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Martins Bank 1928+

Worthy of the expense of a colour picture in the winter 1961 edition of Martins Bank Magazine, St Helens Branch reopens after two years in temporary premises to allow the rebuilding of the original office. Between 1960 and 1968, Martins Bank embarks on an ambitious programme of branch refurbishment and rebuilding, that will bring many of its oldest Northern Branches up to the standards of the newer offices it has been opening in the South, as part of a Natinal expansion programme.  At the end of 1961, Martins Bank Magazine visits the new Branch, and seemingly it just can’t resist being rude about the nearby town of Widnes…

 

In Service: 19 April 1949 to 1959 then 1961 until 9 February 1973 

1961 St Helens Exterior MBM-Wi61P06.jpg

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

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The approach to St. Helens by train from Liverpool is depressing and we must admit that accustomed as we are to passing through Widnes, the involuntary exclamation which escaped our lips was “What a frightful place!”.  The works of Pilkingtons, the famous glass manufacturers, employing in the town alone a labour force five times as great as that employed by the whole of Martins Bank, sprawl across the landscape, dominating the town and invading its very heart. Beechams still manufacture their famous products here and the town is the home of about another half dozen large manufacturing firms. 

Images © Barclays Ref 0030/2521

The rest of the business is small retail shop-keeping. We first opened our branch here in 1949 and Mr. R. Scott became its Manager in 1960 after six years at Victoria Street, Liverpool, the last two as a signing officer. He entered the Bank in 1933 at St. Luke's, Southport, and the other branches at which he has served are Southport, Linacre, Litherland and Eastbank Street.  His first spell at St. Helens was from 1949 to 1954 and after years in Southport, residence in St. Helens is a great contrast for both Mr. and Mrs. Scott. One of the things which surprised Mrs. Scott is the large amount of heavy traffic, the heaviest industrial vehicles being a rarity in places like Southport. But both Mr. and Mrs. Scott are well steeped in the banking tradition. Mr. Scott's uncle was the late Mr. Win. Thomson, a former Manager of Liverpool City Office, and Mrs. Scott worked in Head Office Trustee Department before her marriage, so they are both alive to the need for adaptability and for doing their best for the Bank wherever their destiny takes them.

 

Second-in-Command is J. H. Anthem who entered the Bank in 1949 and has previously served at Myrtle Street, on the Relief Staff and at Egremont. Next comes P. E. Boulton who started his career in 1953 and whose previous experience includes the Relief Staff, Chief Cashier's Department and Liverpool City Office with two years in the Royal Army Pay Corps thrown in for good measure. P. F. Riley joined the staff in 1959 at Church Street, Liverpool, going to St. Helens later the same year.

There are two ladies, Miss R. B. Edwards and Miss M. B. Hill. Miss Edwards started at Old Swan in 1956 and went on to St. Helens the following year. She acts as No. 2 Cashier. Miss Hill started at St. Helens in 1957, and after a spell of work on Relief Staff she went to Old Swan in 1959 and back to St. Helens in 1960. She takes charge of No. 3 till. Our visit was made just as the branch was in the throes of partial mechanisation and so, included in our photograph and temporarily attached to the branch, are Miss James from the Mechanisation Department, whose job it is to bring the mechanised branches up in the way they should go, and H. G. Pilley, from the District Office Relief Staff. The excuse made for our visit was the recent move of the branch from temporary premises to its new rebuilt office.

 

The building as it appears under its new floodlighting is shown above.  Inside, the premises are wide and shallow. There is very little office space behind the counter and the machine section and much of the other office accommodation is to the left of the counter. This makes it rather an unusual branch but the arrangements are comfortable, adequate and pleasing in design and finish.  In fairness to St. Helens, Mr. and Mrs. Scott took us to see the best residential quarter and also the view across the countryside from as little as a couple of miles from the centre of the town.  Even in the most unprepossessing place there are beauty spots and the golf course is cunningly screened from the belching chimneys by a stretch of woodland while the nicer houses are situated on very pleasant tree-lined avenues. The progress of the branch is very encouraging and no one appeared to be in the slightest degree depressed by their surroundings.

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Award-winner

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1968 02 MBM.jpg1968 Barbara Jackson (article - award winner) MBM-Su68P39.jpgThe attainment of the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award is a formidable task and our congratulations go to Barbara Jackson of St Helens Branch who recently qualified. The Award Scheme consists of four sections: Service, Adventure, Interests and Design for Living, the tests being graded from the Bronze, to the Silver and finally Gold Awards.  To qualify for the award Barbara's tests included a residential course in Scotland, a 15-mile sponsored walk, another walk from St Helens to Southport, caring for mentally handicapped children, helping in an old peoples' hostel, looking after deprived children, a general handyman's course, pass­ing several Red Cross examinations, taking a nursing course, qualifying to be a help to a midwife, passing her driving test, taking a course in car mechanics and a dressmaking course! She will be going to Buckingham Palace in July to receive her award from Prince Philip. To add to her outstanding achievements, Barbara, who is 18, has recently been commissioned as a lieutenant in the Girls Brigade.

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1958 to 1959 Mr K E Jarvis MBM-Au62P42.jpg

1961 Mr R Scott Manager MBM-Wi61P07.jpg

1961 Miss H S James MBM-Wi61P07.jpg

1961 Mr J H Anthem MBM-Wi61P07.jpg

Mr K E Jarvis

On the Staff

1958 to 1959

Mr R Scott

Manager

1961 onwards

Miss H S James

On the Staff

1961

Miss M B Hill

On the Staff

1961

Mr H G Pilley

On the Staff

1961

Mr J H Anthem

On the Staff

1961

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1961 Mr P E Boulton MBM-Wi61P07.jpg

1961 Mr P F Riley MBM-Wi61P07.jpg

1968 Barbara Jackson MBM-Su68P39.jpg

1968 Mr PA Smethurst pro Manager MBM-Sp68P06.jpg

Mr P E Boulton

On the Staff

1961

Mr P F Riley

On the Staff

1961

Miss R B Edwards

On the Staff

1961

Mr W D Ambrose

Pro Manager

1963 to 1967

Barbara Jackson

On the Staff

1968

Mr P A Smethurst

Pro Manager

1968

 

BARCLAYS BANK LIMITED

DISTRICT BANK LIMITED

LLOYDS BANK LIMITED

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MARTINS BANK LIMITED

MIDLAND BANK LIMITED

NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WESTMINSTER BANK LIMITED

WILLIAMS DEACON’S BANK

 

 

 

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Title:

Type:

Address:

Index No and District:

Hours:

 

Telephone:

Services:

Manager:

11-34-70 St Helens

Full Branch

2 Hardshaw Street St Helens Lancashire

81 Liverpool

Mon to Fri 1000-1500

Saturday 0900-1130

St Helens 27447

Nightsafe Installed

Mr R Scott Manager

 

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St Helens Church Street

19 April 1949

1959

1961

15 December 1969

9 February 1973

Opened By Martins Bank Limited

Demolished and rebuilt

Re-opened

Barclays Bank Limited 20-74-76  St Helens Lancs Hardshaw Street

Closed

St John’s Chapel

 

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