11-55-40 Hereford

BARCLAYS BANK LIMITED

50 Broad Street

Commercial Street

DISTRICT BANK LIMITED

13 Broad Street

LLOYDS BANK LIMITED

8 High Town

R.A.F. Station

MARTINS BANK LIMITED

21 Broad Street

MIDLAND BANK LIMITED

35 High Town

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK

Broad Street

UNITED DOMINIONS TRUST

41 Widemarsh Street

WESTMINSTER BANK LIMITED

40 Broad Street

Hereford is one of those places that we can all probably locate, if somewhat vaguely with a pin in the map, and most of us would imagine it to be in the Midlands – Herefordshire, Worcestershire and so on. Martins Bank’s Branch is, however, firmly in the Bank’s South Western District! It opens in 1953 under the management of Mr I G Clark. Sadly there are no external images of the branch to be found from Martins’ day, but our friends at RBS Archives have kindly provided this image from 1979.

In Service: 1953 until 10 October 1975

After the merger with Barclays, the Branch remains open for a further six years. Then between 1975 and 1979, 21 Broad Street enjoys spells as a butcher’s shop and a dairy before becoming a Branch of Williams and Glyn’s Bank in 1979. As RBS it is still open today, and the name of Williams and Glyn’s is shortly to be brought back to the High Street by RBS. In 1957, Martins Bank Magazine makes the journey to Hereford to visit the Branch and meet the staff…

1957 02 MBM.jpg No Wonder the English tradition is at once the despair and envy of our friends from other countries. What a country it is! Where else in the world would you find the main street of the town full from end to end of hurdy-gurdys, so that for three whole days the normal business and the traffic of the town are completely dislocated, all because of a Charter granted by Henry III in 1121 which gave the Bishop of Hereford the right to hold a carnival fair in the town at the feast of St. Ethelbert the Martyr? The Hereford May Fair was in progress on the day of our visit, May 9th, and it is a comical sight indeed to see every attraction of the fairground occupying the sober and very respectable main street. It was a temptation to step outside our branch for a few minutes and see whether our youthful skill at the coconut shies still persisted, but we resisted it.


Images © Barclays Ref 0030/1264

Our branch is in an excellent position just round the corner from the cathedral precincts and we were glad to be able to spend a little time in this most satisfying cathedral which was begun between 1079 and 1095. A little on the plain and severe side, its straightness of line, solidity of pillar and richness of stone give confidence. This is no mouldering, relic of a bygone age but a vigorous building which houses a living message and, seeing it for the first time in its lovely setting of velvet lawns we were reminded of the words: “Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church”. The decorated ceiling of the nave is the first of its kind we have seen and it introduces just the right amount of ornateness to relieve the plainness of the stonework.

“Satisfying” is the right word to describe it. The two things which everyone knows about Hereford are the cathedral and the cattle and, of course, there is a huge cattle market. There is a third famous connection, for the manufacture of cider occupies the attention of three well-known firms, including Buhner's. Hereford is a nice town, a lovely town in fact, and with the surrounding countryside a very pleasant place in which to live and work. Our branch was opened by Mr. I. G. Clark, since promoted to Bath, and Mr. C. D. Mudd was appointed only a year ago. He is well-known throughout the service because of his two years with one of the mobile branches. He commenced his career at Otley in 1937, returning there after five years in the Forces, 1941-1946. His career as a mobile banker was from 1950-1952 and then he went to Midland District Office and later to Liverpool District Office for training before his present appointment. His main interest outside working hours is in the Established Church of which he is a lay preacher. In Wallasey he earned no small reputation for himself and he is immersed in similar duties in Hereford.

We were very pleased to meet once again Mr. G. W. H. Hartley, whom we last saw at Nantwich in 1951. Still a bachelor gay; he is doing a very competent job as second-in-command. Mr. R. M. Roberts and Mr. R. M. Quartermain are both Hereford men who both entered the Bank in 1955. Both will be married this year, one by the time this Magazine appears. Both are marrying Hereford girls and both are keen T.A. men, so what with the choice of holidays on account of marriage, choice of holidays plus extra time for T.A. camp, Mr. Mudd and Mr. Hartley look like having no holidays at all this year! Anyway, we wish them every happiness in their future lives and every success in their careers. One of the girls, Miss K. M. G. Clark, came from the Liverpool District and has previously served at Eastbank Street, Southport, Aintree and Maghull. She moved South when her parents moved to Bath and likes the change now that she has made new friends. Miss S. M. Matthews was at Worcester in 1952 and has been at Hereford since 1953. We formed the opinion that Mr. Mudd is extremely fortunate in his team. After taking the staff photograph in the cathedral porch, we just had time to motor out to have tea at Mr. and Mrs. Mudd's very delightful home and to meet their small son. Earlier in the day we had had the pleasure of entertaining them to lunch.



*Mr I G Clark MC* *Manager* *1953 to 1956*	*Mr R M Roberts* *On the Staff* *1955 to 1959*	*Mr C D Mudd* *Manager* *1956 to 1964*	*Miss K M G Clark* *On the Staff* *1957*	*Mr G H W Hartley* *On the Staff* *1957*	*Miss S M Matthews* *On the Staff* *1957*



*Mr R M Quartermain* *On the Staff* *1957*	*Mr J O Williams* *Pro Manager* *1960 to 1966*	*Mr G Proud* *Manager* *1964 onwards*	*Mr C J Wall* *Pro Manager* *1966 to 1967*	*Mr Malcolm L Humble* *Pro Manager* *1967*	*Mr W E Powell* *Pro Manager* *1969*