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 An invitation and
an announcement…
Martins Bank consolidates its position in North
Wales, with addition of a branch at Bangor in 1963. Although not heralded in the
first advertisement as a temporary office, Garth Road is open for just under
one year.
During that time, permanent premises are fitted
out at 273 High Street, and Mr Howell-Jones can get on with building a
customer base for the new branch.
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In Service: 6 June 1963 until moved to 273 High Street 23 May
1964
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Martins Bank Magazine visits the Garth Street premises
not long after the branch opens for business for the first time, commenting
that the temporary branch and the new branch are little more than 100 yards
apart from each other. The article is published in the Autumn 1963 edition of
the magazine, and in it, we get to meet mr Howell-Jones and his staff for the
first time…
“Education
hungry peasants and tradesmen”…
 To most of us, the mention of Bangor brings to mind Telford's
Suspension Bridge on the A5 to Anglesey and summer holidays. To many it is a
Welsh market town between historic Caernarvon and Conway, yet few realise
that Bangor, with a population of a mere 14,000, is a city with a cathedral
founded early in the sixth century only to be destroyed and rebuilt throughout
the chequered history of Wales. Bangor's civic status is enhanced by the
academic atmosphere of the University College of North Wales – the ‘College on the Hill’ – built only eighty years ago with
money from education-hungry peasants and tradesmen. Not surprisingly,
therefore, Bangor is proud of what it has done and of what it is doing
to-day. It already has a museum, a technical college and a civic centre, but
space is Bangor's main difficulty. Lying between the Menai Straits and the
mountains of Snowdonia, there is little room for expansion and the narrow
High Street is already a problem but rebuilding has started. It is in the High Street on a site
which is at present a maze of steel girders that our permanent branch is
taking shape; for the present, we have a most attractive temporary office
less than one hundred yards away, which is a revelation of what can be done
in a very short time.
 Mr H. B. Howell Jones arrived in
Bangor on 23rd May to open our new
branch, as Manager, on 6th June. He found the shell of a shop in a new
building, some scantling and two safes. There
were no lights, no telephone, no conduits, but there were some contractors
and there was only a fortnight to opening day with the Whitsun holiday
intervening. The branch opened on time and our manager’s modesty when
questioned about events in that memorable fortnight is best summed up in
Thackeray's words: 'Although I enter not, Yet round about the spot Oft times
I hover.' It was, in fact, all rather hair-raising but it is quite possible
that Mr Howell Jones has in recent years consoled himself with the many
soporific references to 'everything coming to those who wait.' He may,
therefore, have been prepared for everything coming at once when things
really began to happen. Almost within a year he has married, bought a new
house at Llanfairfechan, become a father, been elected a Fellow of the
Institute of Bankers, received his first managerial appointment and, of
course, opened a new branch. We hope he will now have time to consolidate his
position but, meanwhile, his many friends will be glad to know that his
urbanity and charm have not suffered as a result of his recent experiences.
Entering the Bank in 1928 at Manchester Office, Mr Howell Jones worked in the
Manchester District until he moved to Rhyl in 1939. In 1946 he went to Colwyn
Bay where, since 1955, he had been deputy to the manager. He attended the
Domestic Training Scheme in 1960-61 and last year was Chairman of the North
Wales (East) Area of the Institute of Bankers. His interests range from
debating and foreign travel to ski-ing and climbing and as he is also Welsh
speaking, we can look forward confidently to the success of the new branch.
Mr D. W. S. Parry, who came from
Wrexham to occupy the second position also speaks Welsh. He entered the Bank
in 1947 at Wrexham and all his service has been spent there and at Chester
and Hoole branches with two periods on relief. He has already found a bungalow at
Benllech, in Anglesey, to which his family has moved, so his energy and
ability will have full scope in helping to build the new business. Mr Colin
Jones, a native of Wrexham, entered the service at Oswestry in 1961, moving
to Chester last year. He has somehow managed to find accommodation in Bangor
which is no easy task in view of the competition from the University for
suitable lodgings and is making the most of the opportunities to learn as
the new business grows. The young lady member of the staff, Miss L. A.
Bowles, was unhappily away from the office as the result of a very nasty road
accident but she was back at home after a spell in hospital and we were very
ready to agree when Mr Howell Jones suggested that arrangements for the
photograph of the staff might be deferred until she was sufficiently well to
travel from her home beyond Caernarvon. By the time this Magazine is
published, we hope Miss Bowles will be back in the team of enthusiastic
pioneers at Bangor.
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