11-68-50 Bebington Lower Bebington

Wherever you might find yourself whilst visiting Birkenhead on the Wirral Peninsula, you are never too far from a branch of Martins Bank. In the Bebington area the Bank has outlets available at Lower Bebington, fondly referred to as “Lower Beb”, and Bromborough. Lower Beb is a self accounting sub-Branch to Rock Ferry Branch, and it survives the 1969 merger with Barclays, staying open into the twenty-first century.

As all banks close down their branches at the rate of several a week in the third decade of the twenty-first century, it is saddening to see that in former Martins Bank strongholds like the Lake District, Manchester, Merseyside and the Wirral Peninsula, so many have been lost to history. That there is still a need for cash has thankfully been noticed, and some banks are now running local hubs, where you can obtain service from several banks under the same roof, with each bank being available on one set day each week.

Unfortunately for Lower Bebington, its branch is closed before this initiative is thought of, and the doors at 182a Bebington Road are shut for the final time in 2011 - after eighty-three years in service.

In service: 11 May 1928 – 18 February 2011

1960 s Lower Bebington Exterior BGA Ref 30-1739

Image © Barclays Ref 0030-1739

Martins Bank Magazine never visits the Branch, but there is one retirement write-up in the archive, from 1967, that we can use as our feature article for this branch. In a much shorter piece than is usually published when someone hangs up their Bank tie for last time, we learn of the retirement of Mr Othick, who has been Clerk in Charge at Lower Bebington for the last twenty-one years…

1946 to 1967 Mr T L Othick Clerk in charge MBM-Wi67P52 at the end of October Mr Othick retired after 46 years' service on Merseyside, almost half of which was spent at Lower Bebington branch where he was appointed Clerk-in-Charge in August 1946.

It was his wish that there should be no formal presentation, but at a small dinner party given by him and his wife a clock was presented to him from past and present colleagues as a token of their regard. The District General Manager called on Mr Othick on his last day to wish him well in retirement.

Between 1941 and 1946, Mrs J Waterman – who is pictured below in our Staff Gallery - is appointed Clerk in Charge at Lower Bebington. She is one of a large number of ladies given this type of role, in order to keep the business of the Bank working in areas hit hard by the calling-up of the male staff to serve in the Second World War. You can read more about this on our Martins at War feature page – GENTLEMEN: THE LADIES