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Martins Bank 1928+Thanks to the remarkable forward thinking of Martins Bank colleagues who took and preserved images of some of the branches they worked at, our Archive contains this extremely rare photo of what was only ever meant to be a temporary Branch in Reading.

It was opened at No 6 Station Road in 1939, the idea being to get the place up and running whilst looking for more commodious premises in the town.  As it happens, (and the Second World War will have played a part here) Martins stays at Station Road for twenty-one years, finally moving into a more spacious building at 160 FRIAR STREET in 1960.  We have divided, and in some cases duplicated images of the Reading Staff across the two Reading pages to reflect the periods they worked there.   Two interior photographs of 6 Station Road were found amongst the photographs of the Friar Street Branch that were left to Barclays at the time of the 1969 merger, and these are shown below.

In Service 2 January 1939 until 1960

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1953 September Reading 6 Station Road Exterior CU Geoff Taylor

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections - Geoff Taylor

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Then there are two newspaper advertisements including the announcement of the opening of the branch itself. The advertisement on the left was used to advertise the Bank in National newspapers, and to provide details of the Bank’s Assets at the end of 1948. In this case however, what is usually a standard generic advertisement for the Bank’s services has been adapted to show the address of Reading Branch, 6 Station Road, effectively and cheaply turning it into a local advertisement.

Interior Images © Barclays Ref 0030-2395

 

Berkshire Mercury 7 January 1939

Image © Northcliffe Media Limited Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD

Image reproduced with kind permission of The British Newspaper Archive

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

Advertisement remastered February 2017

1939 to 1940 Mr J F O Burgess joined the bank here then 1946 to 1952 MBM-Su64P07.jpg

1939 to 1955 Mr F J Brennell Manager MBM-Au55P47.jpg

1948 to 1950 Mr J L Pearson joined the bank here MBM-Sp69P09.jpg

1950 to 1960 Mr I H W King joined the bank here MBM-Wi65P04.jpg

1954 to 1961 Mr R S Cooper Joined the Bank Here MBM-Au61P09.jpg

Mr J F O Burgess

On the Staff

1939 to 1940

Mr F J Brennell

Manager

1939 to 1955

Mr J L Pearson

Joined the Bank Here

1948 to 1950

Mr I H W King

Joined the Bank Here

1950 to 1960

Mr R S Cooper

Joined the Bank here

1954 to 1960

Mr N Hunter

Manager

1958 to 1960

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1959 to 1961 Mr E L J Press MBM-Su66P06.jpg

1960 to 1961 Miss J Foster Joined the Bank Here MBM-Au61P09.jpg

Mr E L J Press

Branch Second

1959 to 1960

Miss J Foster

Joined the Bank Here

1960 to 1960

 

 

 

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Title:

Type:

Address:

Index Number and District:

Hours:

 

Telephone:

Services:

Manager:

11-12-70 Reading (Station Road)                                   

Temporary Full Branch

6 Station Road Reading Berkshire

447 London

Mon to Fri 1000-1500

Saturday 0900-1130

Reading 2558

Nightsafe Installed

Mr N Hunter Manager

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Reading Friar Street

2 January 1939

1960

Opened by Martins Bank Limited originally as a temporary Branch

Closed and moved to 160 Friar Street

Red Row (Northumberland)