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The first female shareholders of the bank of New South Wales: Examination of shareholdings in Australia's first bank, 1817-1824

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  • Leanne Johns

Abstract

This paper examines female shareholdings in Australia's first bank, the Bank of New South Wales. Existing descriptions of colonial women have portrayed them generally as domestic servants, farmhands, prostitutes or wives and mothers, rather than as businesswomen or investors. But by 1823 the number of female shareholders represented 31 per cent, almost one-third, of total shareholders. Nevertheless, it seems that women were unable to take advantage of this potentially powerful position. Although they were allowed proxy votes, these could only be exercised by male shareholders. Thus, male shareholders acquired extra voting power through use of female shareholders' proxies, and seemingly employed the extra votes particularly when there were crucial or 'political' decisions to be made.

Suggested Citation

  • Leanne Johns, 2006. "The first female shareholders of the bank of New South Wales: Examination of shareholdings in Australia's first bank, 1817-1824," Accounting History Review, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 293-314.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:acbsfi:v:16:y:2006:i:2:p:293-314
    DOI: 10.1080/09585200600756308
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    Cited by:

    1. Graeme G. Acheson & Gareth Campbell & Áine Gallagher & John D. Turner, 2021. "Independent women: investing in British railways, 1870–1922," Economic History Review, Economic History Society, vol. 74(2), pages 471-495, May.
    2. Leanne Johns & Simon Ville, 2012. "Banking Records, Business And Networks In Colonial Sydney, 1817–24," Australian Economic History Review, Economic History Society of Australia and New Zealand, vol. 52(2), pages 167-190, July.
    3. Acheson, Graeme G. & Campbell, Gareth & Gallagher, Áine & Turner, John D., 2018. "Independent women: Shareholders in the age of the suffragettes," QUCEH Working Paper Series 2018-09, Queen's University Belfast, Queen's University Centre for Economic History.

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