Participation in the CHP /MIET lecture series "Historical Bank Archives" - 5th Lecture "Collections of rare and valuable material in the Historical Archives of the Bank of Cyprus: challenges and perspectives"
Monday 26 May 2025
Center for History and Palaeography, Skouze 3, Athens, Greece
In the framework of the lecture series "Historical Bank Archives" of the Center for History and Palaeography (CHP) of MIET, the 5th lecture entitled "Collections of rare and valuable material in the Historical Archive of the Bank of Cyprus: challenges and perspectives" was successfully held. The Curator of the Bank of Cyprus Cultural Foundation, Dr. Christodoulos Hadjichristodoulou, was invited to present the work and collections of the Bank of Cyprus Historical Archives.
Dr. Hadjichristodoulou began his speech by recalling the history of the first credit institution of Cyprus, the current Bank of Cyprus Group, which began in 1899 with the establishment of the "Nicosia" Savings Bank. He stressed that the course of the Group is inextricably linked to the development of Cypriot society, as the Bank of Cyprus participates and supports every development, business and general economic activity in the country.
An important part of the speech was devoted to the development of the Historical Archive, which was established in January 2001 by decision of the Board of Directors of the Group. The advisory assistance of Gerasimos Notaras, Head of the Historical Archive of the National Bank of Greece, in the organizational aspects of the Historical Archive of the Bank of Cyprus was highlighted. It was noted that although the Bank of Cyprus Historical Archive suspended its operation in 2017, after a period of suspension, it is currently in a phase of reconstruction and reactivation. Following efforts to secure the necessary support, it was emphasised that the Archive was reopened in April 2024. This reopening is taking place in a permanent space in the historic Faneromeni building, which is the first privately owned building of the Bank of Cyprus, which, it was noted, underlines the commitment to continue the Archive's mission to preserve and promote the historical heritage of the Bank and the wider economic history of the country.
At the same time, Dr Hadjichristodoulou referred to the efforts made for the accessibility of the material to the research community and the wider public, recognizing the importance of the dissemination of historical knowledge. He also stressed the significance of highlighting the value of the documentation, making it visible and attractive through modern methods such as digital exhibitions and presentations. The aim is to make effective use of the material to highlight the economic and social history of the country.
Dr. Hadjichristodoulou acknowledged the challenges that arise, such as digitizing the analog material, managing digital data and ensuring long-term digital preservation. However, he emphasized the enormous potential for wider dissemination of knowledge and strengthening cooperation with other institutions.
The Bank of Cyprus was presented in detail as the largest financial institution in Cyprus, with 126 years of decisive role in the economic life of the country, and how the Historical Archive is a record of the economic history of Cyprus from the British rule (1878-1960) and under the Republic of Cyprus (1960-).
It was mentioned that the Archive's collections include:
Ι. Statutes and Regulations. Includes statutes and amendments thereto, as well as the regulations of branches of the Bank.
II. Administration. Includes records of the Management, Minutes of the Meetings of the Board of Directors, Supervisory Board, General Meetings, Directories and material on Members of the Board of Directors.
III. Balance sheets. Includes Balance Sheet and Accounts forms, as well as loose documents of specific accounts based on which the Balance Sheets were drawn up.
IV. Shareholders - Shares. Includes Shareholder authorizations, purchases and transfers of Shares and Shareholder Dividends.
V. Credits. Includes Customer Current Accounts.
VI. Loans. Includes Loan Discounts, Pledges of Securities and Goods and Mortgages on Real Estate.
VII. Deposits. Includes accounts of the Small Savings Bank and Registered Depositors.
VII. Treasury. Includes principally Books of the Cash Account, Movement, Diaries and Accounts Receivable, Invoices and Receipts.
IX. Transactions. Includes principally Books of Notes to be collected, Receipts Representations, Journals and Securities Receipts.
X. Correspondence. Includes Incoming and Outgoing Letters to / from Individuals, Administrative Authorities, Banks established in Cyprus and abroad, the Audit Authorities, as well as Legal Advisors.
XI. Personnel. Includes Payroll Statements, Employees' Provident Fund, Employees' Register, Recruitment Applications and Competitions, Letters of Recommendation and material for trade unions (ETUC and SYTC).
XII. Internal Service. Includes materials with codes for Safe Deposit Box Locks, for the safekeeping of Valuables and Objects.
XIII. Property. Includes Income-Expenses of Bank-owned property.
XIV. General Expenses. Includes entries for Consumables, Registration Expenses, Advertising and Subscription Entries.
XV. Branches. Includes material on the activity of the Branches.
XVI. Banks. Includes material relating to the organisation and activity of other banking institutions.
XVII. Miscellaneous. Includes material relating to the social activity of the Bank and the Endowments.
XVII. Bank of Cyprus companies. Includes companies established or acquired by the Bank of Cyprus.
Of particular interest is the archival material referring to the Bank of Cyprus or to Savings Banks or Banks that were merged or acquired by the Bank of Cyprus, such as printed material of the Savings Banks or Banks, as well as references to the daily press of the period, specifically the newspapers Alithia, Kypriakos Fylax, Neon Ethnos, Phoni tis Kiprou.
Dr. Hadjichristodoulou's speech offered a comprehensive picture of the Bank of Cyprus Historical Archive, emphasizing its historical value and the challenges it faces in the management and digitization of its archival material. Furthermore, he highlighted the opportunities for further development and dissemination of the historical knowledge encompassed by the Archive.
The visit and the lecture strengthened the ties of cooperation with Center for History and Palaeography (CHP) of MIET and highlighted the work of the Bank of Cyprus Historical Archive in the wider academic and research field.