11-55-20 Carnforth

Messrs Wakefield Crewdson’s Kendal Bank opens a Branch in Carnforth in 1887 at 30 Market Street. There seems to have been a period of itchy feet, and a change of owner, before the Bank of Liverpool finally settles on No 3 Market Street in 1907, but even then, future expansion is on the cards…

Carnforth’s enduring claim to fame is the starring role played by its railway station in the 1945 classic film, ‘Brief Encounter’. Since then the station itself has gone through several different phases, including a post-Beeching ugly stage, and thankfully a twenty-first century handsome stage, whereby period features have been restored, and you can even take afternoon tea in the very café seen in the film. Some things have, however, changed forever. Nowadays if wanting to travel North from Carnforth to Kendal by electric train, you must first go south to Lancaster by diesel, change trains and go back the way you came to pass through Carnforth and head North to Oxenholme where you change again to go to Kendal! No doubt modern PR would hail this as a great service to customers… Just like MORECAMBE, Martins Bank’s Branch at Carnforth bears a similar, but smaller scale, resemblance to an eastern European palace. It would appear that Messrs Wakefield Crewdson went in for a certain amount of grandeur in their bank branch buildings.

“From the North”…

In this scene from a 1968 Granada TV documentary about life in the town, we see Carnforth Branch captured in the background of an interview at the nearby Royal Station Hotel. Here, the bank has a pleasant corner aspect, which faces the War Memorial in one direction and in the other towards the Royal Station Hotel and the Carnforth Co-Operative Society and railway station beyond. It is also worth noting that even in the smaller towns such as Carnforth, Martins Bank’s customers enjoy Saturday morning banking. Just the thing when you need money for your train ticket. The Midland Bank next door is decorated with new branding that will last until the 1980s.

Image © Barclays Ref 0030/0565

Image © ITV Studios 1968 to date

Four Centuries Cover Banking on horseback…

John Mashiter Began his career with the Bank in Manchester in 1925, worked throughout the Northern District of the Bank and retired in 1969. In 1963 he was a member of the History of Martins Bank Committee, whose remit was to collect the history of Martins Bank together for Publication. He recalls his own time at Carnforth Branch in Volume I of “Four Centuries of Banking”…

{There were only two of us at Carnforth. The Manager Edmund Herd was an old friend and life there was very good. I cycled the eight miles from Milnthorpe and with practice could do the daily stint of sixteen miles in remarkable time. This was the main A6 road but in those days traffic was light and I did the journey for two years without mishap. The Reynolds family from Leighton Hall were customers; one of them was a director of the Bank and they frequently came to the Branch on horseback. On these occasions I had to go out and hold their horses. The sight of me being towed up and down the street by two restive horses always amused our shopkeeper customers, who came out to watch the fun and urge on the horses.}

ABRIDGED FROM FOUR CENTURIES OF BANKING

VOL I © MARTINS BANK LIMITED 1963

Business as usual…

After several months at 2 Scotland Road, the Bank moves back into its premises at 3 Market Street on 21 November 1938. The building has been reconstructed, and an attractive stone fascia gives customers a feeling of extra security. An advertisement like this one, from our collection of remastered Martins Bank advertising copy is published in the Lancaster Guardian on 18 November 1938, and an accompanying news article explains just what has been done to the building…

{On Monday next, 21st instant, Martins Bank, Limited, will transfer the business at present carried on in temporary premises in Scotland Road to their reconstructed building at the corner of Market Street and New street, Carnforth.By the inclusion in the Bank premises of the area of the adjoining shop in New Street the Banking Hall has been doubled in size and it has enabled a spacious and attractive modem office with Manager's room to be provided.

Those conversant with the previous Bank front will remember the wooden cornice supported by wooden pilasters, and the timber screen at the entrance. These have been removed and the building has been refronted in stone with a new cornice and new entrance door. It is considered that the design has added a feature of architectural interest to the town and that customers will appreciate the increased accommodation and comfort provided in the interior of the building. All the internal fittings are in polished mahogany and have been constructed to meet modem banking requirements. The counter has been extended and there is ample desk accommodation for the clerical staff.

In addition to the ground floor extension, the basement has also been proportionately enlarged wherein has been constructed an up-to-date strongroom to provide all possible security both far the Bank's requirements and customers’ needs.}

Image © Martins Bank Archive Advertising Collection

Re-Mastered 2018

Local companies whose services were contracted to the Bank to bring about the renovations to 3 Market Street, advertise alongside the opening announcement in the Lancaster Guardian 18/11/1938.

Frightfully Keen…

A Bank manager used to be seen as a pillar of the local community – someone who knows everyone and knows everyone’s business. Just occasionally along with chairing a few local committees or holding the treasurership of one or two charitable concerns, a manager may be called upon to impart knowledge of his life’s experience. In October 1954, Mr G Keen, Manager of Martins Bank’s Carnforth Branch lets members of the local Junior Anglican People’s Association know all about his days in India during the Second World War. once again the trusty Lancaster Guardian is on hand to report mr Keen’s presentation…

Newspaper Images (above,) Lancaster Guardian 18/11/1938 and 29/10/1954 © Johnstone Press. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD Image reproduced with kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive

This is not exactly then and NOW, but it is a good example of how the Barclays Branding interfered only minimally with the look of Carnforth Branch. Even the addition of a cash machine in the 1990s did not detract from the pleasant look of this building.