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In his 1984 pamphlet “Martins Bank Branches in
Sussex, A F Hill, former Manager of Martins’ Brighton Branch, tells the story
of how Martins’ push into the South of England becomes all but wiped from
memory with the closure of the Bank’s Sussex Branches. Such is the urgency to begin trading in the
South, that many branches are housed in temporary premises whilst more
suitable or commodious buildings are sourced or built. In the following abridged extract, Mr Hill
tells the story of Bexhill on Sea, which actually spent the various stages of
its existence between THREE different addresses!
{Opened in temporary
premises on the 2nd March 1939 at 45 Devonshire Road under the management of
Mr S E Pearman, and remained open during the first year of the war when the Branch
was closed in December 1940 and the business transferred to Eastbourne Branch
at 23 Seaside. The reason for this
action was that the population of Bexhill was greatly reduced by the
evacuation of the civilians after the fall of France. The original office did
suffer some superficial bomb damage during the early part of the war and
later was completely destroyed by bombing.
The site is now incorporated in Longleys Department Store on the
eastern side of Devonshire Road. After the war the Branch re-opened again on
1 May 1946 at 18 Devonshire Road, these premises were originally acquired in
1939 (Bexhill Observer March 1939) and the business was conducted from that
address apart from a short spell in 1961/62 when the office was re-built and
temporary premises were taken over in 18 Parkhurst Road. Over the years of
representation in the town the Branch developed its personal and business
ties with the community. In fact at one period in the 1960s the Branch had
six Directors of Public Companies with
accounts at the office and had developed very much as a gentleman's
branch. One corporate success of the
Branch was the support of the Travel Agency originally based at Longleys,
which from very modest beginnings has developed into a county wide organisation.
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In Service: 02/03/1939 until 02/12/1940 then 1946 to 1961 and 1962 until
30/06/1972
Image © 1953 Martins Bank Archive
Collections - Geoff Taylor
Interior Images © Barclays Ref 0030/0171
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After the retirement of Bob Adcock in April 1967, who was
manager for 16 years, there was a drift of business to other Branches in the
area and a reduction in staff levels.
Mr R G Gilbert took over the management of
the office upon the retirement of Mr Adcock and was resident until December
1969 when he retired. A Barclays man
Brian Stephens then took over until November 1971 when the office was reduced
to sub branch status and finally merged with 17 Devonshire Road closing on 30
June 1972}.
ABRIDGED FROM “MARTINS BANK BRANCHES IN SUSSEX” ©
A F HILL 1984 Martins Bank Archive Collections - W N Townson
Bequest
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Off to
the Seaside! With much of the local population
evacuated from Bexhill, the Bank decides to temporarily close the local
Branch and move the business to existing premises in nearby Eastbourne.
Advertisments are taken out in the local press to ensure that customers are
aware of the situation, and Bexhill shuts its doors on Saturday 30 November
1940. Many Brnahces of Martins Bank are closed for the duration of the Second
World War. Some, like Bexhill will be re-opened when the conflict is over,
others, including some of the tiniest sub branches in rural locations, will
not… |
Image
© Martins Bank Archive Collection Advertisement
Re-mastered 2018 |
Image
© Martins Bank Archive Collection Advertisement
Re-mastered 2018 |
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The
following morning we went for a stroll along the front, and if we were rather
appalled at the number of
electrically-propelled wheel chairs we encountered and the solid phalanxes of
aged faces which watched our leisurely
progress, we were comforted by Mr. Adcock's assurance that things are
different at the week-end when the sea is full of yachts from the Bexhill
Sailing Club and the laughter of young
people is heard everywhere. We had begun to form the impression that from the
Bexhill point of view everyone
walking without the assistance of sticks or crutches must be considered to be
an athlete! Nevertheless, although it is a popular holiday resort it is also
the home of a great number of retired people and this state of affairs is, naturally, reflected in the
business of the branch, from which London Trustee Department receives strong support. The only industry in the
town is of the light variety. At
the time of our visit, July 18th, the branch was housed in temporary premises
while the fine new offices were in
course of construction a few yards away. The temporary arrangements for the
conduct of business were a miracle of improvisation.
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Cash, securities and safe custody were
housed in six safes of Carving
sizes which in themselves would have provided a deterrent to anyone of
nefarious intent just because
of the six to one element of chance in guessing which one contained the
cash! However, by the time these words appear in print the new
branch in all its glory ought to be nearly ready for occupation, so we don't want to dwell unduly on the
temporary interlude which spans the gap between the opening of the branch in 1939 and its move to new and enlarged premises.
The Manager, Mr. R. St. J. Adcock, is an
old friend with whom we worked at Heywoods branch over thirty years ago. He commenced his service
in the Liverpool District in 1914 and served at Water Street, Tue Brook, Heywoods and Sefton Park
before going to the Manchester District for two years, at Widnes, 1932-34. Then he was given the chance of
serving in the London District and he went successively to Lombard Street, Bournemouth and Southampton before
serving five years with H.M. Forces, 1941-46. On his return in 1946 he
went to Eastbourne and later the same year he received his first appointment as Pro Manager at Bournemouth.
He became Manager at Bexhill in 1951. The second-in-command is Mr. H. Lumley, whose contributions to the
Magazine in its early years delighted
many of our readers. He commenced his service at Lombard Street, in 1925. He
served with H. M. Forces from
1941-1943 and on his return, he went successively to London District Office, Hanover Square, Curzon Street, District Office
again, Guildford, Wimbledon and Bexhill since 1952. D. G. Wilkins entered the Bank in 1959 and has
served at Brighton and Eastbourne before going to Bexhill this year. There are two girls, Miss A. Appleton and Miss
F. Rawlins. Miss Appleton has been on the staff since 1959, Miss Rawlins since 1960. |
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WELL WORTH THE WAIT This glimpse at the
sumptuous interior of the newly rebuilt branch is published without written commentary
in Martins Bank Magazine, Autumn 1962. |
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