11-17-30 Crook

The North Eastern Banking Company opens a branch at Crook in 1897. County Durham has the largest number of branches – ninety-two - in the North Eastern District.

In Service: 20 April 1897 until 31 December 1971

Elsewhere, in county terms, only Lancashire and Yorkshire have more, with around one hundred and thirty each. We have yet to find an interior or exterior photograph of Crook Branch, and if you can help with images or information about this or any of the 1000+ buildings which served as branches of Martins Bank between 1928 and 1969, please do get in touch with us at the usual address: gutinfo@btinternet.com , or find us on Facebook® – Martins Bank Archive – and send us a message. For our Crook Branch feature, we say farewell to Mr G H Bennett who joined the North Eastern Banking Company in the year that it merged with the Bank of Liverpool. In 1958, after a career of forty-four years, it is time for him to retire. With golf and fishing on the agenda, Martins Bank Magazine reports on his first steps towards a new life…

1958 04 MBM.jpg 1944 to 1958 Mr G H Bennett Manager MBM-Wi58P50.jpg At the end of September Mr. G. H. Bennett, Manager at Crook branch for the past fourteen years, retired. To mark the occasion, he and his wife entertained more than thirty friends and colleagues to supper at the Uplands Hotel, Crook, after a busy day of farewells to his customers, a great many of whom called to express their good wishes to him. The formal part of the proceedings was introduced by Mr. S. Bainbridge, Mr. Bennett's second-in-command for several years. Mr. A. D. Scotson, Manager at Willington, then spoke in the warmest terms of his own association with Mr. Bennett and of the happy atmosphere at Crook branch. On behalf of the subscribers, he concluded by presenting a cheque which is to be used for the purchase of some new golf clubs. In his reply, Mr. Bennett affirmed his intention of devoting more time to his golf and also to his other neglected interest, fishing. A bouquet was presented to Mrs. Bennett by Miss Kathleen Longstaff, after which the proceedings took on a party atmosphere. Mr. Bennett entered the North Eastern Banking Company in 1914 at North Shields. After service at Rothbury, he joined the Royal Flying Corps in 1916, returning home, to Crook, in 1919. He subsequently served at Middlesbrough, Stokesley, Loftus and Linthorpe Road, and in 1936 he received his first appointment, as Manager at Willington. He was appointed Manager at Crook in 1944.



*Mr S Surtees* *Joined the Bank Here* *1908 to 1914*	*Mr N H Alderson* *Joined the Bank Here* *1916*	*Mr H Stitt* *On the Staff* *1918 to 1919*	*Mr R L Bilton* *Joined the Bank Here* *1925*	*Mr F Wallace* *Manager* *1930 to 1937*	*Mr G H Bennett* *Manager* *1944 to 1958*



*Mr W Goudie* *Manager* *1958 to 1966*	*Mr B Kirtley* *Manager* *1966 onwards*