|
The various bank mergers and acquisitions that took
place in the first quarter of the twentieth century, left many towns and
cities with several branches of Martins Bank. This is particularly true at
Bradford, which at various times between 1928 and 1969, has a total of NINE branches and sub-branches.
|
In Service: 1923 until 9 July 1982
Image © Barclays Ref:
0030-0356
|
|
In 1969, Martins Bank still has branches at Tyrrel
Street, (including Bradford International Branch) University, Great Horton,
Manningham and Sunbridge Road, and that’s after the closures of Market street
in 1928 and Clayton in 1932. As we
will see in the second of two articles below, Bradford is apparently crucial
to the future prosperity of the bank!
Choosing a manager to secure the necessary business to keep it that
way, is no easy task. In this respect,
1953 is a particularly important year for the branch…
One
out…
  Nearly
one hundred immediate and past colleagues shared in the gift of a walnut
bureau to mark the retirement of Mr. L. W. Smith, and about eighty were
present at a very pleasing ceremony which took place at Bradford branch on
April 30th. Many tributes, serious and
humorous, were paid by Mr. E. C. Beardwood, Sub Manager, in whose efficient
hands all arrangements for the occasion had rested, and others followed in
similar racy vein from Mr. E. V. Fielding for the more senior colleagues,
Miss M. M. Rushforth on behalf of the ladies, Mr. A. J. Talbot for the
younger staff, Mr. J. A. Holgate representing visiting colleagues and from
Mr. H. R. Suttle. In making the presentation Mr. T. A. Samuel, Leeds District
General Manager, spoke of the many qualities which had helped Mr. Smith
throughout his career, particularly during that difficult period in which
Bradford's principal commodity, wool, had reached record prices and then had
fallen in value with unprecedented rapidity.
In more jocular tones Mr. Samuel referred to Mr. Smith's well-known
vivacity, humour and zest for life, attributes upon which all speakers had
touched. In a typical speech Mr. Smith acknowledged the gift and all the
accompanying references, and gave us glimpses of episodes throughout his life
in the Bank. Everyone was the guest of Mr. Smith at a cocktail party and,
later, at dinner at the Liberal Club where Mrs. Smith joined her husband as
hostess and was presented with a bouquet of carnations by Miss A. S. Joist. • Mr. Smith entered the service at Bradford in
1910, and during the First World War he served with the Forces between 1914
and 1919, returning to Bradford when he was demobilised. In 1927 he was
transferred to Sunbridge Road, where he became Pro Manager in 1929. In 1936
he was appointed Sub Manager at Bradford and in 1938 Manager of Vicar Lane,
returning to Bradford as Manager in 1948.
…and
one in!
 The
appointment to the managership of our Bradford branch is one of the most
important managerial appointments in the Bank. Our office at Bradford is one
of the largest in the service and one of the most vital links in the chain of
our continued prosperity. In succession to Mr. L.
W. Smith, who has retired, Mr. H. R. Suttle has been appointed. Mr. Suttle is a native of the district in
which he is quite well-known. He commenced his career at Bingley in 1919 and
after various periods of service at Shipley, Leeds and at the Head Office in
Liverpool he became Manager at Bingley in 1938, a position he held until his
promotion to the managership of Keighley branch in 1949. When at Bingley Mr.
Suttle was Honorary Treasurer of the Red Cross Penny-a-Week Fund and of the
Bingley Squadron of the Air Training Corps: he also served on the local Savings Committee. He was on the Keighley Savings Committee
and was Joint Treasurer of the Keighley Central Youth Club. Mr. Suttle's
tenure of the Honorary Treasurership of the Shipley Golf Club has also made
him widely known in Bradford and district.
|
