Pretor, Pew & Co

Pretor, Pew & Co (c.1740-1843), established in Sherborne, is a past constituent of NatWest.

Brief history

This private bank was established in about 1740 as Simon Pretor & Co. It was styled Pretor, Pew, Whitty & Pretor in 1792 and Pretor, Pew & Whitty in 1797. Simon Pretor and Samuel Whitty were postmasters and Richard Pew was a surgeon. It was also known as Sherborne & Dorsetshire Bank. The firm's partners and name changed several times and in 1843, when known as Pretor, Pew & Co, it was acquired by National Provincial Bank of England.

Detailed list of name changes

  • Simon Pretor & Co. from c.1740
  • Pretor, Pew, Whitty & Pretor in 1792
  • Pretor, Pew & Whitty in 1797
  • Pew, Whitty & Gill by 1812
  • Pretor, Pew, Whitty & Chandler by 1820
  • Pretor, Pew & Chandler by 1821
  • Pretor & Chandler by 1839
  • Pretor, Chandler & Penny by 1840
  • Pretor, Pew & Co by 1843

Also known as Sherborne & Dorsetshire Bank.

Summary of our archive holdings

Our archival records of Pretor, Pew & Co have the reference code PEW.

For help understanding words used here, check our glossary of banking record types (PDF 68 KB).

  • cash book 1773-6
  • banknotes 1792
  • ledger 1793-1824
  • letterbook 1794-1805
  • plan of Simon Pretor’s estate 1798
  • receipt 1813

Summary of archive holdings elsewhere

  • Dorset History Centre: cash book of Simon Pretor 1773-6, personal ledger 1793-1824, letterbook 1795-1804 (Ref: MIC/R/12)