11-12-90 Wednesbury

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The expansion of Martins Bank into the Midlands continues in 1951, with the opening of a new branch in the Market Place at Wednesbury. The building is more along traditional banking lines than some of the “showier” new branches, and reminds us of many of the Bank’s traditional offices in the North of England. It is a shame that Barclays has no need for Wednesbury, and it is closed not long after the merger. Our feature comes from the Summer 1960 edition of Martins Bank Magazine, when a full visit is made to Wednesbury.

Boomtowns of the Industrial Revolution…

1960 02 MBM.jpg

Snow had been falling for some hours on the day of our visit to Wednesbury, and a thick slush lay everywhere. The place was definitely not looking its best.

The towns in the Black Country are so close together that it is difficult for a stranger to tell where one ends and another begins.

In Service: 1951 until 10 September 1971

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3101

1960 Wednesbury Staff MBM-Su60P39.jpg We left the train at Wolverhampton and we have no clear idea as to the point of division between Wolverhampton, Bilston, Darlaston, Walsall, Wednesbury and West Bromwich, these boom towns of the Industrial Revolution. There is this difference, however: Wednesbury alone has history and background beyond the nineteenth century. It was a place of some importance in Anglo-Saxon times and was a fortified place in the kingdom of Mercia. It is mentioned in the Domesday Book, suffered during the Civil War and was the scene of rioting in 1744 when John Wesley was assaulted by a mob. From the seventeenth century, however, its history is bound up with the industrial growth of the district, though coal has been mined there since Saxon times. The easily worked coal seams in the centre of the Black Country are now practically exhausted and no coal is mined in Wednesbury to-day. The town is the home and birthplace of the tube trade but a great variety of industries flourish there, light and heavy engineering from bridge building and the manufacture of railway rolling stock to bolts, nuts and taps. The oldest thing to survive from the past is part of the old Parish Church which dates from the twelfth or thirteenth century. So much for the place. Our branch was opened by Mr. F. G. Armstrong who now manages our Newcastle (Staffs) office.

Mr. T. Jobling is the second manager and from the foundations laid by his predecessor he has worked hard and built up a thriving business. Mr. Jobling served in the Royal Navy and is thoroughly imbued with the traditions of the Service. Although our visit was of a social nature and not in any sense an inspection, he had paid us the compliment, which did not pass unnoticed and pleased us mightily, of having the exterior paintwork, fascia and hanging sign washed for the occasion and inside and out the branch was as clean as a new pin.

We were not a little pleased, too, at the sense of occasion which obviously pervaded the staff. They were glad to see us, pleased to know that it was their 'turn' to be featured in our pages and obviously proud of their branch. We noted with pleasure that a number of accounts have been brought to the branch by the personal efforts of the staff, including the girls, which speaks highly of the esprit de corps prevailing and for the enthusiastic leadership of the manager.

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3101

During the course of our visit we had the great pleasure of being received into the home of Mr. and Mrs. Jobling—a gracious home full of character.Mrs. Jobling was born in Mysore State, India, and their possessions include some choice pieces of Indian furniture, silver and brassware. Mr. Jobling is a Novocastrian who commenced his career at Newcastle City Office in 1934, subsequently serving at North Shields, Clayton Street and Coatsworth Road, Gateshead. He served in the Royal Navy from 1939-1946 in various ships, his last one being H.M.S. Howe, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3101

He received two major injuries, each in the loss of a ship in which he was serving. He has been a Reserve Officer for over 22 years and now holds the appointment of Birmingham District Officer of the Sea Cadet Corps. He was appointed Clerk in Charge at Team Valley Trading Estate in 1950, Pro Manager at King Street, South Shields, in 1954 and Manager at Wednesbury in 1955. Second in Command is Mr. A. A. Tracy who entered the Bank in 1938 at Leicester where he remained until this year, apart from two years on District Office Relief Staff. He, too, is a Navy man, having served for six years, mainly at sea, during the Second World War, and visiting many parts of the world. For a time he served the Chief of Staff to the Rear Admiral Commanding Aircraft Carriers, Home Fleet, in a secretarial capacity and was subsequently on the staff of the Rear Admiral, Aircraft Carriers, East Indies Station. Mr. B. J. Dale is a member of the Relief Staff stationed at Wednesbury. During his National Service he became a sergeant with the R.A.O.C., and is very interested in all forms of sport.

The two regular girl cashiers are Miss P. E. Hope who has been in the Bank for nearly four years and Miss A. Durrell who entered the Bank in 1958. Mr. W. J. Turner entered the Bank from St. Chad's College last year. The youngest member of the staff is Miss Wendy Lloyd who has only been in the Bank a few months. She is studying for a teaching diploma in elocution and is also keen on fencing and horse riding.


	Wednesbury was still a fine looking building in 2014, when Martins Colleague, and our Midland branches sleuth Keith Mason took the contemporary colour image. Slight changes to the first and second floor windows, otherwise still appealing and, still in use by a financial institution as at November 2024.
Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3101		Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections – Keith Mason 2014



*Mr J E Davies* *On the Staff* *1953*	*Mr B W Evans* *On the Staff* *1955 to 1957*	*Mr T Jobling* *Manager* *1955 to 1961*	*Mr A A Tracy* *Branch Second* *1960*	*Miss A Durrell* *On the Staff* *1960*	*Miss Wendy Lloyd* *On the Staff* *1960*



*Mr B J Dale* *On the Staff* *1960*	*Miss P E Hope* *On the Staff* *1960*	*Mr W J Turner* *On the Staff* *1960*	*Mr C B Heaton* *Manager* *1961 to 1965*	*Mr D E Lewis* *Manager* *1965 onwards*	*Mr M V Weare* *Limited Authority* *1965 to 1965*



*Mr D B Kethero* *Limited Authority* *1965 to 1968*	*Mr Ken Legan* *Pro Manager* *1968 to 1969*