Summary

Alternative Name(s): Cashbook, Household Accounts Book

Hard-cover petty cash book used 1926-1953, originally owned by Mamie Welshman of 49 Kinkora Road, Glenferrie, Melbourne. Hand-written in pen. The book includes day-to-day purchase list for several months, total expenditures, and records of regular payments to a Mrs Slattery, possibly the housekeeper, as well as to traders such as the baker.

A hand-written note in the book suggests that it relates at least in part to the expediture of three sisters, and possibly also to their brother Arthur. He is listed at this address in 1924-1928. (The same hand that wrote Mamie's name at the beginning of the book appears to have written the expediture records for 1926 and 1927.)

Emma Mary 'Mamie' Kerr Welshman was born in 1901 to John and Mary Welshman. She was the third of five children, four of whom survived into adulthood. The eldest, Arthur James Butler Welshman, served with the Australian Flying Corp during World War I. He returned to Australia in 1919. Arthur re-enlisted during World War II. The three sisters, Mamie, Evelyn and Rachel ('Rae'), appear to have lived together and all three travelled to the United Kingdom twice - once in 1929 and again in 1933. During one of these visits Mamie met Thomas Predergast and the couple eventually became engaged; however, they did not marry until 1946 due to the outbreak of World War II. Mamie died in England in 1990. Evelyn also married, while Rae appears to have remained single.

Physical Description

Hard cover petty cash book with 138 lined pages, approximately 80 of which have been used, hand-written in pen. The front cover has a printed label inscribed 'CASH BOOK' with the word 'Petty' inserted by hand at the top of the label. The front page has the name and address of 'Mamie Welshman.' The book begins with yearly expediture summaries for June 1926 until December 1927 with associated page numbers. The subsequent pages provide a day-to-day purchase list for each month. At the end of each monthly entry is that month's total expediture. The book also records regular payments to a Mrs Slattery, possibly the housekeeper, as well as to traders such as the baker. By 1928 the hand-writing and the accounting system changes. Under the new system expeditures are listed according to general groups - 'Baker', 'Greens', 'Butcher' and 'Sundries' - as well as by the day of the month. This system appears to have been used only for the month of February 1928. The book concludes at this date save for a single page where expeditures for August 1953 are recorded in the original hand, using the original accounting system. A desk calendar page for March 9/10 of an unspecified year is included at page 40.

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