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 Martins Bank opens a second Branch in
Cardiff in 1964. Competition is pretty close, as Lloyds Bank is next door.
However, Martins’ two Branches in the City pale into insignificance, when you
realise that by 1968 there are EIGHTY-ONE
branch banks and financial
instituions in Cardiff! Undaunted, Martins Bank Magazine prints a bold
article welcoming the new branch, and there are even colour photographs of
the exterior AND interior…
‘Croeso I Gaerdydd’
 there is a story of two Dartmouth naval
cadets who made a pact that if, in the future, either heard the other's name
mentioned he would say 'What! Old George (or Tom)? Oh yes, wonderful chap—perfectly grand fellow!' In the fullness of
time both became admirals. If
the same gambit has already been tried in banking it is unlikely to have
succeeded for in banking it is not so much what we think of ourselves but what a lot of other people know about us that governs our
future. As readers may now have guessed, we are about to reveal the truth of
the James Promotion Plan. On December 13th, 1963 Mr A. J. A. James, details of
whose career appeared in our summer issue, was appointed Manager of the new
branch at 11 Windsor Place, Cardiff, which opened on March 19th this year.
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In Service: 19 March
1964 until 31 October 1972
Image © Barclays Ref
0030-0556
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For at least six months prior to his appointment it was suggested
that Jimmy James had himself conceived the idea of a second branch in
Cardiff, that he had even been consulted at various stages of the
development and had actually been invited to choose the decorations. It was
a game which many people played, in Liverpool and elsewhere, with one of
the most popular Inspectors ever to sanction or decline an overdraft,
because it was a game which people could play without the risk of anybody
getting hurt. 'James for Cardiff!' was the cry and of course, James it eventually
was. It just had to be. If, however,
any bright young man thinks he can inaugurate his own James Promotion Plan he must first
have ability, personality, energy, knowledge and experience sufficient for
people to recognise these as exceptional so that they start the plan for
him.
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They will only do so if certain of
success and that, we believe, is why the Churchills and Dexters - and the Jameses - of life are said to elect
themselves. We were met at Cardiff station in the
evening by Mr James and before going to a hotel 'up the valley' for dinner
and to talk shop until midnight we were taken on a quick tour of the city,
past 'Arms Park' and the Castle, up and down wide tree-lined avenues to the
new branch, admirably fitted out and so thoughtfully established just off the
main shopping centre in the quiet area peopled by solicitors, accountants,
and insurance and finance companies.
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 Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections
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Image ©
Barclays Ref 0030-0556
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Having associated Cardiff with the coal
trade and docks we expected grime and industry and were surprised to find
instead a wealth of clean, dignified buildings, green parks and a spaciousness
unlike anything we have seen before in a capital city. Those who planned the
Renaissance style Civic Centre years ago to the east of Cardiff Castle did so
on an impressive scale. Of course Cardiff has its railways, industries,
docks, housing estates and the notorious though now law-abiding multi-racial
quarter of Tiger Bay, but the lasting impression of the city is one of
cleanliness, fresh air, spaciousness and wealth. The business at Windsor Place, where we
called again the next day to meet the staff, is already booming and, as the
photograph shows, there are some lively young people led by Mr Bartley who
joined Mr James from the main Cardiff office on completion of a Domestic
Training Course. Already it seemed to us that the James Promotion Plan was only a beginning and we would not be
in the least surprised to hear that businessmen in Cardiff are saying 'Oh yes.
Perfectly grand fellow', but we mustn't start that again.
Mind
your ‘Llanguage’!
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The
way in which our new branch at Windsor Place, Cardiff, was featured in the Autumn
1964 issue of our Magazine, accounts for this strangely addressed letter
from Germany…
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