Coutts Group of Companies Archive
The Coutts Group of Companies was founded in 1886 by Charles Coutts and handed from father to son for three generations. Charles Coutts began work as a doctor to the South Sea Islanders on Seaforth Plantation. He was later an itinerant vendor before opening a general store in Queen Street, Ayr and erecting another store in Home Hill, the town's first building. He later became a member of the Ayr Shire Council. The Coutts Group eventually expanded to a payroll of over 800 staff in the retail industry, hotel trade, machinery and finance. Some of the companies associated with the Coutts Group were:
- Coutts Pty. Ltd
- Coutts Holdings Pty Ltd
- Coutt Agencies
- BYO Stores
- C A Loan and Finance Co
- Coutts Wholesale
- Coutts (Home Hill) Pty Ltd
- Tristams (Townsville) Bottlers Pty Ltd
Name Index Index of personal names which appear in these records.
Archive Location: 344-358L
Series Listing
Financial Records
Legal Records
Property Records
Meeting Records
Stock Records
Correspondence
Miscellaneous
Detailed Listing
Financial Records
Journals: expenses, salaries, profit and loss.
COU/FIN/JOU/1 1923-1957 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/2 1929-1946 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/JOU/3 1929-1951 Vanrook Station
COU/FIN/JOU/4 1937-1955 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/5 1951-1965 Vanrook Station
COU/FIN/JOU/6 1955-1965 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/7 1957-1961 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/8 1960-1965 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/9 1961-1965 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/JOU/10 1981-1982 Queensland Stations, Miranda and Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/JOU/11 1982-1983 Queensland Stations, Miranda and Bluff Downs
Cash Books: bank credits and debits
COU/FIN/CB/1 1929-1957 Bank of NSW / Q.S.
COU/FIN/CB/2 1936-1958 CBA / Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/CB/3 1943-1959 CBA / Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/CB/4 1957-1959 Bank of NSW / Vanrook
COU/FIN/CB/5 1957-1959 Bank of NSW / Q.S.
COU/FIN/CB/6 1957-1959 CBA / Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/CB/7 1959-1961 CBA / Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/CB/8 1959-1963 Bank of NSW / Q.S.
COU/FIN/CB/9 1959-1965 Bank of NSW / Vanrook
COU/FIN/CB/10 1959-1965 CBA / Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/CB/11 1959-1972 Bank of NSW / Q.S.
COU/FIN/CB/12 1961-1965 CBA / Q.S.
COU/FIN/CB/13 1962-1965 Bank of NSW / Q.S.
Ledgers: accounts and expenses
COU/FIN/L/1 1929-1964 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/2 1929-1965 Vanrook / Strathmore
COU/FIN/L/3 1929-1985 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/4 1930-1936 Merchandise - sales / Ayr
COU/FIN/L/5 1930-1963 Vanrook / Strathmore
COU/FIN/L/6 1930-1963 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/7 1930-1965 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/8 1930-1985 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/9 1936-1937 Merchandise - sales / Ayr
COU/FIN/L/10 1937-1943 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/L/11 1940-1961 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/L/12 1943-1965 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/L/13 1946 Merchandise - sales / Ayr
COU/FIN/L/14 1956-1960 Coutts Family
COU/FIN/L/15 1959-1967 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/L/16 1960-1965 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/L/17 1967-1970 Merchandise - sales / Ayr
COU/FIN/L/18 1969-1985 Queensland Stations (Director's salaries)
Improvements books: expenses
COU/FIN/IB/1 1955-1962 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/IB/2 1958-1961 Miranda Downs
Monthly Cost Sheets: aircraft and equipment
COU/FIN/MC/1 1979-1982 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/MC/2 1980-1981 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/MC/3 1982 Queensland Stations
Station Accounts: balance sheets and final accounts (working papers) unless otherwise stated
COU/FIN/SA/1 1916-1923 Miranda Downs (wages and expenses)
COU/FIN/SA/2 1952-1965 Queensland Stations (petty cash)
COU/FIN/SA/3 1963-1965 Queensland Stations (petty cash)
COU/FIN/SA/4 1967 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/5 1968 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/6 1967 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/7 1968 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/8 1968 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/9 1969 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/10 1969 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/11 1969 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/12 1970 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/13 1970 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/14 1970 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/15 1971 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/16 1971 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/17 1971 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/18 1972 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/19 1972 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/20 1973 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/21 1973 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/22 1973 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/23 1974 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/24 1974 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/25 1974 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/26 1974 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/27 1975 Bluff Downs
COU/FIN/SA/28 1975 Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/SA/29 1975 Miranda Downs
COU/FIN/SA/30 1981 Station Accounts (invoices, account sales, etc.)
COU/FIN/SA/31 1982 Station Accounts (invoices, account sales, etc.)
