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 With a liberal sprinkling
of apostrophes, Besses o’ th’ Barn sub-Branch at Whitefield, is opened by
Martins Bank in 1937. Although like
many of the other shops on Bury Old Road, the new Branch has been converted
from a previously substantial private dwelling, the Bank’s Architect still
manages to bring a feeling of security to the building, with a fantastic
stone facing to that ever popular bank branch device, the corner entrance.
During the Second World War, Besses o’ th’ Barn is managed by one of
many female Clerks in Charge, who step in as Managers in all but name to help
the Bank stay open…
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In Service: 23 August 1937 until
12 September 1988
Image © Barclays Ref 0030-3370
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Miss M A Lonsdale features in our Staff Gallery below, and you can read
more about the Wartime female staff in our Martins at War feature: GENTLEMEN-THE LADIES. Besses o’ th’
Barn survives the 1969 merger with Barclays and stays open for another twenty
years or so, closing in the Autumn of 1988. For our feature, we go back to
1968 - Retiring from forty-three years with the bank, and also just before
the merger, is Jack Lightfoot, who has been Clerk in Charge at Besses o’ th’
Barn since 1958. As ever, Martins Bank
Magazine is there to report on the festivities…
  retiring as Clerk-in-Charge of Besses
o' th' Barn branch after 43 years' service, Jack Lightfoot gave an informal party
at the Derby Hotel, Whitefield, on September 27. Some fifty of his friends
and colleagues, including Mr N. E. Foster and Mr F. Tunstall, were present. After a buffet meal Mr Derbyshire (Manager, Whitefield)
spoke of the well-deserved esteem with which Mr Lightfoot was regarded by
staff and customers and of the loyalty and help he had given four successive
managers while at Besses o' th' Barn.
Mr Derbyshire then presented a cheque which would be used to buy a
power mower, and Mrs Eileen Webb gave a bouquet to Mrs Lightfoot. Mr Lightfoot responded with characteristic sincerity,
acknowledging with gratitude the gifts and good wishes of his friends.
Earlier that day he had been entertained to lunch at Manchester District
Office. With the exception of five years
with H.M. Forces his whole career had been spent in the Manchester District,
beginning at Accrington in 1925, and culminating in his appointment as
Clerk-in-Charge at Besses o' th' Barn in 1958.
Images
© Barclays Ref 0030-3370
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