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 The Northern District of Martins Bank consists
predominantly of the branches and sub branches that are subsumed in 1893 by
the merger of Wakefield Crewdson’s Kendal Bank, and the Bank of
Liverpool. There are some exceptions,
those being the branches and sub branches added to the Northern
District after 1893 by the Bank of Liverpool until 1918, the Bank of
Liverpool and Martins between 1918 and 1928, and Martins Bank itself, beween
1928 and 1969. Craven and Northern, are the only two Districts of Martins Bank
not to have their own administrative centre, or District Office.
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It is however acknowledged, that what
little autonomy these small districts enjoy is under the watchful eye of
Skipton Branch, in the case of Craven District, and Kendal Branch in the
Northern district. Our pages for these
Districts do therefore differ from the others, as there are no district
managers or departmental staff to record here. We will however fill our
Craven and Northern Pages with stories that feature in Martins Bank Magazine
over the years…
Am-dram,
thankyou man(ager)…
  Mr M E
Dixon, Manager of our Bowness on Windermere Branch, has been interesting
himself in amateur dramatics and earlier in the year he entered a one act
play in the Westmorland County Drama Festival, which is regarded as the first
round of the British Drama League Festival of One-Act Plays. There were ten teams competing from the
County, and Mr Dixon’s team were the winners.
They went on to the North Western Divisional Final at Ulverston where
they met the winners of Furness and North Lancashire, and the winning team
from Cumberland. Once again they were
the winners and thus qualified for the North of England Finals at
Doncaster. There were in all, six
teams there, being the survivors from Cumberland, Westmorland,
Northumberland, Durham, Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Nottinghamshire and
Leicestershire. Although beaten, they
were not disgraced. The Phoenix
Players from Hull were adjudged the winners, but the Windermere Amateur
Dramatic Society received the Harry Mellor Trophy, which was awarded for the
best stage presentation, which included set, costume, make-up, stage movement
and grouping. Well done! – the trophy is a NEW one and was awarded for the
first time.
Boxing
Clever at Milnthorpe!
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 It is quite a rare occurrence for Martins Bank Magazine
to publish details of staff who work at Martins Bank’s many Sub-Branches up
and down the land. In this very short
article from Northern District News, Winter 1960, we learn of the green
fingers of Mr T E Wood, Clerk in Charge, who
maintains a window box above the door of his Sub Branch in Milnthorpe,
Westmorland. Although our image of
Milnthorpe (© Barclays) is taken around the same time as the article appears,
we are puzzled to say the least by the LACK of a window box! Are we looking hard enough?
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Milnthorpe Branch
ca.1960.
Image © Barclays
0030-1915
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Tributes
paid…
  On the
occasion of the retirement of Mr A A Rushforth, former Manager of our
Carlisle English Street Branch, from the Chairmanship of the East Cumberland
Hospital management committee, a post which he has held since its formation
in 1948, many tributes were paid to him by various officials of the hospital,
and at a presentation ceremony held at the Cumberland Infirmary, Mr Rushforth
was given a television set, and a drawing of the Cumberland Infirmary. Mr and
Mrs Rushforth are leaving Cumberland to live in the South of England.
From Abbott
Hall Gallery to Kendal Grammar School…
  Mr
Charles Clark (Manager, Kendal Branch) had the honour of being present at the
opening of the Abbott HallArt Gallery by Princess Margaret on 28 September…
Mr Clark attentded the Careers Conference in Kendal Town Hall in October,
organised by the Ministry of Labour in conjunction with the local Youth
Emplyment Committee, as the representative of banking, and spoke to many of
the boys and girls who attended, and answered many questions…
Furness
Grasshoppers
 The fourth
annual competition for the Ion Tankard was held at Rampside Miniature Golf
Course on Tuesday 4 May. The weather was good, and in keen competition
Richard Wimpress (Dalton in Furness Branch) won the Ion Tankard with a score
of 35 (40 minus a handicap of 5).
William Johnson, (Barrow in Furness Branch) playing off scratch, also
achieved a score of 35, but Richard took the tankard on the best performance
over the last five holes, William taking second prize. Ladies first prize was won by Miss Pat
Barker (Barrow) with a score of 34 (46-12) and Miss Jean Forrest (Ulverston)
won second prize with 35 (47-12). Special prizes were won by Miss Carol
Ditchfield and Norman Crellin, both of Barrow Branch.
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Mr J M Thornton
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Mr W O Davies
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Mr Norman Crellin
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Mr William Johnson
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Mr T Roger Ion
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Mr Alan Struthers
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The visitors’ prize was won by Mr Alan
Struthers of Skipton Branch and the prize for the tallest competitor from
Liverpool whose father once worked at Ulverston Branchwas both donated and
won by Mr W L I Brockbank, Mr W O Davies, who very kindly presented the
prizes, was also presented with a small cup.
A pea and pie supper followed at the Rose and Crown Gleaston, after
which there was an informal get-together when Mr Fred Newby, Messenger at
Barrow Branch, sang some songs in his own inimitable manner, and others did
their best. Our thanks go to all who
helped to make this a most enjoyable evening.
Mr J M Thornton stood in most ably at short notice for Mr T R Ion who
with his wife inaugurated and attended these meetings but was unable to be
present owing to his wife’s illness. The news of Mrs Ion’s death early next
morning came as a shock and a shadow, but to
Roger in his tragic loss more than 200 letters have clearly
demonstrated the sympathy respect and affection of friends young and
old. The Furness Grasshoppers’ motto
Dum vivimus vivamus (while we live, let us live) is so typical of the Ion
outlook that we feel he would be glad for others to know that the meeting on
4 May was tremendous fun and a great success. And so, we believe, would his
wife.
No mean
feat! (but perhaps painful
ones . . . )
 On Sunday
21 April, Wendy Birkbeck and Jacqueline Moore of Ambleside Branch, and Robin
Ellis of Coniston Branch, took part in a sponsored walk – twenty-seven miles
round Lake Windermere – organised by the Rotary Club of Ambleside. Both Miss
Moore and Mr Ellis finished the course – Miss Birkbeck retired after
twenty-two miles – which was no mean feat as they started off in a heavy
thunderstorm and conditions throughout the day were hot and humid. The total amount raised by the effort was
over £1000.
We were amazed to find that £1000 raised in 1968 by
Jacqueline Moore and Robin Ellis equates to more than £14,700 in today’s
money, using the official calculation of price and inflation – well done!
 M
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