The Commercial Bank (1819)

Summary

The Commercial Bank was a bank founded in the year 1819 in British India. The bank was the eleventh oldest bank in India.[1]

The Commercial Bank (1819)
Company typePrivate sector
IndustryBanking, Insurance, Capital Markets and allied industries
Founded1 April 1819;
205 years ago
 (1819-04-01) as The Commercial Bank (1819)
Defunct31 March 1828 (1828-03-31)
Fatemerged with The Calcutta Bank (1824) to form The Union Bank (1828) in 1828
Headquarters
Number of locations
Bengal Presidency
Area served
India
ProductsDeposits, Personal Banking Schemes, C & I Banking Schemes, Agri Banking Schemes, SME Banking Schemes
ServicesBanking, Trade Finance

The bank was merged with The Calcutta Bank (1824) to form The Union Bank (1828) in 1828. Further, The Union Bank itself became defunct in 1848.[1]

History edit

Founding edit

The bank was established in 1819 by the British agency house of Mackintosh & Co.[2][3]

The bank played a major role in the early economic history of East Bengal and Bangladesh.[4]

Management edit

Although the bank was largely a private bank, it enjoyed patronage from the then government of India, the East India Company.[citation needed]

The bank was staffed by mostly British nationals who were drawn mainly from the East India Company.[citation needed]

The bank had most of its offices and branches in East Bengal, which is the present day Bangladesh.[citation needed]

Final Years edit

The bank lasted in business for only nine years and was finally merged with The Calcutta Bank (1824) to form The Union Bank (1828) in 1828. In 1828, there was an economic crisis which forced a Bank run on the bank and precipitated the merger with The Calcutta Bank (1824) to form The Union Bank (1828) in 1828.[1][5][unreliable source?]

The bank also issued its own currency notes in its nine years of existence.[6][unreliable source?][7][8]

The total value of the banknotes issued by the bank is estimated to be around Rupees 16 lakhs.[9][unreliable source?]

Legacy edit

The bank is notable for being the eleventh oldest bank in India.[1] It is also notable for being one of the first institutions in India to issue its own paper banknotes or currency notes.[7][8][3]

The ability of private banks to issue their own currency notes was taken away by The Paper Currency Act, 1861.[10][11]

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Reserve Bank of India - Museum". rbi.org.in. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  2. ^ https://lkouniv.ac.in/site/writereaddata/siteContent/202004051341563589anurag_sriv_History_banking.pdf Archived 27 May 2021 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ a b https://insa.nic.in/writereaddata/UpLoadedFiles/IJHS/Vol17_1_8_EGKRao.pdf Archived 16 June 2022 at the Wayback Machine [bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ "Banking in Bangladesh | Independent". m.theindependentbd.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  5. ^ Nilaish (28 March 2012). A Comprehensive Guide of Early Paper Money of India (1770-1861 A.D.): (1770-1861 A.D.). ISBN 9781469166285. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  6. ^ Nilaish (28 March 2012). A Comprehensive Guide of Early Paper Money of India (1770-1861 A.D.): (1770-1861 A.D.). ISBN 9781469166285. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b "India's First Currency Note". 5 October 2018. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Early Bank Notes | Old Currency Bank Notes | Rare Bank Notes | Mintage World". www.mintageworld.com. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  9. ^ Nilaish (28 March 2012). A Comprehensive Guide of Early Paper Money of India (1770-1861 A.D.): (1770-1861 A.D.). ISBN 9781469166285. Archived from the original on 23 February 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2022.
  10. ^ "Reserve Bank of India". www.rbi.org.in. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  11. ^ "Reserve Bank of India - Museum". rbi.org.in. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.

External links edit

  • Oldest Banks in India
  • Banking in India