March 25, 1905
The British Mortgage and Loan Co., Market St., Stratford, was offering 4% loans.

Western Bank of Canada
January 12, 1905. The Tavistock Gazette reports:
     The bank is now an established fact. The doors opened for business on Monday,January 9th with Mr, Charles A Fox, lately of New Hamburg, as interim manager and Mr. B.D. Burn of Midland as teller. Mr. A.M. Panton, barrister, had his office every Tuesday over the bank (32 Woodstock St. S.)

Mr. Allan Steckle was manager in September 1902, and still listed as such in March, 1905. He was then advertising interest of 3% on all deposits of $1 and over.

On October 19, 1905 Mr.A.N. McMillan took over as manager and was still such on June 4, 1908. He was transferred to Bowmanville.

The Canadian Graphic of 1905 reports: Tavistock is well supplied with banking facilities. The western Bank of Canada opened a branch in town in 1899. The interior of the bank's premises is quite elaborate, being finished in hardwood and having grill work of oxydized copper and metallic ceiling, The premises are heated by hot water. It has the latest improved burglar-proof safe and fire-proof vault. The genial and popular manager, Mr.A.N. McMillan, M.E. entered the bank's service in 1897 after graduating from the School of Practical Science, Toronto University and went from the head office of the bank at Oshawa, to Tavistock. He is the osn of the general manager of the Western Bank, Mr. F.H. McMillan of Oshawa. Under his management the local bank's business has been specially catered to and every convenience offered, the local business has not been neglected. The Western Bank is a strong financial institution with a representative Board of Directors, and its earnings amount to 18% of its capital. The capital is never invested in all loans, the readily convertible assets at all times being at least 50% of total assets. The staff at the Tavistock branch is composed of Mr. Lorne A. McTavish, teller and accountant and Mr. Gifford King, ledger-keeper both being experts at their work.

The Standard Bank advertisement in the Tavistock Gazette of June 2, 1910 lists Lorne A. McTavish as manager.

June 16, 1910
     - Lou Swain of Blackstock
     - Elmer Staebler of Midland returned to replace J.C. Hendreson of Bright
June 30, 1910
     - Elmer Staebler to Lajord, Sask.
     - J. G. McKeown from Midland
July 7, 1910
     - Fred Russell to replace Staebler
August 18, 1910
     - L.A. McTavish mgr, with H,.W, Herner(local goalie)
December 1, 1910
     - Austin Hahn leaves G.T.R, to join Bank Staff.
February 9, 1911
     - R. Temple from Halbrite, Sask. Formerly on staff
June 8, 1911
     - C.A. McLean of Innerkip, new jr.
June 22, 1911
     - W. Livingston, formerly on staff paid a visit
August 3, 1911
     - H.W. Herner still here
January 18, 1912
     - H.W. Herner moved to Parkdale
     - Austin Hahn moves up and John Henderson of Bright added.
March 14, 1912
     - Staff included P.J. Benn of Bright; John A. Rose of Ailsa Craig and L. Marwood Swain with quarters above the bank. Mr. Swain had been on the staff for 5 years; and on June 20 was transferred to Oshawa.
July 18, 1912
     - Lorne A. McTavish, mgr.
     - J. Arthur Hawkshaw (Lucan)
     - Austin E. Hahn
     - J. Harvey Stanley
     - Carl W. Loth (d. Vancouver 1967)

In 1935, the staff had Jim Steinhagen, Donald Bleeker and A.L. Tolhurst, the lst of whom had come to replace Art Roth on January 17.

Since that amalgamation the managers have been: Wm. Campbell, Mr. Dougherty, Ed. Platt, Victor Appel, Hugh Robbins, Cam Broomfield. During the latter's incumbency the Bank of Commerce and the Imperial Bank joined forces to set up the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in 1961, with quarters on the same stand. Mr. Harry Gardner, the son of Miss Helen Hunt a teacher on our staff in 1912, is now the popular manage with this staff: Mrs. Barbara Ken, Mrs. Marlene Makins, Mrs. Audrey Weston, Mrs. Barbara Hallam, Mrs. Barbara Matthies.

The Traders Bank
     - from the Tavistock Gazette files
October 25, 1906
     - officials looked over the ground with a view to establishing a branch.
March 12, 1908
     - Mr. J.A. Flath was manager of a branch in the Alles Block
May 20, 1909
     - Neil McVicar was acting manager in the absence of E. Kastner.
June 9, 1910
     - Mr. Fred Eckstein gave the exterior a new coat of paint.
November 5, 1910
     - Mr. J.A. Rowland of Collingwood replaced Kastner, of Sebringville, who was shifted to Mr. Forest; he became treasurer for the village.
November 17, 1910
     - the rumour that the bank was to close its doors was denied by the arrival of the new manager and his notice to this effect.
January 5, 1911
     - Lorne W. Appel joins the staff. R.M. Krug is relieved by J.C. Atkins during his illness.
March 2, 1911
     - J.A. Rowland goes to Collingwood and leaves R,M. Krug in charge here.
October 26, 1911
     - J.A. Rowland payws a vsit to Newcastel, his hometown.
January 18, 1912
     - Lorne Apel to Stoney Creek, replaced by Stan McDermott
April 11, 1912
     - A. Finlayson of Glencoe is replaced by C.B. Greig ofArthur, after a stay of five months.
May 2, 1912
     - The Traders Bank, which has joined the Royal Bank has eight branches in the County of Oxford at: Brownsville, Innerkip, Norwich, Otterville, Tavistock, Thamesford, Tillsonburg, Woodstock.
July 18, 1912
     - The Traders Bank is still functioning but the Gazette carries an advertisement of the Royal Bank below that of the Traders Bank
August 8, 1912
     - This issue carries the last advertisement along with the resignation of J.A. Rowland, who joins the Royal Bank at Galt.

The Bank of Montreal
Some time before 1920 this bank had a branch in the Lemp Block, 14 Hope St. W. for the manager, Mr. A. J.Collins is enrolled that year as a new member in the Bowling Club, as likewise is his rival Mr. H.H. Ried of the Standard Bank. He is succeeded by Mr. Frank Haney and Mr. Henry Becker, who took an active part in the Old Boys' Reunion of 1930.

Originally the bank had its quarters in the Bricker Block, north of the Arlington Hotel. With Mr. Collins, who lived in the Hilcox House on William St. N, was a Mr. Woods. Two other teller's Bill Charters and Mr. Wilkins, saw service here. The bank ceased operations here in 1933.

FRED KRUG'S NEW BLOCK
On the left is the post office; the middle door opens onto a stairway to the second story with the Bank Hall on the left, and quarters for a staff member of the bank below. There used to be a peep-hole in the floor that made the front of the vault easily visible from above, as a safety measure. These quarters alter housed the activities of legal and dental personnel, Dr. W.O. Kaufman in particular. On the second story the forerunner of the library, the Mechanics Institute, had its quarters in 1902. Note the iron tie-post in the bottom right corner and the tie-blocks in front of the Post Office.