Waterford Bank • Roberts, Roberts, Congreve • 1806–1811

[Mac]

Samuel Roberts, John Roberts, Ambrose Congreve.


Waterford Bank One Pound 1809

This note seems to have Ambrose Usher Congreve crossed out as a partner's name.

[Mac]

Here's a £3 note, 1809, with Samuel Roberts, John Roberts, Ambrose Congreve. No mention of Ambrose Usher Congreve on this one.


Waterford Bank 3 Pounds

There were several banks in Waterford in this era.

[ThePloughman]

A 2 Guineas note from this bank.

[DOC]

Here is an example of the £1 note with Ambrose Ussher Congreve as lead partner. The serial number is lower than the other example posted where he is crossed out as partner.

[Mac]

The usage of notes with a partner crossed out is interesting. A sort of overprint to make the notes usable after circumstances changed. It could be regardedas a variety.

[DOC]

Interesting to note that there is another variant for the £1 notes with the partners initials missing below the vignette to the left. The section for the date bottom left is also missing. This may be an early specimen.

[Mac]

Lots of variety for the collector here!

[DOC]

Here is yet another variant for the £1 notes, dated 2nd November 1809, with Samuel Roberts as lead partner.

[DOC]

Here is an example of an issued 1 Guinea note dated 1809 with Samuel Roberts as lead partner.

[DOC]

Here is an unissued £5 note for this partnership. This is the highest denomination seen to date.

[DOC]

The notes of this bank have attractively designed vignettes. The vignette of the £1 note is attached and shown in more detail. There are a number of elements including the Waterford Coat of Arms and City Motto, ‘Urbs Intacta Manet Waterfordia’. This translates as ‘Waterford remains the untaken city’, a motto granted to the city by King Henry VII. (https ://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterford).

[DOC]

Here is a 30 Shillings note from this partnership dated 2nd Nov.1809.

[Mac]

There were a lot of design variations on the notes of Roberts' and Congreve's Waterford Bank!
I have identified 8 varieties by design so far:

A1. 1807. £1
A2. 1809. £1. Ambrose Usher Congreve crossed out
B. 1809. Initials under vignette changed. £1 (Proof known with initials missing)
C. 1809. Modern £ symbol on top right. £1
D. 1809. 30s Initials on logo.
E. 1809. Logo symbol centered on top. Initials on shield of logo. 1G.
F. 1809. Logo symbol on left. Initials on block under logo. £3.
G. Proof. New vignette design with ship in background 2G. Initials above vignette.
H. Proof. New vignette design with ship silhouette in background £5. Initials under vignette.

The last two, G and H have been seen only as proofs — 2 Guineas pictured below and £5 note pictured in a previous post — and may have been working design alternatives.

[Mac]

Kenny and Turner (2019) have found evidence that the bank failed in 1811 rather than in 1809 as had previously been thought. No notes dated after 1809 have been seen to my knowledge.

Two partnerships:
1806. Ambrose Usher Congreve, Samuel Roberts, John Roberts, Ambrose Congreve.
1809. Samuel Roberts, John Roberts, Ambrose Congreve.

Interestingly, the prominent watermark CONGREVE on the bottom of the notes continues to be used on all notes seen after Samuel Roberts takes over as lead partner.