11-83-40 Hoylake

A helpful sign…

1964 Hoylake Exterior showing proximity of Co-Op signage MBM-Au64P62.jpg

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collection

In Service: 1897 until 22 May 1998

Image © Barclays Ref 0030/1370

The Bank of Liverpool opens a branch at Hoylake in 1897, and business is still going strong there at the time of the merger of Martins with Barclays in 1969. At this time Hoylake is operating as a full branch, open six days across the full banking week. In the unusually angled image (above, left) from Martins Bank Magazine in 1964, the Co-Operative Bank seems to have set up shop next door, and with its own notions of friendly helpful service is the perfect complement to the Martins branch! This “happy combination” as the Magazine puts it, is the result of the rebuilding of the shops adjoining Hoylake branch. The image is taken by a member of the Liverpool District Relief staff at that time, Mr David Powell. Hoylake Branch remains open until the late Spring of 1988, at which point Barclays calls time on this future public house…

We won the Cup!

We are grateful to Joan Leece, formerly Joan Thomas, who worked at Hoylake branch from the late 1940s into the early 1950s. She recalls for us the time when former England Manager and Arsenal player Joe Mercer was a customer at Hoylake Branch, and how one afternoon in 1950 he appeared unexpectedly at the door. The rest of the story is the stuff of legend, and is told here by Joan herself: -

[“I started my career with Martins at Hoylake Branch in 1947 and was there until 1951 when Harold Smith was the Manager, Wynne-Robertson was first teller, Ken Pearson was second. Sadly Bruce Mitchell died young. There were only ever five on the staff. Sometime while I was there, Joe Mercer, Captain of Arsenal was a valued customer and when Arsenal won the FA Cup in 1950, Joe was walking down Market Street with the Cup until his adoring fans were probably a bit too much for him to cope with considering he was holding the Cup. It was after 3 p.m. and we heard a loud banging on the door. It was Joe asking if he could leave the Cup with us while he made his way down the street, so for the rest of the afternoon our counter proudly displayed the FA Cup for our enjoyment. Pity there were no instant cameras in those days to record the occasion.”]