Front covers of early passbooks - probably the original design applicable from 1919. The passbooks are individually printed with the name of the branch - an expensive option that was abandoned in due course. The front cover also has the depositor's account number shown, another practice that was dropped for later cover designs.

 

The title of the Bank printed on the front covers includes the word 'THE' - a format not used on future passbooks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The inside cover of the Bournville Works passbook illustrated above; transactions are dated for 1920. The 'initials' column has provision for the mark of two officers:

    'C' - presumably 'Cashier'

    'L' - presumably 'Ledger'

which would correspond with the requirement of the Bank's early Regulations that 'two or more officers of the Bank shall be parties to every transaction of the depositor, so as to form a double check on every such transaction.'

Note that the outstanding balance of 7d has been rubber stamped 'Insp S.E.B.' This is a confirmation that a Branch Inspector (in this case: S E Bennett) has compared the passbook balance with the ledger balance (see Inspection).

 

A different style of passbook was used for an account opened at Head Office in 1926.

The inside of the back cover of this Harborne branch passbook shows the limited amount of information etc that was printed in passbooks at this time; later editions (see below) carried a lot more detail. The list of Committee members etc has been obscured by two stickers.

The design of this Lozells passbook dates to about 1924 (judged by the list of branches printed in the rear cover). Although the branch name and account number are still shown on the front of the book, some of the details are rubber stamped in spaces provided for the purpose.

 

The colour of the book has been changed from pink to yellow.

This Bournville Works passbook shows transactions for the period 1939 to 1941. The majority of the withdrawal transactions are written in red ink, suggesting that this was the standard procedure until the 1940s. Additions of Annual Interest are marked with an appropriately dated rubber stamp, and the Bonus Interest paid by Cadbury Brothers to their employees is shown with another stamp (see Bournville Works branch).

 

Note that DEPOSITS are entered in 'Words and Figures', and WITHDRAWALS are entered in figures against the word 'Repaid'. The practice of using 'Words and Figures' for deposits received direct from employers was amended in 1956, and replaced with a rubber stamp.

 

During the Second World War, as an economy measure, a new passbook was not issued when an account was transferred between branches

An example of a passbook issued in 1940 (Northfield branch). The colour is still yellow, and the branch name is still being rubber-stamped on the front cover.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Following the introduction of the No 2 Department in 1957, passbooks were colour coded: yellow for the No 1 Department, and blue for the No 2 Department. The latest version still bears the Coat of Arms of the City of Birmingham.

 

A red passbook was introduced for the new Special Investment (No 3) Department from January 1st 1967.

In 1963, the interior of the passbook was redesigned to contain an extra page setting out brief particulars of the Bank's services, as shown in the following illustrations.

The inside front cover now has three boxes for the addition of cross-references:

 

   -  where the depositor also has an account

               in the No 2 Department;

 

   -  Home Safe number, where issued;

 

   -  Nomination number, where applicable.

Previously, this type of information was added by use of a rubber stamp.

The space above 'Hours of Business' was used to insert (by rubber stamp) the name and address of the branch - see Circular to Branches (below).

 

All passbooks for new accounts were pre-numbered by the Head Office Stationery Department before being issued to branches; the numbering being accomplished with a special rubber stamp device that automatically incremented a number by 1 as it was stamped on the inside front cover of the passbook.

Branches requested passbooks when completing the half-yearly Stationery Requisition, indicating the number of books required and the range of numbers to be inserted. On receipt of the books, these details were then recorded in the Branch Record Book, as illustrated (left) by Small Heath branch in August 1967. This record shows that the branch received 300 passbooks for No 1 Department accounts (numbered 70,501 to 70,800); 200 passbooks for No 2 Department accounts (numbered 4,801 to 5,000); and 100 passbooks for No 3 Department accounts (numbered 151 to 250).

In addition to New Accounts, passbooks were also required when an existing book was full of transactions (these were known as Continuation Passbooks) and when an existing passbook was reported lost or mutilated by a depositor (Replacement Passbooks). A passbook required for either of these purposes was issued from a branch's stock of 'Continuation' passbooks, each of which was identified with a unique number. In the case of Small Heath branch, in August 1967, 200 books numbered F64,601 to F64,800 have been received for use in the No 1 Department. The passbook's number, in the early years of the Bank, was stamped on the front cover (see example on left) where it must have caused confusion as early passbooks (see above) had the Account Number in this position. In later years, the number was stamped on the inside rear of the book.

Branch Instruction 7 related to the maintenance and issue of passbooks.