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 In 1620 the “Pilgrim Fathers” named Boston Massachusettes after Boston in
Lincolnshire, England. Martins Bank
opened its Boston Branch for business on Thursday 9 June 1966. In common with most of martins Bank’s new
Branches and rebuilds at this time, the opening is mentioned prominently in
the local press, which at that time was the Boston Standard. We were saddened to hear that in the floods
of early 2014, much of the Standard’s Archive was destroyed.
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In Service: 9
June 1966 until December 1992
Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0328
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However, an amazing piece of good fortune
came along when friend of Martins Bank Archive, Stephen Walker, contacted us
to say he had a copy of the newspaper covering the opening of Boston Branch! Things became even more curious, when we
learned that Target Newspapers, of which the Boston Standard was one of its
titles, occupied the same premises as the Martins Bank Branch until 2014!
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It was last used as a bank branch by
Barclays from the time of the merger with Martins, until December 1992. We
are grateful to the Boston Standard for allowing us to display the images on
this page that relate to the opening day of the Branch. Later, in a feature from Martins Bank
Magazine, you will be able to read about the publication’s first visit to the
Branch for its Autumn 1966 Edition, in which we are introduced to the Manager
and his Staff. We also learn of the
special tapestry, commissioned to symbolise the sea, the
Pilgrim Fathers, merchant trading, agriculture and the famous “Boston
Stump”. First of all, we have some
coverage of the opening day itself, from the Boston Standard Newspaper…
THE STANDARD FRIDAY 10
JUNE 1966
 The sun shone and
everyone was happy as Boston's newest bank opened its doors at 10 o'clock
yesterday (Thursday) morning. First
customers at Martins Bank in Wide Bargate were Mr. Thomas Trinder, newsagent,
of 28 Horncastle Road, Boston who was transferring his account from Martins
at Spalding, and Miss B. Waterfall and her brother, Mr Harry Waterfall of
Waterfalls (Boston) Ltd., the Wide Bargate drapers, who were transferring
their business account from another Boston bank. Welcoming them was branch
manager Mr. D. R. Sargeant.
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Image © Martins Bank Archive
Collections
Restored 2011
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We are sorry that the image of customers
attending the new Branch on its opening day is none too clear. Although the
Boston Standard lost a huge amount of its paper archives to flood damage,
many still exist on microfilm, from which the image above is taken. Now to the Autumn of 1966, and the visit to
Boston of Martins Magazine….
  the clean white spires of the Fenland village churches are wonderful landmarks
for the motorist bowling along the flat roads of South Lincolnshire. Boston,
which lies at the most westerly corner of the Wash, 17 miles to the east of
Sleaford and 23 miles from Skegness, takes some time to reach and the first
hint of its existence comes with the appearance on the skyline of the famous
Boston 'Stump'—the mediaeval lantern
tower of St Botolph's Church. Our branch site, which
adjoins the Post Office in Wide Bargate, the main through road, is a ready
trap for the walk-in customer, and it is not surprising that the Bank has
had a friendly reception. The attractive frontage is of polished granite and
marble, with the coat of arms etched in silver, but the most striking feature
is the hand-woven tapestry frieze at the end of the banking hall. Floodlit at night, this unique and
remarkable design symbolises the sea, the Pilgrim Fathers, merchant trading,
agriculture and the 'stump', in needlepoint work embroidered on canvas
measuring 22 feet by 3½ feet. That, one might
think, would be enough to satisfy anyone, but this branch has a quite
outstanding character. The visitor who looks closely at the interior will
probably feel as we did, that the architect enjoyed his work and that some
person or persons in the Bank decided that as this was the work of a man who
clearly loved his job, it must not be tampered with unnecessarily!
Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0328
Finally, in the following article published
one week after the new Branch opens, the Boston standard lifts the lid on the
specially commissioned and expensive tapestry which has been created for
Martins Bank to be able to reflect local history.
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THE STANDARD
FRIDAY 17 JUNE 1966
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EARLY visitors to the new Boston branch
of Martins Bank, which opened in Wide Bargate last Thursday have been impressed
by the tapestry freize (shown above) stretching across the end of the banking
hall opposite the doors. It is believed to be unique in this area. One tapestry is 22 feet long and 3½ feet
deep, and is of needlepoint work — embroidered on
canvas — not woven.
It was commissioned from Arthur H. Lee and Co. Ltd., tapestry
makers, of Birkenhead, by the architects for the whole project, Messrs.
Ruddle and Wilkinson of Peterborough and Spalding. Mr. R. Stanley, partner in charge of the
architects’ Spalding branch, told the Standard: “The company designed and
executed the tapestry in consultation with us. It. depicts many of the
aspects of Boston's life and history — you might say it
echoes the flavour of the town.
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Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections
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Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0328
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“The bank has used natural teak and
woods which can be associated with the merchanting traditions of Boston,
and we feel it is rather nice to have a tapestry which reflects this — it depicts sea and sand, shipping, warehouses,
agriculture and. of course, the Stump. They are not in the form of factual
records, but rather representational”. What has it cost? Said Mr. Stanley: “One should not be
interested in money It's all a matter of relative values”. But he said you could buy a good car for
about the same money. It took about three months to make the tapestry. At night it can be floodlit, to be seen
through the large areas of
glass which form part of the bank front.
Our thanks to Stephen Walker for his help with the Boston
Standard articles, and to the Standard itself for allowing us permission to
reproduce them. Still proudly
covering Boston and the surrounding area today, the Standard can be found
at: www.bostonstandard.co.uk
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,
A good place to talk money – Mr
Sargeant’s new office is ready for business
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Changing the face of
Wide Bargate…
Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0328
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