times, Volume XXX (4391). 16 April 1875. p. 2 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "SATURDAY APRIL 1,1876". Evening Post (Nelson) (78). 1 April 1876. p. 2 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS". The Colonist. XIX (2187). 1 February 1877. p. 3 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "Plucking the pigeons". Oamaru Mail Volume IV (954). 9 May 1879. p. 2 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "North Otago Times. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1881". North Otago Times. XXVIII (2920). 14 November 1881. p. 2 – via National Library of New Zealand.
- ↑ "The Royal Geographical Society's Year-Book and Record". Internet archive. 1898. p. 126.
- ↑ "Marriages". Morning Advertiser. 11 March 1871. p. 8 – via The British Newspaper Archive.
- ↑ "KERR". Morning Post. 19 June 1909. p. 1 – via The British Newspaper Archive.