Sadly, but not surprisingly the
decision is taken NOT to rebuild, and the accounts and staff are shared
with other branches. Whilst there is no period image of South John Street
as a abranch of Martins Bank, we do have below (left) a lithograph from
1922 showing the building under the ownership of the Lancashire and
Bank. You can of course read much
more about Martins Bank’s involvement in both World Wars, including details
of the other Branches hit or destroyed by enemy action, by visiting our
Martins at War sections. Simply
click on the leaflet shown here (left).
Given the demise of South John Street so early in the history of the
modern day Martins Bank, very few images remain of the branch, its staff
and its stationery, but Martins Bank Archive is fortunate to hold a cheque
book containing a number of unused cheques, which was issued for use in
October 1940, and from which the images below are taken:
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1964, Martins Bank Magazine
unearths this photograph of the South John Street Football team, taken in
1933. This is a stark reminder of
the number of staff members who will have worked at this branch, and for
whom alternative places of work had to be found after the destruction of
1941.
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Those GREEDY Bankers’ Bonuses!
Much is said in the Twenty-First Century about “bankers’ bonuses” -
and most of it derogatory – we would do well to look at a time when such
reqard was fully justified, and not over the top either in terms of amount,
or reason. In December 1941, following the loss of much of Liverpool’s
South John St – including Martins’ Branch to the Luftwaffe, the Bank
rewards Mr A Corkill, a member of the staff, with a bonus of Ł20. Under
normal circumstances, the amount would be added to salary, but as Mr
Corkill is serving in the armed forces, it can only be paid as a
bonus.
Nevertheless, Ł20 at Christmas 1941 must have been most welcome,
and will have probably paid for as good a Christmas as was possible under
the contraints of Wartime Britain.
According to the historic inflation calculator at www.thisismoney.co.uk, Ł20 in 1941 was worth
around Ł1100 in 2019. Our thanks to
friend of the Archive, Stephen Walker, for this copy of the letter written
to Mr Corkill, advising him of his bonus. Note
that by December, the Branch notepaper has been altered to give the
temporary address of Liverpool City Office Branch. This will have remained in place until
the sad decision was taken not to find alternative premises.
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Image ©
Martins Bank Archive Collections - Stephen Walker
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