COU/FIN/SA/32 1984-1985 Station Accounts (invoices, account sales, etc.)
Accountant's Reports: Coutts Holdings Pty. Ltd. and subsidiary companies
COU/FIN/AR/1-37 1924-1940 by A.W. Fadden, Hogan & Co.
COU/FIN/AR/38-71 1941-1959 by Fadden, Hogan & Co. to 1944, Fadden, Sutton & Clews to 1957, David Coutts to 1959
COU/FIN/AR/72 1971 by Hungerford, Spooner and Kirkhope
COU/FIN/AR/73 1972 by Hungerford, Spooner and Kirkhope
COU/FIN/AR/74 1973 by Hungerford, Spooner and Kirkhope
Expenditures: mainly employee salaries, group certificates and staff related expenses
COU/FIN/EX/1-18 1927-1946 salaries and wages - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/19-23 1944, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948 and 1949 Group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/24 1947, 1948 and 1949 group certificates - Coutts Agencies
COU/FIN/EX/25-31 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955 and 1956 group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/32 1953-1956 salaries and wages Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/33 1958 and 1959 group certificates, wages and compensation - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/34 1958 and 1959 salaries and wages - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/35 1959 group certificates - BYS Stores
COU/FIN/EX/36 1959-1968 staff superannuation fund file and related correspondence - Queensland Stations
COU/FIN/EX/37 1960 group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/38 1960s to 1980s staff register with pay rates in Kalamazoo Binder - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/39 1961 group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/40 1969 C.A. Loan & Finance Co. hire purchase agreement forms
COU/FIN/EX/41 1970 tax statements and group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/42 1970-1971 blank tax forms and correspondence RE: tax - Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/43 1971 tax statements and group certificates - Coutts Pty. Ltd., BYS Stores and Wholesale Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/44 1971-1972 employee tax file - Wholesale Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/45 1971-1972 employee tax file - BYS Stores and Coutts Pty. Ltd.
COU/FIN/EX/46 1971-1972 employee tax file - Tristrams
COU/FIN/EX/47 1971 blank tax forms and correspondence concerning ax
COU/FIN/EX/48 1971 blank tax forms and Taxation Act
COU/FIN/EX/49 1972-1973 expenditure cash records - Coutts Pty. Ltd. (computer printouts)
Legal Records: Share Register including correspondence, company registration papers, certificates and butts
COU/LR/1 1929 and 1959 memorandum and articles of association - Vanrook
COU/LR/2 1929-1977 memorandum and articles of association - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/3 1930-1947 share certificate book of butts - Vanrook
COU/LR/4 1933-1937 correspondence RE: shares
COU/LR/5 1937-1959 share transfers file - Queensland Stations and Vanrook
COU/LR/6 1939-1986 Seal book - Queensland Stations and Vanrook
COU/LR/7 1937-1966 share ledger and transfer journal - Bluff Downs
COU/LR/8 1948-1968 share certificate book of butts - Vanrook
COU/LR/9 1951-1958 correspondence RE: shares
COU/LR/10 1951-1964 partnership agreements and correspondence - Kidman Angliss
COU/LR/11 1952-1953 correspondence RE: shares - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/12 1952-1953 correspondence RE: shares - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/13 1952-1953 correspondence RE: shares - Vanrook
COU/LR/14 1953 share ledger and transfer journal - Bluff Downs
COU/LR/15 1953-1967 share ledger and transfer journal - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/16 1953-1967 share ledger and transfer journal - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/17 1953-1967 share certificate book and butts - Vanrook
COU/LR/18 1953-1968 share ledger and transfer journal - Vanrook
COU/LR/19 1953-1968 share ledger and transfer journal - Vanrook
COU/LR/20 1958-1974 company registration papers - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/21 1958-1975 correspondence RE: shares - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/22 1958-1986 Seal book - Bluff Downs
COU/LR/23 1959-1967 Register of Directors, Secretaries and Managers - Vanrook
COU/LR/24 1960-1961 copies of notices to registrar of companies (Vic.) - Queensland Stations, Vanrook, Bluff Downs, Kidman Angliss and Miranda Downs
COU/LR/25 1960-1964 partnership agreements and correspondence - Miranda Downs
COU/LR/26 1960-1973 share transfers and correspondence - Miranda Downs
COU/LR/27 1960-1973 share transfers and correspondence - Kidman Angliss
COU/LR/28 1960-1981 Seal book - Kidman Angliss
