The growth of Glen Innes from 1870 owed much to the assistance given by successive building societies, enabling people to build or buy their own home.
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In 1908 a Starr Bowkett No.1 society was formed and built up funds which enabled £20,000 to be lent to build 100 houses over 12 years from the weekly contribution of 1/-.
By 1922 the No.2 Starr Bowkett Society had already distributed £2,700 to 10 members.
The U K Starr-Bowkett Society was "a co-operative, non-profit financial institution operating on the principle of mutual self-help and provided interest-free loans to its members".
It was popular in Australia from the late 19th century until the early to mid-20th century but no longer exists.
The Examiner of July 27, 1926 wrote: "Who can tell what Glen Innes suburbia owes to Starr Bowkett, - the incentive to personal thrift on one hand and encouragement to town improvement.
"The first Society built over 200 houses and when after 13 years it was liquidated according to law, it repaid its members in full with a fine dividend to boot..."
"It had distributed nearly £20,000 to home owners, half without any interest whatever. Visitors comment on the good class of residence."
In July 1930 No. 3 Starr Bowkett Society was formed with £50,000 in advances.
Owing to the depression however, many people were slow to take up shares and this was the last recorded Starr Bowkett in Glen Innes.
Building Society No.1 was formed in 1937 with Messrs W E Lightfoot, A H Freak, S L Baker, W J Watson, and C H Wood ( Town Clerk) and the following year the Bank of NSW made £25,000 available to them.
Twenty one years later the war and building restrictions having intervened, Building Society No.2 was formed with Messrs P C Cloonan, R H Fayle, H G Sheldon, A.M. Crotty, and Dr B A Cuthbert with provisional secretary Milton Aggs.
Later George Kelly, George Priest and Aub Miller took over from Dr Cuthbert and Peter Cloonan.
Society No 7 opened in July 1971 with capital of £100,000. The five previous societies had provided advances totalling $568,960 for 86 homes.
In June, 1927, the Society had an allocation of $110,000 for the coming year and were hopeful that they could provide finance for at least 20 homes.
