11-73-00 Birkdale

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A branch of the Bank of Liverpool opens at 10 Liverpool Road Birkdale on 1 June 1894. It is the first branch of the bank to be opend outside Liverpool, but still within Lancashire.

Maybe it resembles something from a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, or is it perhaps a little too grand? – but no, Birkdale is the home, after all, of a Royal Golf Club, so perhaps this Martins Bank Branch needs to stand out from the crowd.

It certainly does that, but we’d rather have a hundred such buildings than set foot in some of the early twenty-first century eyesores that passed for modern day bank branches, whose teenage staff were only able to do business when the computer says “yes” and whose greyness faded anonymously into the background of the soulless shopping centres they inhabited – then along came mass bank closures…

In Service: 1 June 1894 until 26 June 2015

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-2732

Footballers, golfers, in fact any passing celebrity (and there are plenty in this part of the world) cannot fail to be wowed by the sumptuous wood panelling and the distinguished air that oozes from every inch of this classic banking hall!

Images © Barclays Ref 0030-2732

One of the last members of Martins Bank staff to retire before the merger with Barclays, is Mr J H Walker, who by June 1969 has clocked up an amazing forty-SIX years with the bank. In something of a cricket themed send off, Martins Bank Magazine follows the festivities for us, in its Autumn 1969 edition…

1969 03.jpg When the stumps were drawn at Birkdale Branch on June 28, Mr J H Walker, the retiring Manager, entertained about fifty of his colleaguesto a buffet at the Southport and Birkdale Cricket Club where he is a dedicated member. Making the presentation on behalf of the many subscribers, Mr Ian Buchanan remarked that Mr Walker’s branches had always been considered an ideal training ground for staff. Famed too was his early morning philosophising which had become a feature of the branch routine. He was an L&Y man, having joined the Lancashire and Yorkshire bank as long ago as 1923 at Withy Grove and was thyus retiring after foty-six years’ service. He took up his first appointment in 1935 as Clerk in Charge at New Mills and after war service with the R A F returned to the Manchester District. In 1950 he went to Newport and a year later transferred to the Liverpool District. He was appointed Manager at Scotland Road in 1957, at Myrtle Street two years later and finally at Birkdale in 1966. In his reply Mr Walker spoke of the excellent spirit of the Liverpool District, and thanked his staff for their loyalty and his second men for their support. With the cheque he intended to buy a motor mower. Mrs Walker was presented with a boueuqt by Mrs D Marsh.

DISTRICT BANK LIMITED	MARTINS BANK LIMITED	MIDLAND BANK LIMITED

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK	WESTMINSTER BANK LIMITED	WILLIAMS DEACON’S BANK



*Mr W H Rogers* *On the Staff* *1912 to 1913*	*Mr R B Thompson* *Manager* *1926 to 1934*	*Mr J H Thomas* *On the Staff* *1929 to 1932*	*Mr G H Shepherd* *Manager* *1934 to 1935*	*Mr F Roberts* *Joined the Bank Here* *1935 to 1936*	*Mr G Hollows* *Manager* *1935 to 1947*



*Mr G Barnes* *On the Staff 1938 to 1940* *Manager 1969 onwards*	*Miss M A Betts* *Joined the Bank Here* *1940*	*Miss H M Buckley* *On the Staff* *1942 to 1947*	*Mr A S Jopling* *Manager* *1947 to 1959*	*Mr J T Barnes* *Joined the Bank Here* *1951 to 1952*	*Mr Eric S Sexton* *Manager* *1959 to 1966*



*Mr J H Walker* *Manager* *1966 to 1969*