Scotiabank’s Saint John Main Branch celebrates 150th anniversary

While Scotiabank’s connection to Nova Scotia is well known, the Bank also has a lesser known long and historic presence in New Brunswick. This bond reached an important milestone recently when the Saint John Main Branch celebrated its 150th anniversary. 

The financial institution’s ties with New Brunswick go back even further. Before Scotiabank officially opened its doors to the public, its first Cashier (similar to COO in today’s terms) travelled the province to learn from the already well-established Bank of New Brunswick, Canada’s first chartered bank. It would eventually join forces with Scotiabank in a merger in 1913. 

Decades after Scotiabank’s founding in 1832, the opening of the Saint John branch in June of 1874 represented the first branch outside of Nova Scotia and marked an exciting interprovincial expansion into Canada, less than seven years after Confederation. At the time, Saint John was one of North America’s main trading centres, thanks in part to the booming local timber and shipbuilding industries.

Today, the Saint John Main Branch offers far more banking services compared to 1874, but the history behind the branch is an important reminder of the Bank’s longstanding connection to New Brunswick and its people. Have a look through some of the archival photos below of the Saint John Main Branch as it celebrates its 150th anniversary.
 

The earliest banks in New Brunswick mostly provided commercial services to traders and merchants, with most New Brunswickers never requiring bank services. But in the early 20^th century, personal bank accounts were becoming more commonplace. As a result of the increased focus on personal banking services and Scotiabank’s overall success in the province, the Bank had 43 branches in New Brunswick by 1920.

Interestingly, at this point in Canada, each bank was still issuing its own bank notes to customers as the Government of Canada didn’t take over this responsibility until 1935, shortly after creating the Bank of Canada.
 

Interior view of the Scotiabank Saint John Main Branch, September 14, 1964. Courtesy of the Scotiabank Archives.

Many leaders throughout Scotiabank’s history began their careers in various New Brunswick branches. For example, William Stavert (later Sir William) worked in both the Campbellton and Moncton branches (as well as Pictou, Nova Scotia) in the 1880s before leading the opening of the Kingston, Jamaica, branch in 1889, which was the first branch of any Canadian bank in the Caribbean region. In the 20th century, Horace L. Enman worked for almost two decades in Saint John as supervisor of Scotiabank’s eastern branches and would eventually become the Bank’s president in 1949 and then Chairman of the Board from 1955 to 1959.
 

Interior view of the Scotiabank Saint John Main Branch, [between 198- and 199-]. Courtesy of the Scotiabank Archives.

Continuing the tradition of New Brunswick’s central role in Scotiabank’s history, Saint John became the first place outside Halifax, Nova Scotia, to host the Bank’s Annual General Meeting, in 1996.
 

Interior view of the Scotiabank Saint John Main Branch, January 11, 1978. Courtesy of the Scotiabank Archives.

A number of ship motifs, such as the boat’s wheel seen above, can still be found in the Saint John Main Branch’s design, which pays homage to the branch’s longstanding “flagship” status in the province and the central role shipbuilding played in the province’s early growth.
 

Exterior view of The Bank of New Brunswick Saint John Head Office & Main Branch, New Brunswick, 1904. Courtesy of the Scotiabank Archives.

Originally located across the street from the Bank of New Brunswick, Scotiabank’s Saint John Main Branch would move into the building of their respected rival after the 1913 merger. While Scotiabank’s Main Branch eventually relocated to a new building, the Bank of New Brunswick’s crest was brought along and installed, serving as a reminder of the important historic relationship with “The Old Bank.”

Other significant branch anniversaries in 2024