11-32-80 Felling

A Dickesian Interior?

Martins Bank’s Branch at Felling undergoes periods of transition, being both a main branch and a sub branch, and changing its location. The run of Managers stops in 1957 and there follows a succession of Clerks in Charge looking after Felling.

The last of these, Mr Binns is made manager in 1969, and is immediately succeeded by Mr Cox. At the time of Martins Bank Magazine’s visit to the branch in 1964, Mr Harling is Clerk in Charge, but is absent – it’s all very confusing…

1964 01 MBM.jpg At Felling, in the absence of Mr Harling we found Mr R W Wilson in charge. Felling’s exterior belies its almost Dickensian interior.

One of the cashiers works in a kind of loose box, the doorway between the counter and the public space is partly blocked by a safe and the storeroom is a cupboard. But it is a clean and serviceable little branch and the young staff are certainly lively.

In Service: 1895 to 1966

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

Although unemployment in the North East has received its full share of publicity in recent years, it is fortunately not so widespread as in the depression years, yet the aura of the ‘depressed area’ still hangs over the place. There seems, however, to be something more than a tough resilience in Tynesiders. in Felling itself, - a dingy area despite some rebuilding- someone years ago saw fit to name the local pub the Beeswing Hotel and today, close by our rather quaint office is a business run by a man called Tulip.

It is not all grime and grimness and the newer branches – fine as they are – do lack something: an old branch is rather like an old armchair, a bit shaggy round the edges, often uncomfortable until you adapt yourself to it, and with a tendency to make its own particular brand of dust. But once you are in it, if you listen, it will tell you stories and what stories some of those old Tyneside branches can tell…

Image © John A. Moreels M.B.E. - Photo Memories Archive.

www.photomemoriesarchive.org.uk

In 1966 the branch moves from Gosforth Street to MORLEY TERRACE, on whose page you will find more of the staff who worked at Felling from that year onwards.



Mr R K McConway Manager 1911 to 1913	Mr H R C Musgrave Manager 1915 to 1917	Mr R S Bates Manager 1939 to 1951	Mr A E Milburn On the Staff 1940 to 1942	Mr T Soulsby on the Staff 1950 to 1952	Mr W H Young Manager 1951 to 1957



Mr A J Easdown On the Staff 1952 to 1953	Mr G S Alexander On the Staff 1953 to 1954	Mr J M Hogarth On the Staff 1953 to 1954	Mr R O Brunton On the Staff 1954 to 1956	Mr P J Lamb Joined the Bank Here 1955 to 1958	Mr M Johnson On the Staff 1957



Mr D J T Pepperall On the Staff 1957 to 1958	Mr E D Teasdale Clerk in Charge 1957 to 1959	Mr K A Arthur On the Staff 1958 to 1959	Mr T A Douglas Clerk in Charge 1959 to 1960	Mr J D Surtees Clerk in Charge 1960 to 1963	Miss J Allom On the Staff 1961 onwards



Mr N Box On the Staff 1961	Mr D W Gascoigne On the Staff 1963 to 1965	Mr V Lamb On the Staff 1963 to 1964	Mr S Harling Clerk in Charge 1963 to 1966	Miss N B Pringle On Relief at Felling Spring 1964