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Opened in 1898, the branch
at Botchergate is one of two branches of the Carlisle and Cumberland Bank
that have come to Martins through amalgamation in 1911. Throughout the 1960s. the offices at 33 ENGLISH STREET and at 147 Botchergate are run as two separate full
Branches of the Bank, each of them providing Martins’ extremely helpful
service to two distinct parts of the City of Carlisle. For our feature we go back
to the Winter of 1966, when a very special member of the Botchergate staff
retires. Mr J A P Johnstone, Manager
since 1960, receives the accolade of “The Farmers’ Banker” by the Cumberland
News, which reflects the high esteem in which he is held by agricultural
customers of the Bank … |
In Service: 1898 until 24
January 1975 Image © Barclays Ref 0030-0560 |
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the cumberland news chose
The Farmers' Banker as a
headline to mark the retirement in October of Mr J. A. P. Johnstone after
seven years as Manager of Botchergate branch: this heading, over his
photograph taken in the cattle market adjoining the office, was well chosen
for few managers have been more highly regarded and many customers of this
farming branch called during his last weeks to express thanks for the kindly
but firm way he had helped them. Mr Johnstone took leave of his many friends
at a sherry party at the Red Lion Hotel on October 26 when the Assistant
District Manager presented a transistor radio on behalf of friends and
conveyed his own and the Bank's good wishes and thanks. We
were reminded that, though born in Scotland, Mr Johnstone began his service
at Head Office but spent most of his banking life at Longtown and Carlisle
and had been Pro Manager at Carlisle branch for six years before going to
Botchergate. Mrs Johnstone, who had herself arranged the floral decorations
in the room, received a bouquet from Miss Anne McCormack. Two days later Mr and Mrs Johnstone, with three of their
sons and their wives, entertained the Botchergate staff at a family dinner
party at the Crown Hotel, Wetheral. They will visit their fourth son in New
Zealand next year. Mr
Johnstone’s son still lives in New Zealand, and became a well known
broadcaster there over several decades. With his help, and that of Mr
Johnstone’s other children, you can see a very early photograph of Mr
Johnstone on our page for DALSTON - sub Branch to Carlisle. Despite having
been closed down in 1975, Botchergate retains its unmistakable looks as a
Bank more than forty years later... In the absence of a contemporary photo of
the Branch, we have this image from our friends at Google® Street View.
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Martins Bank Archive Collections 1988 to date. M M R |