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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, the yorkshire town has, at various times between 1928 and 1969, a
total of NINE branches and sub-branches.
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In Service: 1923 until 9 July 1982
Image © Barclays Ref:
0030-0356
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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.
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