70 History of Dumfries Savings Bank. 



Rennaisance. The stone with the two carved figures upoii it 

 might possibly, he sugg-ested, have formed part of an ancient 

 cross like that of Ruthwell. 



II. — History of the Dumfries Savings Bank. By James 

 Lennox, F.S.A.Scot. 



In 1814 the Rev. H. Duncan published a pamphlet on the 

 Parish Bank of Ruthwell, which he had founded in 1810, and in it 

 he showed the advantages the labouring classes had derived there- 

 from by causing a love of thrift. He stated that for the four 

 years they had deposited a sum of £1150, and he recommended 

 other parts of the country to follow the example of establishing 

 such banks. Edinburgh, Kelso, Inveresk, Lochmaben, all took the 

 idea up and founded banks. In December, 1814, the Society for 

 the Improvement of Sacred Music in the New Church of Dumfries, 

 considering that such an institution would benefit this parish and 

 district, asked the brother of the founder of savings banks to call 

 a meeting. Dr Thomas Tudor Duncan intimated from the pulpit 

 of the New Kirk [of which he was minister] that a meeting of the 

 public would be held there on 10th January, 1815, to consider the 

 advisability of forming a bank. I also see from the file of the 

 Courier that such a meeting was to be held. At this meeting 

 Provost Gass presided, when Dr Duncan explained the purpose of 

 their being called together, and stated that his brother was present 

 and would explain the working and advantages that had accrued 

 to Ruthwell by the establishing of the first bank. The meeting 

 thereafter voted its thanks to the Rev. Henry Duncan " for the 

 zeal and intelligence with which he had come forward to establish 

 an institution which possesses such important advantages to the 

 community, and for the luminous exposition of its principles which 

 he has made on the present occasion." The meeting appointed a 

 committee to draw up rules and report to a future meeting. It 

 included Provost Gass, three bailies, two bank agents, Dr Duncan, 

 Rev. H. Duncan, the president and clerk of the musical society, 

 and several merchants. On 30th January, 1815, the committee 

 reported and submitted a set of rules, which rules, subject to slight 

 alterations, have been those under which the bank has been con- 

 ducted until now ; and at that meeting the Dumfries Parish Bank 

 become an accomplished fact. The meeting unanimously elected 



