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At the time of
the amalgamation of Martins Bank and the Bank of Liverpool in 1918, the Grasshopper
has branches at Kingsway, Bexley Heath, Bromley, Chislehurst, Dartford,
Eltham, Sidcup, Sittingbourne, Swanley, Orpington, Mottingham, Bexley,
Crayford, and St Mary Cray.
This is the
reason for Martins’ strong presence in the Kentish Towns on the outskirts of
what we now refer to as Greater London. At this time there is considerable
pressure from the Shareholders of Martin’s Private Bank to remove altogether
the words “Bank of Liverpool” from the name of the newly created Bank. |
In service: Before 1918* – 13 February 2015 *The original Crayford Branch was
opened in a different building, the history of which is currently being
researched.
Image © Barclays Ref
0030/0754
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This is however a matter that will be resisted for
further ten years, the Directors of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank finally
being responsible for summarising the many many constituent banks under the
single, simple umbrella of Martins Bank Limited. This is not the original
branch building opened by Martin’s Private Bank. We are still researching
where that original branch stood, when exactly it was opened and when and why
it was moved to this one. The newer branch at Crayford is very similar in
style to our branches at BIRKENHEAD
PRENTON, and SPEKE AND HUNTS CROSS, and all three of them look to us as if they have been constructed
from LEGO® bricks! It was with great
sadness that we marked the closure of this historically significant Branch of
the Bank, which took place at 12 Noon on Friday 13TH February 2015. Finally to happier times, and we are treated to
this rare glimpse into the past, with this scene showing the shop fronts in
Crayford Road nearest to the Martins Branch.
Image © Barclays Ref 0030-0754
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