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 Martins Bank opens a sub-Branch at The Earls Court Exhibition in
September 1937, but it doesn’t stay open very long. Just two years after this office is
unveiled – and almost to the day – Britain is at war, and the Earls Court
site is requisitioned for the manufacture of barrage balloons! All thoughts of shows and exhibitions have
to be put on hold, and the Branch has to close. During its short life as a
sub-Branch to Kensington High Street, Earls Court Exhibition Branch provides
a counter service – described as “all classes of Banking business” – which is
available during exhibition opening hours.
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In Service: 20 September 1937 to June 1939
Image
© Northcliffe Media Limited Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY
BOARD
Image reproduced with
kind permission of The
British Newspaper Archive
Image © Barclays 1938
(Note: The Bank places the
Exhibition in S.W.5., but the G.P.O. says it is in S.W.6.!)
Image
© BT 1938
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The Bank’s presence at
Earls Court stems from its desire to be first, and to attract the business of
the movers and shakers in industry, science and technology. The involvement of Martins Bank with
trade stands, shows and exhibitions begins in 1929 when a similar branch is
operated for six months at the North East Coast Exhibition. In the 1950s and 1960s the Bank produces
a number of imaginative stands showcasing its services at venues up and
down the land. As many of these are
staged at Earl’s Court, it seems like the Bank never really went away from
this hub for the ideas of tomorrow. You can read more about this on our TRADE STANDS
page. We can find no images of
Earls Court sub-Branch, and if you have information about the exhibition
site between 1937 and 1939, or images or information about any of Martins
Bank’s 1000 Branch buildings, please do get in touch with us at the usual
address martinsbankarchive@btinternet.com.
In later years, Earl’s Court Exhibition Centre re-opened and Martins
Bank did attend a number of trade shows, with its specially constructed
mini-branches…
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1962 Radio Show – Image ©
Martins Bank Archive Collections
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1969 International Boat
Show – Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections
The small flags at the
front of the Bank’s stand at the International Boat Show have been arranged
to spell out “Martins go to extremes to be Helpful”, one of the last-known
uses of that particular advertising strapline...
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