11-32-40 London 5 Hanover Square

This is Martins Bank’s second Branch in Hanover Square opened in 1934 – a really nice example of the more traditional type of bank branch, a picture of strength and stability. All runs smoothly for the next thirty years or so, until the early 1960s when dirty cracks begin to appear on the walls of the building - and we don’t mean the written sort - It is time for drastic action resulting in a move to a newly designed branch next door at No 6 Hanover Square.

In Service: 1934 until 1964

Image © Barclays Ref 0033/0256

There follows a delicate arrangement of building works, designed to keep the old building from falling down, and the new one from being affected by the unstable nature of its near neighbour. You can read more, and see the radical design of the new branch on our page for NO 6 HANOVER SQUARE. The sad deteriroration at number five is apparent from the following pictures:

Images © Martins Bank Archive Collections

Image © Barclays Ref 0033/0256

To the left, the long shot image from the 1960s shows a building whose future is in doubt – it almost seems to be propped up by the buildings on either side, which is more or less what actually happened, and necessiated its complete removal and replacement.

Our thanks to Dave Baldwin and his trusty camera for the contemporary image of the building that is now known as 5 Hanover Square – a world away from the 1960s and changed beyond all recognition…

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections: Dave Baldwin



*Mr E Norman-Butler* *pro Manager* *1934 to 1935*	*Mr A H C Pickering* *Pro Manager* *1935 to 1938*	*Mr W C Pitts* *Signing Authority* *1937 to 1944*	*Mr R J W Neale* *Joined the Bank Here* *1939 to 1939*	*Mr B H E Clarkson* *On the Staff* *1947 to 1952*	*Mr A O D J Best* *Assistant Manager* *1948*



*Mr L E Luchford* *Manager* *1948 to 1956*	*Mr D P Wilson* *Joined the Bank Here* *1949 to 1957*	*Mr A N L Broderick* *Pro Manager* *1950 to 1952*	*Mr P A Cave* *Joined the Bank Here* *1952 to 1953*	*Mr R B Thompson* *Manager* *1954*	*Mr E Parkinson* *Assistant Manager* *1956 to 1957*



*Mr B Graham* *On the Staff* *1956 to 1963*	*Mr D E Brewis* *Assistant Manager* *1957 to 1960*	*Mr J Churchland* *On the staff* *1960*	*Mr A Taylor* *Assistant Manager* *1960 to 1964*	*Mr C C Willis* *On the Staff* *1961 onwards*	*Mr R Moore* *Pro Manager* *1961 to 1964*



*Mr F C Rouse* *Limited Auth/Pro Manager 1962-66*	*Miss Hilary Clarke* *On the Staff 1962-68* *(Mrs H Gigg from 1965)*	*Mr Derek Gigg* *Joined the Bank Here* *1962 to 1963*