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A sub-Branch is opened at Bickley
near Bromley in 1923, but the Bank closes it in 1928, and Bickley is replaced
by a new sub-branch office at Otford, near
Sevenoaks. Until 1931, it is a sub-Branch under the
control of Swanley. The parent branch then changes to Sevenoaks. In the end however, Otford
fares little better than Bickley, being open only until 1936. The opening hours for Otford
cover a six day banking week – which along with having its own telephone line
is often a sign of a brisk trade at a small Branch – but this is still not
enough to save Otford. If you can
help with memories or images of any of the 990+ buildings that are used by
Martins Bank as Branches, please do get in touch with us at the usual address
gutinfo@btinternet.com. Someone who did just that is
Ed Thompson, who has provided us with this wonderful picture of Otford sub
Branch circa 1930, with a member of staff seen standing by the entrance. As
our staff database is still incomplete for the period prior to January 1946,
we would really love to know who this person is. Ed was also able to provide us with more of
the history of this little building, in the shape of this deed of conveyance,
from April 1928… Conveyed
in fee simple… {“Executed
by parties of the first and second parts and duly attested: By Conveyance
dated 16 April 1928 between S H Wellbond and Martins Bank, a small portion of
the land situate near the Railway Station at Otford and continuing on the
north and south sides respectively thirty feet or thereabouts and on the east
and west sides respectively twenty-two feet or thereabouts, was conveyed to
Martins Bank in fee simple…”} So, a small plot of land,
suitable at around nine by seven metres is sufficient for Martins Bank to be
able to construct a small building from which a banking service can be
offered by way of a Sub Branch first of all to nearby Swanley, and later as
Sub to Sevenaoks. |
Image © Ed Thompson
Collection 1929 |
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1930 1931 Extracts
from Martins Bank Limited Annual Report and Accounts © Barclays
Image
© BT 1934 |
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Image © 2017 Ed Thompson
Collection |
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Bank
Burgled at Otford |
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Sevenoaks
Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser Friday
16 September 1933 Image
© Trinity Mirror Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. Image
reproduced with kind permission of The
British Newspaper Archive |
It doesn’t matter how tiny a sub Branch is, it can still be
fair game for bank robbers - from the professionals, all the way down to those
who don’t exactly do their homework before planning their attack! Our thanks go to our friends at the British
Newspaper Archive, for the following story, which is taken from the Sevenoaks
Chronicle and Kentish Advertiser, and concerns the night of Sunday 11
September 1933, when Martins Bank Otford was among a number of local
buildings to be targeted by some rather inept thieves. We are sorry that some of the wording in
the original article is now too faded to be easily read, and we have
reproduced the full text below: - {By breeching a window in an adjoining office
belonging to messrs. Henry Parker and Co., and forcing a connecting doorway, thieves
entered the branch office of Martins Bank at Otford in the early hours of
Sunday morning. No money at all is kept at the bank, and the thieves,
disappointed at their fruitless efforts to take anything of value, contented
themselves with doing considerable damage. The telephone wires were cut, the
upholstery of the chairs was ripped and the woodwork in the office was
scratched and chipped. The “Sevenoaks Chronicle” understands other premises
in Otford were entered including the Village Hall but no articles of value
were removed}. |
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Image © Ed Thompson Collection |
Image © 2017 Ed Thompson Collection |
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Title: Type: Address: Index Number and District: Hours: Telephone: Services: Manager: |
11-732 Otford Sub to 11-784 Swanley – 1928-1930 Sub to 11-732 Sevenoaks – 1931-1936 Sevenoaks Road Otford Kent 430 London Mon to Fri 1100-1530 Saturday 0930-1130 Otford 65 Counter Service Only Mr N F Harris Manager
(Sevenoaks) |
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30 June 1928 1931 16 July 1936 |
opened by Martins Bank
Limited Parent Branch changed from
Swanley to Sevenoaks Closed |
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sep3sep3sep |
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