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If you are looking for the fountain of eternal youth, it
seems to be located in Birkenhead – at the very least, we believe there must
be something in the water on the Wirral Peninsula that keeps the staff
and former staff of Martins Bank thriving!
What leads us to this conclusion? Below we feature the
reunion of no less than FIVE Managers of the Branch, and we
also have the retirement celebration write-ups for four of them, all as
published in Martins Bank Magazine – Mr Grice, who leaves in 1947, Mr
Harrison who retires in 1954, Mr Costain, whose turn it is to go in 1961, and
Mr Chisholm who leaves in 1964.
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In Service: 1898 until 2 October 1987
Image © Barclays Ref
0030/0201
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.A Happy Reunion…
  We
wonder whether any Branch can better Rock Ferry's total of five managers who
have reached retirement age at the Branch. The group above shows, on the
left, Mr C. Barlow (88) 1901-36, centre
Mr H. W. Grice (77) 1936-47, right
Mr G. Harrison (70) 1947-54 with
Mr R. E. Costain (63) 1954-61. Between
Mr Barlow and Mr Grice is Mr G. W. Chisholm, Manager from 1961 until his retirement in
October this year.
It’s been nice, Mr Grice…
  On
the 27th March, 1947, a large gathering of friends and colleagues crowded
into Rock Ferry Branch to say farewell to Mr. H. W. Grice, who was retiring
from the bank after 44 years' service. Mr. R. E.
Costain welcomed the guests, who included Mr. R. H. Price, Assistant Staff
Manager; Mr. G. Harrison, manager, Castle Street; Mr. T. A. Grimes, manager,
Birkenhead ; Mr. G. H. Shepherd, manager, Chester; Mr. S. N. Rimmer, manager,
Charing Cross, Birkenhead; Mr. A. Wall Jones, manager, Claughton Village; Mr.
D. S. Burrow, manager, Cattle Trade Branch, Birkenhead; Mr. T. L. Othick,
Clerk-in-Charge, Lower Bebington; and many other colleagues. Mrs. H. W. Grice
and Miss Margaret Grice, Mrs. G. Harrison and Mrs. R. E. Costain were also
present, as was the manager of the Midland Bank Ltd., Rock Ferry. Mr. R. H. Price then made the presentation of a bicycle
on behalf of the subscribers. Mr. Grice
entered the Bank of Liverpool in 1903 at Seacombe Branch and later served at
Heywoods, Old Swan, Tue Brook and East Branches.
After service in the Great War he returned to Head Office in 1919, where he
remained until he was appointed manager of Rock Ferry Branch in 1936.
There’s no comparison, Mr Harrison…
  The retirement
of George Harrison at the end of July removes from the active scene one of
the best-known and best-loved managers in the Liverpool District, and the
large number of people who subscribed to his parting gift together with the
gathering of Merseyside colleagues who attended the presentation ceremony
were a most impressive tribute to a very popular colleague. The presentation was made on behalf of the many
subscribers by Mr. R. H. Price, the Staff Manager, after Mr. R. E. Costain,
the new manager, had paid his own personal tribute. Mr. Price outlined Mr.
Harrison's career and, referring to the wealth of messages and letters which
had been received, conveying good wishes, selected one special one, that
from Dan Thomas, to read to those present. In its warmth and affection it
summed up what we all felt about George. Mr.
Harrison entered the Bank in 1911 and served at Head Office and Birkenhead
before joining the Colours on August 4th, 1914. On his return to the Bank in
1919 he went to Liverpool Foreign Branch for the next eighteen years and to
Castle Street in 1937. His first appointment, as Pro Manager at Castle
Street, came in 1939 and he became Manager at Rock Ferry in 1947. He was presented with a cheque, and his wife, whom we
were all delighted to see, was given a
cut-glass vase and a bouquet of flowers. We understand that a television set
is at the top of the list of favourites but George must remember that you
can't argue with a television set, you can only smash it, and for one who for
the past 43 years has " argued high and argued low, and also argued
round about him " this is a point to be borne in mind! George's work for the British Legion will never be
forgotten and none of us will ever forget him or his gracious wife.
Auf Wiedersehen, Mr Costain…
  The
retirement of Bob Costain, Manager of Rock Ferry Branch since 1954, was the
occasion of a gathering of friends and colleagues at the Branch on July 31st,
which included two of his three predecessors, Mr. C. Barlow and Mr. George
Harrison, The absence of the third, Mr. Hugh Grice, who was on holiday, just
prevented the occasion from being unique in the Liverpool District. The proceedings were opened by Mr. D. P. Roberts,
second-in-command at the Branch who, after paying his own tribute to Mr.
Costain, called upon Mr. N. N. Jobling, Liverpool District General Manager,
to make the presentation of a cheque on behalf of the subscribers. Mr. Jobling
thanked Mr. Costain on behalf of the General Management of the Bank and of the
Liverpool District General Management for his contribution to the progress of
the Bank, and he included in his remarks Mrs. Costain, whom all were
delighted to see present. A bouquet was presented to Mrs. Costain by Mrs.
Weston. At the conclusion of the formalities
those present partook of the excellent refreshments prepared by Mrs. Costain
and her helpers. Mr. Costain commenced his
service with the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank and among the Branches at
which he worked were South John Street, Wallasey, Seacombe and Linacre.
Goodbye, Mr Chisholm…
 mr chisholm's retirement at the end of
October as Manager of Rock Ferry Branch was marked by an informal gathering
of nearly 50 friends, past and present colleagues and their wives. This was a typical measure of his popularity and Mr I.
Buchanan (Liverpool District General Manager) said that while he wished to
observe Mr Chisholm's request for a minimum of formality, he was most anxious
to point out that Mr Chisholm was the fifth member of the family to serve the
Bank and that the family had contributed 90 years of continuous service.
Moreover he now became the fifth member of a remarkable team of retired
managers of Rock Ferry Branch, covering a continuous period of 63 years with
a total of 216 years' service. Despite the fact that Mr Chisholm was beyond
normal retirement age he was, said Mr Buchanan, 'quite a boy' compared with
his predecessors and he concluded with sincere thanks for his excellent
service and friendship. On behalf of friends
and colleagues, a cheque to purchase a roto-cultivator for the garden of his
new house was presented to Mr Chisholm and Mrs Chisholm received a bouquet
from Miss Rosina Phillips. Mr Chisholm in a brief reply thanked his
colleagues and paid a handsome tribute to his wife before inviting his
friends to indulge again in the excellent
refreshments. Entering the service at Head
Office in 1922 Mr Chisholm's career was spent in Branches on Merseyside. In
1938 he became Clerk-in-Charge at Little Sutton, and Clerk-in-Charge at Eastham
in 1943, going to Rock Ferry as Manager in 1961.
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