National Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd

This bank was formed in 1959 by the merger of Commercial Bank of Scotland and National Bank of Scotland, both of Edinburgh. The new company, National Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd, occupied a dominant position in Scottish banking with assets of some £300m and over 400 branches. It pioneered a number of innovations in Scottish banking, including a portfolio service for clients supported by specialist investment analysts; a boat bank; and a 'ladies branch', staffed by and for women. In 1964, in response to the growth of competition from the secondary banking sector, National Commercial Bank of Scotland and Schroders Ltd joined forces to provide a modern merchant banking service in Scotland, under the name National Commercial & Schroders Ltd. In 1966 National Commercial Bank of Scotland acquired the 36 English and Welsh branches of The National Bank of London. In 1969, amid constraints on bank lending, devaluation of sterling and hire purchase controls, National Commercial Bank of Scotland merged with the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Branches: At its formation in 1959 the bank had 476 branches, including 7 in England. At the time of the merger with the Royal Bank of Scotland in 1969 it was operating 437 branches, including 8 in England (in London and Berwick) but excluding the branches it owned of The National Bank Ltd.

Published histories

• 'The National Commercial Bank of Scotland', Three Banks Review, June 1969, vol.82, p.39-50
• SG Checkland, Scottish Banking: A History, 1695-1973 (Glasgow: Collins, 1975)

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of National Commercial Bank of Scotland Ltd have the reference code RB.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

Corporate records

• constitution 1959
• papers concerning the merger of National Bank of Scotland and Commercial Bank of Scotland 1957-9
• directors' meeting minute books 1959-69
• minutes of chairman's committee 1959-67
• minutes and memoranda and articles of association of nominee companies 1959-69
• papers concerning the acquisition of the English and Welsh business of The National Bank Ltd 1964-9
• papers concerning the merger with The Royal Bank of Scotland 1968-9

Financial records

• annual reports and balance sheets 1959-68
• balance books: annual 1958-68, half-yearly 1960-9
• branch profit and loss books 1959-63
• general ledgers 1959-69

Legal records

• correspondence and papers re securities over shipbuilding contracts 1959-63

Head office branch records

• lists of branches 1959-69
• branch directories 1959-69
• branch circulars 1959-69
• branch manuals 1963-4

Staff records

• appointment and retiral book 1959-69
• deed of trust and regulations of officers' pension scheme 1962
• Ramsay Lodge staff association minute book 1968
• staff magazine 1960-8

Property records

• premises registers 1959-69
• branch authorisation and expenditure book 1959-69
• expenditure ledger 1959-69
• valuation and rating book 1959-63
• agency houses and furniture books 1959-64
• branch plans and architectural drawings 1959-69
• branch photographs 1959-69
• mobile bank photographs 1959-69

Note issue records

• banknotes, proofs and specimens 1959-69
• register of notes burned 1966-71

Marketing records

• press kit re merger 1959
• night safe advertisement c.1959
• traveller's cheques instructions book 1959
• leaflets and booklets re bank services 1960-6
• press releases and presscuttings: mobile bank and boat bank 1960-2, data processing centre 1961-5
• guide to export services for business customers n.d.
• customer services leaflet 1966

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere

• Bank of England Archive: Discount office file re Commercial Bank of Scotland and National Commercial Bank of Scotland 1936-64 (Ref: C48/66); governor’s file re bank mergers, incl formation of National Commercial Bank of Scotland 1956-9, acquisition of The National Bank Ltd by National Commercial Bank of Scotland and Bank of Ireland 1965, possible merger of National Commercial Bank of Scotland with The Three Banks Group 1967 and merger of The Royal Bank of Scotland with National Commercial Bank of Scotland 1967-70 (Ref: G1/12-13, 490)
• National Library of Scotland Moving Image Archive: Cinematographic promotional film, Bank Ahead, re the boat bank 1963 (Ref: 0367)