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Period colour photographs of
Martins Bank’s Branches are few and far between, so to find that a small
number are reproduced within the pages of Martins Bank Magazine, is treasure
trove. This wonderful shot shows Bridgwater Branch at its newest,
having been taken not long after it opened in July 1962. Clean lines, a deep red brick shell, and an un-fussy frontage all serve
well to make Bridgwater an attractive branch that ought to have been good
enough to last – another branch that would look good today. However, the cruelty that accompanies a merger where duplication of
branches is concerned, affects many of Martins’ newest and brightest 1960s
offices. Bridgwater makes it beyond the merger but closes just ten years later
in January 1972… |
In Service: 1 July
1962 until 7 January 1972 Image – Martins Bank Archive Collections |
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travelling home one evening
we mentioned to a neighbour who knows the West Country that we were shortly
visiting Bridgwater. It was, we gathered from him, 'a pleasant little place—a bit of a
backwater—used to be quite a port in the old days.' This and other remarks might have led
us to expect cider, yokels and jerseyed old men by the decaying quay but, we
thought, if such was the case would the Bank have opened a branch there as
recently as July 1st? It seemed unlikely. We found Bridgwater an attractive,
busy country town. The birthplace of Admiral Blake, it obtained a Borough
Charter in 1200 and can even claim a number of Roman relics but seems more
concerned with life to-day, in which light industry and agriculture
predominate. It is, however, worth mentioning that, while there are now two
bridges over the River Parrett, the town's name was originally Bridge of Walter from the time of
the Norman conquest when Walter of Douai became Lord of the Manor.
Our
branch is very well placed in High Street and both externally and internally
is a credit to the architect, the contractors and of course our own Premises
people. It has everything we have now come to expect in a new office and Mr
Magnus Henderson, our Manager, is naturally delighted with it as also are the
members of the staff. Mr Henderson
entered the service in 1943 at Amble branch and worked subsequently at a
number of branches in the North Eastern District. His long interest in
agriculture probably stems from the time he spent at Hexham with Mr Luke
Wanless. In 1955 he moved to Taunton, receiving signing authority there in
1960, and in the winter of 1959-60 attended the Domestic Training Scheme in
Liverpool. On meeting Mrs Henderson at
lunch time we were pleased to find that not only was she on the staff in the
northeast before her marriage but that her father, Mr T. A. Wedderburn,
former manager of Westgate branch, has taken a new lease of life at Taunton
where his garden constituted a showpiece in the summer. The Hendersons are looking forward to their forthcoming move to
Bridgwater and the Bank could have no better ambassadors. Mr R. A. C. Sleap, who belies his name as Mr Henderson's
deputy, was no stranger to us and will be remembered by rugby players in the
London and Liverpool Districts. A native of Hayle, Cornwall, he joined London
District as a late entrant at Baker Street in 1956, moving to Exeter in 1959
and coming to Bridgwater when the branch opened. The two girls at the branch, Miss C. M. Ingram and Miss
M. C. Winslade, who entered the service respectively in June and September
last year, both live within a few miles of the town and last winter faced the
hazards of snow and ice in travelling daily to Taunton branch. Miss Ingram is
at present engaged chiefly with typing and machining while Miss Winslade
takes a till and we liked their cheerful, friendly air which must make our
customers glad to be customers. It adds the final touch to one of our newest
and brightest outposts where people are glad to give of their best knowing
that they will have the maximum encouragement and help from their District
Office...
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