Standard Bank 1862 tot 1940 : 'n kultuurhistoriese kontekstualisering van die metafisiese en verbandhoudende kultuurkomponente

Abstract

Ekonomiese groei, wat hoofsaaklik met die wolbedryf in verband gestaan het, het die beskikbaarheid van bankdienste in die Oos-Kaap van Suid-Afrika teen die tweede helfte van die 19de eeu genoodsaak. Standard Bank het in 1862 tot stand gekom, met hoofkantoor in Londen en die eerste tak en Suid-Afrikaanse hoofkantoor in Port Elizabeth. John Paterson was die eerste bestuurder en is in 1865 opgevolg deur Robert Stewart as eerste hoofbestuurder. Hierdie kultuurhistoriese studie handel oor die tydperk tussen 1862 en 1940. Die nalatenskap van slawerny, die Difaqane en ander interne konflikte was vormgewende faktore. Koloniale onderwerping was aan die orde van die dag: stuk vir stuk is dele van die sub-kontinent onder Britse beheer gebring. Dit het deel gevorm van die omgewing waarbinne die bank bestaan het. Dit was die oogmerk van die bank om nie net 'n plaaslike bank in Port Elizabeth te wees nie maar takke te open waar Brittanje ookal in suidelike Afrika die gesag gevoer het. Verskeie plaaslike banke is oorgeneem en/of nuwe banktakke is gestig. 'n Groot deel van die personeel het van Brittanje gekom en Britse gebruike saamgebring. 'n Eiesoortige korporatiewe kultuur het ontstaan. Aanpassing by die weer en klimaat, sowel as 'n vreemde kultuur en taal, was moeilik vir buitelanders. Kultuurskok is ervaar. Akkommodasie was moeilik verkrygbaar. Geboue is gehuur, gekoop of gebou. Simboliek en metafisiese (nie-tasbare) dimensies was aan alle aspekte van die bank se geboue en ander kultuurkomponente soos die bank se implemente en hulpmiddels, vervoermiddels en kleredrag, verbonde. Die geboue was verteenwoordigend van die tydsgees en die gepaardgaande westerse argitektuurstyle. Die opening van elke banktak het 'n invloed gehad op die plaaslike omgewing, nog meer so as 'n nuwe gebou opgerig is. Die verhouding tussen die bank en die omgewing was een van wedersydse beïnvloeding. Die ontdekking van diamante en goud het 'n groot ekonomiese omwenteling en vinnige verstedeliking veroorsaak. Onaangename en ongesonde toestande het in myndorpe geheers. Struikrowers en wilde diere het gevare ingehou tydens reise en bankrowe het voorgekom. Beperkte spoorverbindings het aanvanklik bestaan. Vervoer was afhanklik van ossewaens, poskoetse en ander voertuie deur diere getrek. Paaie, brûe en algemene kommunikasiemiddele was ontoereikend. Die bankwese is op vertroue gegrond en benodig stabiliteit. Onluste, oproer en militêre konflikte was nadelig vir die bank. Personeeltekorte het ontstaan en die bank is gedwing om dames in diens te neem. Die bank het 'n voorskriftelike interne bestuurstelsel gehad in die tydperk van 1962 tot 1940 en streng dissipline is gehandhaaf. Hierdie studie kontekstualiseer die tasbare en nie-tasbare dimensies van die bank en toon die noue verband van al die bank se komponente met die komplekse en dinamiese omgewing waarbinne dit ontstaan het en moes funksioneer. Economic growth in the Eastern Cape, mainly associated with the wool industry, created a need for banking services in the second half of the 19th century. Standard Bank was established in 1862 with its head office in London and its South African head office in Port Elizabeth. John Paterson was the first manager and was succeeded by Robert Stewart in 1865, who became general manager. This cultural historical study deals with the period between 1862 and 1940. The legacy of slavery, the Difaqane and other internal conflicts were still evidenced and being felt at the time. Colonial submission was the order of the day. This comprised the environment in which the bank was established. It was Standard Bank's aim from the outset to become a regional bank. Several local banks were taken over and incorporated and new branches of the Standard were established. The majority of the members of the personnel came from Britain and brought their customs with them. A Standard Bank corporate culture took root and grew. Personnel from abroad found it difficult to adjust to the African climate, a foreign language and culture. Accommodation was difficult to obtain. Buildings were rented, purchased or constructed. Symbolism and metaphysical (intangible) dimensions formed part of all aspects of the bank's buildings and other cultural components. Buildings were representative of western architectural styles. The opening of each branch of the bank had an influence on its local environment and even more so when a new building was constructed. The relationship between the bank and the environment was reciprocal: each one influenced the other. The discovery of diamonds and gold created major economic changes and contributed to urbanization. Conditions in mining towns were unpleasant and unhealthy. Highway robbers and wild animals made travel unsafe and the bank was the victim of bank robbers. Limited railways existed and transportation was dependent upon animal-drawn vehicles. Roads, bridges and general communication infrastructure were almost non-existent. Banking was founded on trust and requires stability. Unrest, riots and military conflict had a detrimental effect on the bank. Shortages of personnel arose, forcing the bank to employ lady clerks. The bank had a conservative management policy between 1862 and 1940 and strict discipline was enforced. This study contextualizes the tangible and intangible dimensions of the bank and outlines the close relationship of all the bank's components with the complex and dynamic environment in which it was created and had to exist and function.