11-96-60 Prudhoe

Is it Proud Hill, Prda or

Pruddah? Let history decide…

1899 is another busy year of expansion for the North Eastern Banking Company Limited, as they open new branches at Millfield in Sunderland, Seaham Harbour, West Cornforth, Dunston, Low Fell (Gateshead), Wolsingham and of course at “Pruddah”. This local pronunciation of Prudhoe does away with any doubts about how to say the word, and various histories report that Prudhoe means “Proud Hill” from Saxon times. Some historians have even linked it to a man of that period called “Prda”, which does bring things rather neatly back to how it is pronounced. Enough of history. Fast-forward now to 1966 and it’s time for one of Martins Bank’s Pruddah Managers to retire. Mr Ridley has been in charge for fifteen years, and Martins Bank Magazine reports his farewell bash…

In Service: 1899 until 11 August 2023

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-2355

1965 03 MBM.jpg highly respected as a bank manager—and as a golfer—Mr Ridley retired as Manager of Prudhoe branch at the end of May. Apart from spells at Brampton branch and in H.M. Forces Mr Ridley spent all his 43 years' service in the north-east, becoming Manager at Prudhoe in 1951. Prior to his retirement he lunched with his District General Manager at Grey Street and on May 27 entertained 40 past and present colleagues at the Lion and Lamb Hotel, Horsley. Mr M. A. Charlton (Pro Staff Manager) expressed the good wishes of the District Management and Mr Black, second man at Prudhoe, presented Mr Ridley with his colleagues’ cheque. Mrs Ridley received a bouquet from Miss Highmoor. In reply Mr Ridley thanked everyone for their loyalty and friendship during his career and said he would use the money on a good pair of binoculars. The couple were to spend the first weeks of retirement in their caravan on the north-west coast where they planned a few games of golf and hoped Mrs Ridley would throw off the effects of a recent illness.

Looking after the Staff…

We love to bring you image of both the exterior and interior of Martins Bank Branches, and thanks to the collection passed on to Barclays, we can do this for the vast majority of Branches. Occasionally we are left scratching our heads when, as in the case of Prudhoe Branch, the interior images are not of the banking hall or offices, but the staff rooms. This then is the kind of sumptuous décor and up to the minute gadgetry enjoyed by the Staff of Martins Bank Prudhoe in 1965…