Mills, Bawtree and Co, Colchester and Essex

John Mills, a London tea dealer, opened a tea warehouse and coffee shop in Colchester. By 1774 he was also involved in banking and in 1787 took his cousins John and Richard Twining, who were also tea merchants, as partners. On the death of John Mills (his son-in-law) Errington joined the bank and later became a partner. In 1891 the bank stopped payment. Gurneys Round Green and Co, in conjunction with Gurneys, Alexanders and Co of Ipswich and Sparrow Tufnell and Co, offered to provide funds for the immediate requirements of customers. The branches of Mills and Co ultimately went to these three banks.

Material available at Group Archives: examples of bank notes and cheques