Our new Head Office is completed in 1932, and Liverpool Foreign, located previously at 3 Fenwick Street Moves to the new building, taking No 6 Water Street as its new address, and Liverpool Overseas as its new title. When we looked through the records for this branch, there were no end of stories available in Martins Bank Magazine. Many of these focus on staff retirements, but we have picked three different articles featuring the talents of our Liverpool Overseas Staff. First we meet Elaine O’Hare who makes her own valuable contributions to Martins Bank Magazine. Then we hear about Mr D Leadbetter, whose success in the Institute of Bankers’ Examinations receive special attention. We round things off with the retirement party for Mr G S M Rooke, who says goodbye both to the Bank and Liverpool overseas branch, in 1969…
Artistic flair?
Elaine O'Hare entered the Bank on 11 July 1955, and a few weeks afterwards she came to see us in Editorial Department to ask whether there was anything she could do for the Magazine. This was the first occasion since the Magazine was started in 1946 on which a girl on the staff has made such a request and she could not possibly know what a warm glow of pleasure it gave to the Editor. Elaine was educated at West Kirby Grammar School and after leaving she attended the Wallasey Art School for a year full time, and for two terms subsequently as a night school pupil. Her work for the Magazine first appeared in the Winter 1955 issue and since then she has illustrated poems, enlivened reports of functions of which photographic illustrations were not available, and has always been eager and willing to try to carry out every request which has been made. In this issue appear two samples of her work which called for imaginative treatment of an exacting kind. We are glad to place on record our appreciation of the constant help she has given us and to express our admiration for her undoubted talent. We hope that the association between us will be a long one. Elaine works in Liverpool Overseas branch.
A number of studious years…
WINTER 1962 Examinations News - Mr D Leadbetter is the winner of the Whitehead Prize for Finance of Foreign Trade and Foreign Exchange and winner of the Lombard Association First Prize. SPRING 1965 The Chief General Manager's Prize, awarded annually to the candidate gaining the highest marks in completing the Banking Diploma examinations, has been won by Mr D. Leadbetter (Liverpool Overseas) for 1964. In 1963 he won the Whitehead Prize and the Lombard Association First Prize for Finance of Foreign Trade and Foreign Exchange. He was placed 12th equal of the 578 candidates from all banks who gained the Diploma in September 1964.
Messages from Moscow?
the day Sidney Rooke retired from Liverpool Overseas had an undeniably international flavour. There was a goodwill telephone call from 'our man in Paris' (Mr Peter Cawsey), a mysterious greetings cable ostensibly from Moscow—later traced to Exchange Department, and calls from friends in London and other parts of the country. At Mr Rooke's request there was no formal presentation but at a gathering of the staff in the manager's room on the morning of April 22 Mr Dean presented him with a cheque and a book containing the signatures of 275 subscribers. Mr Dean referred to Mr Rooke's 43 years with the Bank, thirty-four of them at Liverpool Overseas, the last thirteen as Accountant. He went on to say that the team-work and efficiency of the branch owed much to Mr Rooke's personality and organising ability. To many in the Bank, especially in overseas circles, he was an 'institution' who commanded respect and awe. Those who worked with him, however, knew he could also be kind, sympathetic and a help in time of trouble. In reply Mr Rooke spoke of the great spirit of co-operation he always had received from the staff, making his job as Accountant of such a big office so much easier to carry out. In a lighter vein he narrated some anecdotes of the past. The staff and past colleagues were later entertained to tea and in the evening Mr Rooke, with his wife, daughter and two sons, were hosts to some 200 of their friends at a cocktail party at Head Office which went with all the gusto associated with Liverpool Overseas. Mr Rooke had previously lunched at Head Office with Mr Maxwell and members of the General Management.
Mr J E Deyes On the Staff 1932 to 1933	Mr C H Billieu Pro the Assistant Manager 1932 to 1947			Mr T Lewin Pro Manager 1932 to 1951	Mr W C H Griffiths Assistant Manager 1932 to 1952
Mr L W Lloyd Pro Manager 1932 to 1953	Mr W M Dodd Accountant 1932 to 1956			Mr A C Daniels Pro Manager 1932 to 1964	Mr K W Smith Staff 1932-51 Pro Manager 1951-56 Assistant Manager 1956-66 Deputy Manager 1966-68
Mr J Dunn Pro Manager 1935 to 1967	Mr J Robertshaw Pro Manager 1950 to 1964			Miss N Elaine O’Hare On the Staff 1955 to ?	Mr J Hughes Staff 1955 onwards Pro Manager 1969
Mr K Doyle Pro Manager 1955 to 1965	Mr G S M Rooke Accountant 1956 to 1969			Mr K Atkinson On the Staff 1958 to 1959	Mr R B Purse Joined Bank Here 1960 Pro manager 1965 Assistant Manager 1968
Mr Jack Holroyd AIB On the Staff 1961	Mr S Herbert Manager 1961 to 1965			Mr D Leadbetter Staff 1962	Mr J R K Dean Manager 1965 onwards
Mr P A Cawsey Assistant Manager 1965	Mr K N Daniels Pro Manager 1966			Mr J E Bull Assistant Manager 1967	Mr T W Siggs Pro Manager 1967
Mr W A Makeham Deputy Manager 1968
Title:		11-55-50 Liverpool Overseas
Type:		Overseas Trade and Foreign Currency Branch
Address:		6 Water Street Liverpool 2
Hours:		Mon to Fri 1000-1500
		Saturday 0900-1130
Telephone:		BANk 5428
Services:		Foreign Banking Services
Manager:		Mr J R K Dean Manager
1932			Opened by Martins Bank Limited
15 December 1969			Barclays Bank Limited 20-50-80 Liverpool Foreign
?			Closed
2012			The future of 4- 6 Water Street is still to be decided
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