Accounting or "In and Out" Book

[helen]

In the possession of my Late Aunty's family, were 3 "in/Out" books - from 1938, 1939 and 1941. The family had a vegetable shop - or one that was commonly known as a green grocer. Here's a page from the 1938 book. Does anyone have much information of how they were used? Or was it a New Zealand thing? The handwriting is really good - written in ink..

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[Woodson]

It is for record keeping purposes. The top half shows the date and income (cash & total) while the expenses are recorded on the bottom half. For example the first purchase was for rat poison at a cpst of $1.50.

[geoff]

Hello Helen,

Thank you for reminding me.....my grandfather's 1930/31 account books of his general store in central western NSW Australia are at the local museum. Must get a digital copy & have translated.

[helen]

Thanks Woodson - That period of time was good, as the annual turnover was over 6000 pounds. equates to average of over 100 pounds a week - when you consider that the wages were really low in those days, that was fantastic.

Geoff, were your grandfather's account books of a similar nature? The blank books were made in China, according to the stamp on them.

[geoff]

Helen, yes the chinese account books look similar. I must get some of these surviving pages. There might be accounts in english. I know my uncle had a big backyard fire where lots of papers & photos were destroyed.