11-01-90 Warrington Bridge Street

A Branch at Warrington comes into the ownership of Martins Bank through the amalgamation of the Bank of Liverpool and Martins and the Lancashire and Yorkshire bank in 1928. The original Branch is at 34/36 HORSEMARKET STREET, but in 1937 Martins Bank moves the Business to these premises at 78 Bridge Street. The staff gallery for this branch is filling up nicely, and although there are no visits to the Branch by Martins Bank Magazine, we do have a retirement write-up from 1968 below, and a short piece about one of the Branch’s Messengers, Bernard Riley. You will also see how the Branch looked in the 1980s under Barclays ownership.

In Service: Mon 31 May 1937 to Mon 16 February 1987

we have tried several times to contact the copyright holder.

This Warrington cheque is from our Archive of Martins Bank Stationery. It is an interesting example from the short period of time between the old larger stamp duty embossing, and the advent of the age of bank computerisation.

Already a large space has been left across the foot of the cheque, in order to accept the encoding of characters in magnetic ink that will be able to be read by reader/sorter machines at the Bank’s Clearing Department.

We do not have any interior images of Warrington Bridge Street Branch. If you can help with images and/or information about this or any of Martins Bank’s 980+ Branch Buildings, please do get in touch with us at the usual address:

martinsbankarchive@btinternet.com

At last! A chance to watch the cricket…

1968 02 MBM.jpg On February 27 Mr Whewell and his wife entertained over eighty past and present colleagues to a cocktail party at Warrington branch. He had been Manager there since 1960, having spent all his 43 years' service in the Manchester District. He was appointed Clerk-in-Charge at Besses o' th' Barn in 1947, Assistant Managerat Cheetham in 1949, Manager at Brooks's Bar in 1956 and Manager at Whitefield two years later. Mr Foster opened the proceedings by thanking Mr Whewell for his long and loyal service and Mrs Spittle presented Mrs Whewell with a bouquet. Mr Holds-worth, who had been Mr Whewell's assistant throughout his service at Warrington, handed over a cheque on behalf of the ninety subscribers, which will probably be used to buy a new television set for viewing the test matches in comfort during the summer. Mr Whewell spoke amusingly of his days as a junior at the L & Y Head Office in Spring Gardens and it was interesting to note that five out of his six colleagues from those halcyon days were present on this occasion. Also at the party were Mr Tunstall and Mr Glover.

A life on the ocean wave…

1969 01 MBM.jpg Lieutenant Bernard Riley of the Warrington branch messenger staff has been appointed commanding officer of the Widnes Sea Cadet Corps. He joined the Widnes Corps as a first lieutenant three years ago and for the previous eight years he was with the Warrington Sea Cadets. During the last war Lieutenant Riley served with the Royal Navy on Atlantic and Russian convoys in all types of ship from destroyers to aircraft carriers.

Martins Bank always loved a good Mock Tudor building, and 78 Bridge Street does not disappoint. Here we see that Barclays are still taking good care of the building in the early 1980s, but its days are numbered, and the Branch closes for good in 1987…

every effort has been made to contact the copyright holder.

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3076

BARCLAYS BANK LIMITED Warrington Penketh	DISTRICT BANK LIMITED Warrington Risley Winwick Road	MARTINS BANK LIMITED

MIDLAND BANK LIMITED	NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK	WESTMINSTER BANK LIMITED

WILLIAMS DEACON’S BANK



*Mr H M Nield* *Manager* *1936 to 1947*	*Mr J Ratcliffe* *Joined the Bank Here* *1938 to 1952*	*Mr G B Hibbert* *On the Staff* *1942 to 1943*	*Mr A H F Downham* *Pro Manager* *1942 to 1956*	*Mr T Whtitaker* *Manager* *1947 to 1960*	*Mr D L Rogal* *Joined the Bank here* *1949 to 1949*



*Mr J Middleton* *Joined the Bank Here* *1949 to 1950*	*Mr F Whewell* *Manager* *1960 to 1968*	*Mr P W Cooper* *Manager* *1968 onwards*	*Mr Bernard Riley* *Messenger* *1969*	*Mr R S Beaumont* *Pro Manager* *1969*