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Yet another in Martins Bank’s seemingly endless
collection of Wallasey branches is Seacombe, one of the points at which the
“Ferry cross the Mersey” stops at, in the famous 60s song. Inside this branch we glimpse a traditional
counter that has (possibly thankfully) not yet felt the hand of the 1960s
makeover team, and looks to be the same beautiful wood installed in 1900 by
the Bank of Liverpool.
The absence of bandit screens in particular preserves
the character and charm here at Seacombe. Once again beautifully appointed,
this office is a full branch of Martins Bank with a long succession of
managers – some of whom feature in our staff gallery below.
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In Service: 1900 until 10
November 1986
Image © Barclays Ref:
0030-2572
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Images © Barclays
Ref: 0030-2572
Later, we look at the possible record-setting service
of cleaners at Seacombe branch, but first, in the summer of 1962 it is the
turn of Mr Frank Green to retire from the service of the Bank, and this is
marked as usual by a short feature in Martins Bank Magazine…
  To
mark the occasion of his retirement after 44 years' service, Mr. Frank Green,
Manager at Seacombe since 1941, entertained his friends and colleagues to tea
at the branch on August 30th. At Mr. Green's request there was no formal
presentation of the cheque representing the gift from his many friends, but a
great many of them came to see him and to express their good wishes. Mr. Ian Buchanan, Liverpool District General Manager, had
previously entertained him to lunch and thanked him on behalf of the General
Management for his long and faithful service. In the Liverpool
District Frank Green will be remembered, apart from his banking service, for
his active support of the Operatic Society in whose presentations of Gilbert
and Sullivan opera he appeared with distinction in a number of leading roles.
Mr. and Mrs. Green celebrated the first days of their retirement by going
with the Bank party to Austria and widening their circle of friends very
considerably as a result. Mr. Green entered
the Bank in 1918 and during the course of his career served at Chester, Rock
Ferry, Head Office, Cattle Trade branch, on the Relief staff, Liverpool City
Office and Prenton. He was appointed Manager at Seacombe in 1941.
Long Term Cleaning…
 The hardworking ladies who
take over and clean branches and offices after we have left, rarely feature
in the news, though we have frequently heard tributes paid to them. At Seacombe Branch, Mrs Annie Sargeant was
the cleaner from 1902 to 1938, and Mrs Ethel McMinn, who succeeded her on 1
January 1939, is still “in office”.
Living above the branch she did her full quota of fire-watching in the
war years and still keeps a vigilant eye on the premises. Perhaps some other branch can beat
Seacombe’s record of only two cleaners in sixty-four years, but it is still a
record to be proud of.
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