History of Dumfries Savings Bank. 71 



" Rev. rieni'y Dinican an lionorary and extraordinary member for 

 life for his philanthropic exertions for the establishment of parish 

 banks in general and this society in particular." The office-bearers 

 then chosen consisted of: Governor, Sir Thomas Kirkpatrick of 

 Closebui'n, Sheriff-Depute of Dumfriesshire; depute governor. 

 Provost Gass ; trustee, D. Staig. agent in the Bank of Scotland ; 

 directors — W. Baillie, Sheriff-Substitute for Dumfriesshire ; Samuel 

 Denholm Young, Esq., of Gullyhill ; W. Thomson, Esq., of Castle- 

 dykes ; John Commelin, Esq., of Troqueer Holm, agent for the 

 B.L. Coy.'s Bank; John Staig, collector of H.M. customs; and a 

 committee ; seci'etary. Rev. Thomas Tudor Duncan, M.D. ; and a 

 paid treasurer, John Hill, accountant in the B.L. Coy.'s Bank. 

 The auxiliary fund was at once started to provide working 

 expenses, pay interest and premiums, and to aid this the New 

 Church Musical Society gave a concert. Annual subscriptions 

 were asked for both by circular and by canvas, and these con- 

 tinued until 1826, when the directoi-s thought they could dispense 

 with charity. The bank opened its books for depositors on 

 Saturday, 4th February. 1815, on which date there was lodged 

 =£8 Is; but the book states that this might have been much 

 greater had the officials not run out of receipt forms. The 

 business was conducted in the New Church Session House, and 

 continued to be carried on there until that place was rebuilt in 

 1827, when, owing- to the awkward entrance in the dark, it was 

 found verj^ inconvenient for the depositors, and the then treasurer 

 offered a room in his house in Chapel Street. The offer was 

 accepted, and a rent paid of £7 a year ; and in this place the 

 business was conducted until 1849, when the present offices were 

 built. A description of the furnishings of this office is rather 

 peculiar at the present day. The counter or telling table consisted 

 of two planks placed over a couple of barrels and lit by dip 

 candles ; so that the depositors must have seen a great change 

 when the bank was removed into its permanent home. On the 

 death of the Rev. Henry Duncan, D.D., it was resolved that a 

 memorial of him should be erected, and after consideration it was 

 decided that this should be a bank with a statue in front of it. 

 A committee was appointed to look out for a site ; and after con- 

 siderable difficulty the ground belonging- to the Hepburn Trust, 

 and occupied by Mr Dunbar as a timber yard, was purchased at a 

 cost, including transfer fees, of £176 19s, on 27th July, 1846. 



