11-05-60 Bootle Station (Cumberland)

Please do spare a thought for the sub-Branch Staff of Martins Bank. In the absence of a cast of thousands, they can and often do serve at more than one branch in the same day, and that means working fast and accurately, and most importantly balancing the books before closing one office and opening another.

It’s a bit like a pantomime quick change routine, where you give two performances per day! The work involved is not to be underestimated either, not least the sheer filthiness of banknotes and coin, and little or no time for “personal needs”…

In Service: Pre 1893 until 12 December 1969

Whatever problems you encountered at sub branch number one, however tired you’re feeling having frantically scrambled until the last minute to find that cash difference, or bundle up all those blood-stained notes the butcher paid in today, you must arrive at sub branch number two with a smile and be ready once more to go to extremes to be helpful. Bootle Station opens first, the cashier serves for one hour and then has one more hour in which to balance the cash and gather together the items to be taken back later to the main branch before moving on to Bootle to serve for another three hours. Another balance, more work to gather together and a trip back to Millom where it will already be all hands-on deck to be out by five o’clock if they are lucky!