Published on Wednesday, 20 July 2022 at 11:30:15 AM
The Scott & Gale One Pound Trader’s Note donated by Mr Richard Shepheard to the City of Greater Geraldton is one of two historic and rare Pound Notes which were auctioned in Sydney in November 1997. At the time of purchase, Mr Shepheard was very pleased to enable the Pound Note (dating from the 1870s) to successfully return to West Australian ownership. Richard is a former Midwest resident, son of Kevin Shepheard and grandson of Len Shepheard, owner of the Victoria Hotel from 1922-1948, and the Club Hotel from 1948, renamed as Shepheard’s Hotel.
The second Pound Note was purchased in 1997 by the Geraldton City Council and dates from the 1860s.
The One Pound Trader’s Notes were also known as “shinplasters”. These notes were essential to local trade in the early days of the colony, due to the shortage of coinage in circulation. The Scott & Gale Pound Notes were printed between 1858 and 1874 by English Printers, Blades, East and Blades, and measure to the same size as pre-federation notes from the same period.
A black swan is the main design element in the centre of the note, perhaps in homage to the Swan and Greenough Rivers. The design has been described as sophisticated and elegant, depicting the names of both the issuers and the region it relates to, with an air of authority and strength.
Both Pound Notes will be carefully preserved in the City’s Local History Collection at the Geraldton Regional Library. The Scott & Gale Pound Note was formally presented to Mayor Shane Van Styn by Mr Shepheard on 13 July 2022. Also present to witness the historic handover were Jeff Smith, Roy Sojan, Jeanie Sojan and John Scroop.
Photo caption: (L-R) Richard Shepheard with Mayor Shane Van Styn, City Manager Libraries, Heritage and Gallery Trudi Cornish and Coordinator Heritage Services Lorin Cox with the One Pound Trader’s Notes.
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