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 In
Martins Bank’s Annual Report and Accounts for 1945, Mr F A Bates, Chairman of
Martins Bank reveals the official facts and figures about the effects on the
Bank and its Staff of The Second World War.
Peace has broken out, and everyone is optimistic, but what Mr Bates
puts so succinctly in his Statement is also a sobering reminder of the
upheavals of War for those left behind to rebuild the World around them.
Whilst Martins’ brave employees are away fighting for their country in the
Second World War, and with women making up nearly two thirds of the staff the
Bank itself takes part in, instigates or makes possible a number of
initiatives which at the time are kept secret. One of these was the extensive
use of “Custodian Branches” to share and distribute information, and of
microfilm to maintain records in case of invasion or the destruction of the
Bank’s Buildings. This is mentioned by Mr Bates in the follow extracts from
his 1945 Statement. Further down the page we have links to some of the not so
secret plans made and executed by Martins Bank during the Second World
War. You are welcome click on the
secret files below, and lift the lid on some of the Bank’s Wartime exploits –
but remember chaps, Mum’s the word, and careless talk costs lives!
 {“The hopes I expressed a year ago for
the speedy end of a long and bitter struggle have been realised, and a
decisive victory has rewarded the sustained and impressive efforts of the
United Nations. With the end of the war I am able to give information about
our staff and the bank’s affairs which it has been necessary hitherto to
withhold. Our pre-war staff totalled 3,510, and consisted of 2,759 men and
751 women. Of these 1,596 men and 75 women joined the Forces or were engaged
on other service of national importance. Eighty-eight men lost their lives,
and to their relatives I send our deepest sympathy. Many members received
decorations or were mentioned for gallantry, and many distinguished
themselves by rising to high rank in the Services. The staff remaining with
the bank had a% hard, testing time and many trials. In addition to
their ordinary work, made arduous by staff shortage and aggravated by
transport difficulties, practically all were engaged in the Home Guard or
other Civil Defence services. At the conclusion of the war 58 per cent, of
our staff consisted of women, and I wish to express appreciation of the
invaluable part they have taken in the daily work of the bank’s business, and
also for the service they rendered in many ways in the national interest. The
reinstatement of our returning officials has engaged our close attention but
the number demobilised is at present relatively small. We were fortunate
during the war in regard to our premises. Out of a total of 570 branches only
seven were completely destroyed, although 153 sustained damage in varying
degrees. As soon as conditions permit, substantial expenditure will be
necessary to provide for extensions and renewals of our premises and for
repairs and renovations to restore them to pre-war standards. Our system of
custodian branches, to which were despatched schedules of each day’s
business, proved an efficient safeguard and we were in every case able to
renew our records within a very short time of the destruction. In this
connection extensive use was made of micro photography. Eighty-two branches
wore closed during the war to release man power. Subject to the needs of the
areas in which they are situated, most will be re-opened as opportunity
offers and demobilisation progresses”.
 “As most business men could foresee, it
was impossible for the world to concentrate for six years on the non-
productive expenditure of war without ill effects ensuing. During the war
man-power was available to manufacture only the minimum quantity of those
goods which determine the standard of life of the nation, and oven that low
standard would not have been possible except for the partnership of our
Dominions and Colonies and the United States of America. The post-war
problems of this country are concerned with shortages :—shortage of labour,
which demobilisation should remedy, shortages of houses, offices and
factories, shortages of goods in the shops and shortage of international
trade. There is one way only of solving these problems and that is by stimulating
the country’s productivity and reviving international commerce through the
determined effort of employees and employers alike; the worker giving the
maximum output per man hour and the directors and managers providing the
machinery and organisation whereby this can be accomplished. Commerce calls
for confidence and courage from which spring trade activities, large or
small, in the furtherance of which the bank stands ready to provide every
banking facility to its customers. How far regulated austerity on a national
scale will affect the initiative and effort necessary for the expansion of
our world trade remains to be seen but, while realising the need to avoid
unnecessary expenditure, there is still the risk that over-emphasis of
austerity may tend towards frustration in commerce and limitation of effort.
One country’s import is another’s export and it is useful to remember that
interference or restriction in either case may cause unexpected reactions
abroad affecting our trade elsewhere. The inward and outward cargoes at our
ports, the ships to carry them, the merchanting and other necessary services
abroad, such as insurance and banking, will have to be worked for and
organised in a competitive world, in sensitive markets and over ramifications
of trade routes which cross link all the nations of all the seven seas. On
success in re-weaving this highly complicated pattern of commerce, which
needs all the practical experience that a trading nation can command, will
largely depend our standard of life and also our strength in the future.”}
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THE COUNTRY’S GOLD
IS AT STAKE - WHERE WILL YOU FIND
SOMEWHERE SAFER THAN THE BANK OF ENGLAND?
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NO MILITARY
TWO-STEP HERE, BUT THE WHEELS OF THE ECONOMY ARE OILED IN THE STRANGEST OF
PLACES!
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COMING SOON
GOLD AND GUNS IN A
CHESHIRE MANSION
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WHAT IF THE BOMB DROPS?
IT PAYS TO HAVE A “PLAN B” IN THESE SITUATIONS, AS OF COURSE, MARTINS BANK DOES…
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