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This beautiful drawing by S Crawford, is
printed in the French magazine “L’Architecte” in 1914. It shows the newly
completed façade of Martin’s Private Bank in Bromley, designed by Architect
Ernest Newton. The image underneath the drawing, shown here with the kind
permission of London Metropolitan Archives, shows the same Branch in 1968
following a further revamp of the entrance doors and windows.
The joining together of the Grasshopper
and the Liver Bird brings with it not only large and useful premises at 68
Lombard Street, and the chance to REBUILD THEM, but
also many of the branches in London and the South East that are still open today.
Martins Bank’s policy on expansion is
tempered by its commitment to consolidation, and from the 1930s onwards it
is common to see the addition of branches in parts of the country that
already have a good scattering of outlets.
This helps to plug some gaps, and to ensure that the Bank is seen on
as many high streets as possible, at a time when the local bank is more or
less the only way to access cash from your account.
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In earlier times, Martin’s Private
Bank is able to blaze a trail through many of England’s South-Eastern
towns, and thus by being ahead of the competition, generate a bigger and
stronger business through familiarity.
Bromley is one of ten or so Kentish
branches, a figure that rises to nearly thirty during the life of the
modern-day Martins Bank. Martins Private Bank arrives to set up shop in
Bromley in 1887.
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In Service: 1 January
1888 until 12 December 1969
Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections
Image used under licence © London
Metropolitan Archives Ref 150516
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The original branch of the
Bank was at 106 Widmore road, a lease was taken on 13 December 1887 between
the Misses Woods and Others, and Martin and Company. The branch remained at these
premises until 1899. An agreement on the 22 December 1896 details the
sale of a piece of land in Bromley from the Reids Brewery Co.
Limited. Work shortly followed on the design of new branch
premises. Barclays Group Archives has a receipt dated the 1st April
1898 in the sum of £50 for architects fees for the new premises in the High
Street. An insurance certificate dated 5 April 1899 gives a date of
occupation of the new premises. In August 1967 temporary premises –
comprising ground floor, basement AND lavatory(!) - are taken at 31 Widmore
Road Bromley, and the office at 179 High Street is gutted and
re-designed/built. A sub-Branch is opened by the Bank of
Liverpool and Martins Bank at Bickley from 1923 to 1928. From the surviving
images of the interior of Bromley Branch following the 1968 re-fit, we can
see that bandit screens are now being fitted as standard. This is the sad
consequence of armed bank raids whichhave increased in number into the
1960s. Protecting the staff of the bank is paramount, yet thins must come
at the expense of face to face customer contact…
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Images © Barclays Ref 0033-0111
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For our Bromley Branch features, we look
at the retirements of two members of the staff reported as usual by Martins
Bank Magazine. The second one takes place in 1969, and we find that
although a farewell party is held for him, it is the wish of Manager Mr
Howard that no-one should make a speech or offer a retirement gift paid for
by colleagues. Note the interesting choice of words by Martins Bank
Magazine, citing Mr Howard’s “individualism” as the reason.
First of all we say goodbye to Mr K J
Munro who retires from his role of Pro Manager ten years earlier, in 1959.
At thirty-nine years, his length of service is actually considered quite
short – many Martins Bank Managers have retired after an amazing forty-six
years! That’s an awful lot of nine-to-five to get through in your lifetime,
and many go on to enjoy two or more decades of retirement, drawing of
course from that all important final salary scheme Bank pension…
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  A
large gathering of friends assembled at Bromley branch to mark the occasion
of Mr. Munro’s retirement on 31 August. Among some fifty guests invited by
Mr. Munro to an excellent cocktail party at the branch it was delightful to
see in sparkling health one of our oldest pensioners, Mr. H. Q. Atkinson,
now in his eighty-third year. It was also nice to welcome Mr. F. Gillham,
Assistant Staff Manager (London District); Mr. W. H. Kinghorn, previous
manager at the branch, and eight branch managers from the Kent and London
branches. Mr. Munro
entered the Bank at Sidcup in 1920 and served at Sidcup, Orpington, Bromley
and Maidstone before his first appointment as Clerk in Charge at Maidstone
in 1930.
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He became Pro Manager at
Swanley in 1932 and Pro Manager at Bromley in 1938. He served in London
District Office in 1941. Mr. J. A.
Howard (Manager, Bromley), made the presentation on behalf of the
subscribers of a television set, a case of wines (not to be broached until
arrival at the new cellar) and a cheque. Mrs. Munro was presented with a
bouquet of roses. Mr. Munro is retiring to
a small village, Slindon, in the heart of Sussex where we wish him every
happiness.
Time flies and Mr Munro’s successor, Mr Howard,
is now also ready to retire after his
stint as Manager of Bromley Branch…
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40 years’ service
and “still an
individualist”…
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As ever, John Howard
remained an individualist by specifically forbidding any presentation or
speech making at his farewell party on 25 June. Those present, over 100 colleagues and
friends, signed a commemorative book to form a memento of the occasion and
a few days later an inscribed silver cigarette box was presented to him
from staff who had worked with him at Bromley.
A native of Cheshire, Mr
Howard had been in the  London
District since his return from war service. He was appointed Manager at Holloway
Road in 1954 and at Bromley in 1958, from where he retired after nearly 40
years’ service. A keen
yachtsman and follower of rugby football and cricket, he intends to
continue these interests in his retirement.
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Image © London Metropolitan Archives Ref
150516 used under licence
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