11-02-20 Bowness on Windermere

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As we have seen elsewhere in our branch network pages, Messrs Wakefield Crewdson’s Kendal Bank certainly went in for elaborate branch designs back in the 1880s.

Many, such as Carnforth and Morecambe resemble East European palaces, and another of these breathtaking - if somewhat eccentric – branch buildings is found at Lake Road, Bowness on Windermere.

You would never guess it from looking at the picture, but Martins Bank’s Branch at Bowness on Windermere stands right on the edge of a mini-roundabout, which it is sad, but true to say, no-one, but NO-ONE knows how to use!

Consequently with all vehicles expecting to be given way to, and just to make things even more difficult - a large tree in the way - crossing the road to use the branch may well involve you taking your life into your own hands.

Bowness has the air of a small seaside town, with Windermere standing in for the sea. Fish and chips, hotels and gifts shops abound, and Bowness is always bustling, whatever the time of year.

In Service: Before 1893 until 2001

1960 Bowness on Windermere Exterior view of building BGA Ref 30-343

All Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0343

The Branch is just along the road from the waterside, where cruisers and a myriad of smaller boats vie with large numbers of ducks and swans for both space and for attention from the many hundreds of tourists who descend on the town in their thousands, all year round.


Bowness on Windermere Branch is ideally placed to meet the needs of these visitors, whether it’s cashing travellers’ cheques for them or giving them directions to one of many fish and chip shops, and countless other establishments offering a somewhat different cuisine. After all, Martins go to extremes to be helpful, unlike perhaps one Bowness restaurant owner who was heard to say that the roast lamb and pork tasted the same as each other “because they were cooked in the same oven”. The things you hear whilst on holiday…

BARCLAYS BANK LIMITED

Queens Square

DISTRICT BANK LIMITED

Lake Road

MARTINS BANK LIMITED

Lake Road

MIDLAND BANK LIMITED

St Martins Square



*Mr F H Carlisle* *On the Staff* *1896*	*Mr J R Pickthall* *On the Staff* *1914*	*Mr T T Warriner* *Joined the Bank Here* *1914 to 1917*	*Mr T A Fawcett* *Manager* *1941 to 1943*	*Mr R Nicholson* *Manager* *1943 to 1954*	*Mr T B Whitehead* *On the Staff* *1945 to 1947*



*Mr M E Dixon* *Manager* *1954 to 1962*	*Mr M J M Anderton* *On the Staff* *1954 to 1956*	*Mr R Thornton* *On the Staff* *1955 to 1957*