|
|
|
From its opening in 1958, Martins Bank’s Branch at
Colchester has continued to make a real impression. The building in which it is housed is today
listed under the Town and Country Planning Act 1947, as being of special
architectural interest. It is an oak framed structure built early in the
seventeenth century, and re-fronted in brick about the middle of eighteenth
century. The branch is featured –
using an artist’s drawing (shown below) – in the 1962 booklet “Martins Bank
Limited” which showcases the Bank’s new branches and services. Colchester is
one of only a handful of Martins’ Branches to be located in East Anglia – the
heartland of Barclays, who have outlets in practically every town and village
of every one of the eastern counties... |
In Service: 1958 to 16
May 1988
Branch Images © Barclays Ref 0030-0693 |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Despite Colchester already hosting a large number
of Banks including Barclays, there must be something special about the
Martins office, as it makes it through the merger with Barclays, and remains
open for another twenty years, until 1988.
For our feature, we wind back to 1959, and the first visit to
Colchester by Martins Bank Magazine. There, they meet the staff and learn
more about the town itself…
Colchester is, of course,
a very old town and was an important place when the beginnings of London were
of much less importance. It was the headquarters of a legion and it is still
a garrison town. It has the remains of a castle which is as old as the Tower
of London and the Roman walls are visible in many places, while one of the
main roads follows the course of the wall, a very substantial stretch of
which still survives. Though strengthened with modern brick the massive
nature of the original construction is still most impressive. Roman tiles
have been used in the building of some of the later structures and are very
prominent in one of the churches and in the ruins of an old abbey in the
centre of the town. The figure of Queen Helena, who converted the Emperor
Constantine to Christianity, has been erected at the top of the tower of
another church.
Colchester is still a port, with its own wharves and
installations, for the river Colne is tidal at this point and connoisseurs of
food will recall that the Colchester oyster is an expensive delicacy. In this connection it is interesting to note that Mr. H. W.
Francis, the second-in-command at the time of our visit on August 12th, is a
Freeman of the River Colne, being an hereditary member of the Colne Fishery
Company.
A special Act of Parliament was passed in 1870 with regard to
the ownership of the oyster beds, which were defined as belonging to the
Corporation of Colchester and certain specified individuals, who could only
pass on their privilege through their sons and that conditional upon their
sons being duly apprenticed for seven years.
Mr. Francis became an hereditary freeman through his father and served
his apprenticeship, a fortnight annually for seven years. His association
with the town led to his being invited to help with the new branch.
Unfortunately, however, he has suffered a long illness since the branch was
opened and may be unable to continue his work there. The Manager, Mr. H. B. Turton, hails from
the Manchester District, and was Manager at Bramhall for seven years. Prior
to that he served at Miles Platting from the time of his entry into the old
Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank in 1921 until his transfer to Brown Street in
1934. Apart from war service from 1941 to 1946 with the R.A.F., he remained at
Brown Street until 1947 when he became one of the stalwarts of Manchester
District Office. He was appointed Manager at Bramhall in 1950 and opened the
new branch at Colchester last year.
The third male member of the staff, Mr. M. A. Rushbrooke, we
first met on the occasion of a visit to Ipswich. After the vicissitudes which
have beset the staff since the branch was opened, he is proving a tower of
strength to Mr. Turton. Representing
the female staff we have Miss A. G. York, a native of Colchester, who
maintains her part of the burden with the efficiency we have come to expect
of our girls. The
counter was busier than we have found customary for a recently opened branch
and there was a constant procession of people. After lunch Mr.
Turton took us for a quick look at the town, a look which certainly whetted
our appetite for a further visit.
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
