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The
North Eastern Banking Company opens its Branch at Bishop Auckland in 1897,
and there follows run of eighty years
of Banking service from this lovely old building, until Barclays relocates to
another site in the town in 1977. Bishop Auckland is a full branch with no
sub-Branches. Almost as a reminder
that although Martins is a NATIONAL
bank, its Head Office and much
of its operation is in the North, this mock-up cheque from the front of a Nationally distributed 1968
product leaflet proudly features the details of the Bank’s Bishop Auckland
Branch.
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This might be seen as a little
more honest and direct perhaps than the “Anytown” used by many banks in
similar literature, or indeed Barclays’ own fictitious “High Street, Caxton”
branch! These days, when the words “a job for life” really are indicative of a
past age, we can hardly imagine what it must be like to serve the same
employer for more than forty years.
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In Service:
1897 until 21 January 1977
Image © Barclays Ref 0030-0265
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As we have seen
in the many retirement features in the Archive, it is not uncommon for some
Martins managers to have clocked up forty-five
or more years.
1960 is a leap
year, so when on 29 February Bishop Auckland Manager Mr Russell retires, the
Bank effectively squeezes an extra day out of him! Martins Bank Magazine now reports on the
events of Mr Russell’s last day in the Bank, and look out for the gentle
sexism of the day when his wife is described as giving a “charming little
speech” having accepted the gift of a bunch of flowers…
  Mr.
E. B. Russell, Manager at Bishop
Auckland, retired on February 29th after 44 years’ service. Most
of this time he spent in the South West area of Durham where he is widely
known and very highly respected. Among his many activities he is a past,
President of Bishop Auckland Rotary Club. He was appointed Manager at
Wearhead in 1932, Manager at Crook in 1937 and at Bishop Auckland in 1944. Mr. L. J. Walton,
District General Manager of the North Eastern District, arrived at the branch
during the morning of the 29th to express in person his good
wishes for the future, and in the evening Mr. and Mrs. Russell entertained
past and present colleagues to a dinner party held in the King’s Restaurant,
Bishop Auckland. The guests included Mr. G. A. Weatherburn, Inspector,
representing the District Management and, later on, Mr. W. S. Blaylock,
Inspector, who called in on his way back from Darlington. Mr. S. Hading, on
behalf of the subscribers, presented Mr. Russell with four sets of crystal
glassware, and Mr. Weatherburn spoke a few words on behalf of the Management.
Mr. Russell expressed his thanks and the guests
were highly entertained by his anecdotes of the early days in the North
Eastern Banking Company. In more
serious mood Mr. Russell said that his chosen career in the Bank had given
him a very full and satisfying life and the memories he had to look back on
were stimulating and happy ones. He paid tribute to his staff, to his
colleagues and to his wife, whose help and understanding had been a constant
source of strength. At this point in the evening Miss Barbara Sutton
presented Mrs. Russell with a bouquet for which she expressed her
appreciation in a most charming little speech.
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