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This beautiful drawing by S Crawford, is printed
in the French magazine “L’Architecte” in 1914. It shows the newly completed
façade of Martin’s Private Bank in Bromley, designed by Architect Ernest
Newton. The image underneath the drawing, shown here with the kind
permission of London Metropolitan Archives, shows the same Branch in 1968
following a further revamp of the entrance doors and windows. The joining
together of the Grasshopper and the Liver Bird brings with it not only
large and useful premises at 68 Lombard Street, and the chance to REBUILD THEM, but also many
of the branches in London and the South East that are still open today. Martins Bank’s policy on expansion is
tempered by its commitment to consolidation, and from the 1930s onwards it
is common to see the addition of branches in parts of the country that
already have a good scattering of outlets.
This helps to plug some gaps, and to ensure that the Bank is seen on
as many high streets as possible, at a time when the local bank is more or
less the only way to access cash from your account.
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In earlier times, Martin’s Private Bank is
able to blaze a trail through many of England’s South-Eastern towns, and
thus by being ahead of the competition, generate a bigger and stronger
business through familiarity. Bromley is one of ten or so Kentish branches,
a figure that rises to nearly thirty during the life of the modern-day
Martins Bank. Martins Private Bank arrives to set up shop in Bromley in
1887.
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In Service: 1 January
1888 until 12 December 1969
Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections
Image © London Metropolitan Archives Ref
150516 used under licence
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The
original branch of the Bank was at 106 Widmore road, a lease was taken on
13 December 1887 between the Misses Woods and Others, and Martin and
Company. The
branch remained at these premises until 1899. An agreement on the 22
December 1896 details the sale of a piece of land in Bromley from the Reids
Brewery Co. Limited. Work shortly followed on the design of new
branch premises. Barclays Group Archives has a receipt dated the 1st
April 1898 in the sum of £50 for architects fees for the new premises in
the High Street. An insurance certificate dated 5 April 1899 gives a date
of occupation of the new premises. In August 1967 temporary premises
– comprising ground floor, basement AND lavatory(!) - are taken at 31
Widmore Road Bromley, and the office at 179 High Street is gutted and
re-designed/built. A sub-Branch is opened by the Bank of Liverpool and Martins Bank at
Bickley from 1923 to 1928. From the surviving images of the interior of
Bromley Branch following the 1968 re-fit, we can see that bandit screens
are now being fitted as standard. This is the sad consequence of armed bank
raids whichhave increased in number into the 1960s. Protecting the staff of
the bank is paramount, yet thins must come at the expense of face to face
customer contact…
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Images © Barclays Ref 0033-0111
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For our Bromley Branch features, we look at the
retirements of two members of the staff reported as usual by Martins Bank
Magazine. The second one takes place in 1969, and we find that although a
farewell party is held for him, it is the wish of Manager Mr Howard that
no-one should make a speech or offer a retirement gift paid for by
colleagues. Note the interesting choice of words by Martins Bank Magazine,
citing Mr Howard’s “individualism” as the reason.
First of all we say goodbye to Mr K J Munro who
retires from his role of Pro Manager ten years earlier, in 1959. At
thirty-nine years, his length of service is actually considered quite short
– many Martins Bank Managers have retired after an amazing forty-six years!
That’s an awful lot of nine-to-five to get through in your lifetime, and
many go on to enjoy two or more decades of retirement, drawing of course
from that all important final salary scheme Bank pension…
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  A
large gathering of friends assembled at Bromley branch to mark the occasion
of Mr. Munro’s retirement on 31 August. Among some fifty guests invited by
Mr. Munro to an excellent cocktail party at the branch it was delightful to
see in sparkling health one of our oldest pensioners, Mr. H. Q. Atkinson,
now in his eighty-third year. It was also nice to welcome Mr. F. Gillham,
Assistant Staff Manager (London District); Mr. W. H. Kinghorn, previous
manager at the branch, and eight branch managers from the Kent and London
branches. Mr. Munro
entered the Bank at Sidcup in 1920 and served at Sidcup, Orpington, Bromley
and Maidstone before his first appointment as Clerk in Charge at Maidstone
in 1930.
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He became Pro Manager at
Swanley in 1932 and Pro Manager at Bromley in 1938. He served in London
District Office in 1941. Mr. J. A.
Howard (Manager, Bromley), made the presentation on behalf of the
subscribers of a television set, a case of wines (not to be broached until
arrival at the new cellar) and a cheque. Mrs. Munro was presented with a
bouquet of roses. Mr. Munro is retiring to
a small village, Slindon, in the heart of Sussex where we wish him every
happiness.
Time flies
and Mr Munro’s successor, Mr Howard, is now also ready to retire after his stint as Manager of Bromley
Branch…
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40 years’ service
and still an
individualist…
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As ever, John Howard
remained an individualist by specifically forbidding any presentation or
speech making at his farewell party on 25 June. Those present, over 100 colleagues and friends,
signed a commemorative book to form a memento of the occasion and a few
days later an inscribed silver cigarette box was presented to him from
staff who had worked with him at Bromley.
A native of Cheshire, Mr
Howard had been in the  London
District since his return from war service. He was appointed Manager at
Holloway Road in 1954 and at Bromley in 1958, from where he retired after
nearly 40 years’ service. A keen
yachtsman and follower of rugby football and cricket, he intends to
continue these interests in his retirement.
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Image © London Metropolitan Archives Ref
150516 used under licence
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