COU/LR/29 1961-1973 share transfer file - Queensland Stations (includes security transfer forms, copies of original scripts, correspondence and share sales)
COU/LR/30 1962-1967 Register of Directors' shareholdings - Vanrook
COU/LR/31 1964-1968 correspondence RE: shares - Bluff Downs
COU/LR/32 1968-1984 share ledger - Bluff Downs
COU/LR/33 1968-1985 share ledger - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/34 1968-1985 share ledger - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/35 1968-1985 share ledger - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/36 1968-1986 share ledger - Miranda Downs
COU/LR/37 1970s correspondence RE: Queensland Stations, Primac Holdings, MIM and Western Mining
COU/LR/38 1973 share transfers and correspondence - Queensland Stations
COU/LR/39 1975 share certificate book of butts - Miranda Downs
COU/LR/40 1982 correspondence RE: shares
Property Records: leases, occupation licenses, Lands Department correspondence, capital improvements, rental agreements and other matters relating to stations
COU/LR/PR/1 1930s pastoral leases and occupation licenses
COU/LR/PR/2 1939-1944 land tax assessments and receipts
COU/LR/PR/3 1940s pastoral leases and correspondence
COU/LR/PR/4 1950s occupation licenses, leases and correspondence
COU/LR/PR/5 1960s pastoral leases, rental agreements, maps, occupation licenses and correspondence
COU/LR/PR/6 1960s airfield operations
COU/LR/PR/7 1970s pastoral leases, correspondence, capital improvements and rental schemes
COU/LR/PR/8 1974-1975 land transfer to Queensland Stations (Kern & Gibbs) - correspondence, contracts and valuation report
COU/LR/PR/9 Register of charges (notebook)
Meeting Records: minutes
COU/MR/1 1942-1956 minutes of directors' meetings - Queensland Stations and Vanrook
COU/MR/2 1942-1957 minutes of directors' meetings and general meetings - Queensland Stations and Vanrook
COU/MR/3 1957-1976 minutes and reports - Queensland Stations
COU/MR/4 1957-1968 minutes of directors' meetings and general meetings - Vanrook
COU/MR/5 1957-1965 conference book Queensland Pastoral Interests
COU/MR/6 1957 and 1959 miscellaneous minutes
Stock Records: stock assessments returns, brands and earmarks registrations for Queensland Stations, Vanrook, Miranda and Bluff Downs
COU/STO/1 1940s stock returns
COU/STO/2 1950s stock returns
COU/STO/3 1960s stock returns
COU/STO/4 1963-1977 cattle book - Bluff Downs
COU/STO/5 1970s stock returns
COU/STO/6 1980s stock returns
Correspondence
COU/CORR/1 1940s correspondence D. Campbell and W. Angliss
COU/CORR/2 1946-1960 insurance matters - including receipts, correspondence and contracts of C.L. Coutts, D. Coutts and E.I. Coutts
COU/CORR/3 1955 travel expenses in England, C.L. Coutts
COU/CORR/4 1956, 1957 and 1958 correspondence from and to Roberts, Leu & North (Solicitors) regarding the estate of Charles Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/5 1956-1960 nine bank statements regarding Coutts Agencies, C.L. Coutts, E.J. Coutts and D.M. Coutts
COU/CORR/6 1959 correspondence from and to Roberts, Leu & North (Solicitors) regarding the estate of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/7 1950s receipts from Ayr Shire Council
COU/CORR/8 1957-1959 hospital receipts
COU/CORR/9 1950s-1960s sundry receipts
COU/CORR/10 1950s-1960s medical expenses
COU/CORR/11 1950s-1960s pharmacy accounts and receipts
COU/CORR/12 1955, 1956 and 1957 cheque book stubbs, C.L. Coutts (2 books)
COU/CORR/13 1960s papers concerning registration of Melbourne motor vehicles
COU/CORR/14 1960 correspondence to and from Robert, Leu and North regarding the estates of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/15 1961 correspondence to and from Roberts, Leu & North regarding the estates of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/16 1962 correspondence to and from Roberts, Leu & North regarding the estates of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/17 1963 correspondence to and from Roberts, Leu & North regarding the estates of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/18 1964 correspondence to and from Roberts, Leu & North regarding the estates of Charles and Evelyn Irene Coutts, plus other papers relating to personal business
COU/CORR/19 1970s correspondence regarding Mrs. McConachy's flat in Heatley and Strathmore Station
COU/CORR/20 1970s correspondence regarding aircraft registration and ownership
COU/CORR/21 1980S correspondence regarding Queensland Stations
Miscellaneous
COU/MISC/1 Stationery file containing blank copies of stationery forms 1 to 105 also some stationery order forms
COU/MISC/2 Black and white photograph, Ayr bowling green, n.d.
COU/MISC/3-6 Grazier's rules book 1936, C & N Monthly Bulletin 1977, Flik-Pruf G'tee card 1973, grocery advertisement leaflet
COU/MISC/7 Archivist's research papers concerning Coutts' cattle station holdings
