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Light the
greasepaint,
smell the crowd…
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair! One of Martins Bank’s most amazing bank buildings
this, looking as it does like something conjured up in the mind of J K
Rowling. It is bold, gothic, slightly scary, and of course dramatic, which is
a very happy coincidence, given the stories below which concern the acting
and singing skills of two of the staff who work there: Amongst many old
adages is the one about lightning never striking twice in the same place, but
in the case of Birkenhead Charing Cross Branch, there are exceptions. Branch Manager from 1933 to 1956, Mr S N
Rimmer, regularly treads the boards for the Martins Bank Society of the
Arts.
In 1968 staff member Rosemary Rivers is already a
stalwart of the Wallasey Operatic Society, with her sights set on
stardom. Perhaps they put something in
the water on the Wirral? With the
help of Martins Bank Magazine from the Spring of 1948, we look first at Mr
Rimmer’s involvement in the Martins Bank Society of the Arts production of
the comedy “the Housemaster” by Ian Hay, which was staged at the YMCA theatre
in Birkenhead on January 24 and 25 of that year…
In this production, there is one factor alone that
outweighs all the others - the
Society had Sydney Rimmer (seated, right)
as producer and also as actor in the name part.
His considerable experience in
both roles brought about the biggest triumph which the Society of the Arts
has registered to date. He gave a
performance as the old housemaster which is summed up by the word “majestic”.
He knew when to make his audience laugh and when to make their eyes moist and
his portrayal of the old man giving advice to the young girl was most moving.
The whole play depended upon his performance and his reputation was well
maintained.
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In Service: 1898 until 8 May
1970
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Branch Images ©
Barclays 0030-0194 and 0033-0059
  By
the retirement of Sydney Rimmer at the end of August one of the best-known managers
in the Liverpool District leaves the active scene, but we are glad to state
that he will still continue active in the field in which he has become so
well-known, for he has been unanimously invited to continue his association
with the Argosy Players and to remain as Chairman. Mr. Rimmer started his business career in the Liverpool
Savings Bank in 1913, and entered the Bank in 1920 at Head Office where he
served in various departments. Then followed a spell at various branches— East, Aigburth, Charing Cross and Meols
(which he opened), before his return to Head Office where he became first an
Assistant Private Secretary to the General Manager, and a year later, Private
Secretary. He was appointed Manager at Charing Cross in 1933 and remained
there until his retirement. Outside
business hours the great love of his life has been the drama and his heart
and soul have always been in the amateur theatrical movement on Merseyside.
An accomplished actor with a fine speaking voice, and a talented producer, he
is widely known on Merseyside and especially in Wallasey and on more than one
occasion his services have been sought professionally. On August 30th a large gathering of friends took place at
the branch to take tea and say farewell to Sydney. Mr. J. Edwards, Manager of
Birkenhead branch, made the presentation of a cheque on behalf of the
subscribers in a ' witty speech of characteristic brilliance. In his reply Mr. Rimmer said he would buy a typewriter
with the money, as it would be a great help to him with his voluntary work
for various societies and charities. A
bouquet was presented to Mrs. Rimmer by Miss Shirley Stevens, of the Charing
Cross staff.
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A
smile, a song…
Martins Staff are often in the news for the things they get up to
in their spare time. In Rosemary Rivers, Charing Cross Branch has nurtured
an all-round performer…
  Rosemary Rivers
(Charing Cross Branch, Birkenhead) recently played the part of Mimi in the
Wallasey Operatic Society’s production of Can Can. A keen member of the Society, her
ambition is to play the leading role in South Pacific. Her image recently appeared in the
Liverpool Echo in their “Echo Girl ’68” series…
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… and a cheque…
Image © Martins Bank
Archive Collections - Stephen Walker
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 Here’s a real treat for
fans of this truly wild and wonderful building – Robert Montgomery had been
photographing former bank branches all over the UK for more than fifteen
years. Although Charing Cross closed as a bank in 1970, it was still going
strong in its new life when Robert arrived with his camera, in 2008…
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Image © Barclays Ref 0030-0194
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Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections –
Robert Montgomery
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Images © Martins Bank Archive Collections – Robert
Montgomery
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