11-03-30 Manchester Collyhurst

Opened around 1890, Collyhurst is particularly reminiscent of the early set of “Coronation Street”. It is an original Branch of the Adelphi Bank, and makes it through the mergers with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank and the Bank of Liverpool and Martins to become part of the modern-day Martins Bank. In 1952 the renumbering of Rochdale Road changes the address of the Branch from No 646 to No 312. Similar post-war renumbering takes into account the changing face of Manchester and the effects of bomb damage and slum clearance policy. The demise of Collyhurst Branch begins with a downgrading to a status of self-accounting sub-Branch Queen’s Park.

In Service: ca. 1890 until 12 December 1969

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-1804

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

Despite there being no official reference to renumbering, Collyhurst changes address between the 1951 and 1952 editions of the Telephone Directory…

Image © BT 1951

Image © BT 1952

Then, despite surviving the threat of demolition and redevelopment, Collyhurst becomes surplus to Barclays’ requirements in 1969. In 1967 Martins Bank Magazine does another of its whistle-stop tours, this time of Manchester Branches. As you may already have seen when visiting some of the Bank’s other Manchester Branches, very little is actually written about the offices themselves. Collyhurst is no exception:

1967 03 MBM.jpg A sharp turn left at the pub and a long pause at the end of the street for a gap in the endless stream of traffic on Rochdale road, and we were on the way to the Queen’s Park trio. Collyhurst Branch, right on the fringe of the demolitions, is old bright and rambling. Though the floods get into the basement through the coalhole, the water drains away round an iron trap which leads to – what? Nobody knows or cares, because they have plenty to get on with on the ground floor…



*Mr E I Medcalf* *Joined the Bank Here* *1930 to 1936*	*Mr F Highley* *Joined the Bank Here* *1938 to 1940*	*Mr H Prime* *Clerk in Charge* *1962 to 1964*	*Mr M Bent* *Clerk in Charge* *1964 to 1967*	*Miss B F Toyne* *On the Staff* *1967*	*Mr D T Dolan* *On the Staff* *1967*



*Miss V A Kirkman* *On the Staff* *1967*	*Mr P M Richardson* *On the Staff* *1967 to 1968*	*Mr W H Florey* *Clerk in Charge* *1967 to 1969*