Steeped in banking history, and once with its own distinctive currency, the hub of the Craven district (originally Settle) is Skipton. In Volume 2 of FOUR CENTURIES OF BANKING © Martins Bank Limited 1968, the origins of the Craven bank are described as follows: “The Craven Bank was the product of a long history of financial co-operation between money men who gradually extended their creditworthiness over a larger area until they, in their turn, became inevitably part of a larger banking unit. The foundation Partners of the Craven Bank in 1791 were William and John Birkbeck, William Alcock, John Peart, Joseph Smith and William Lawson. Their partnership helped to join in one credit area the small towns in the Craven District with which their families had been traditionally associated and in which they had pioneered rudimentary banking facilities – the Birkbecks of Settle, the Alcocks of Skipton, the Pearts of Grassington and the Lawsons of Giggleswick”			The evocative external images of our branch at Skipton on this page, are reproduced by kind permission of K. Ellwood, V. Rowley, and North Yorkshire County Council, Skipton Library
The Craven Bank is absorbed by The Bank of Liverpool in 1906, and thus becomes part of the modern day Martins Bank. Just as Kendal is still known as Wakefield Crewdson Territory, the Craven branches are given their own district of Martins Bank. In 1965, Martins Bank Magazine calls on Skipton branch and offers this rather curious headline:
the history of Skipton branch is the history of the Craven Bank. The business dates from 1791 when Birkbecks Alcock & Co. opened the Craven Bank at Settle and also at Skipton where the population was barely 2,000. Today it exceeds 13,000. The original Skipton office, at the bottom of the Bailey facing the church, is now used by the Young Farmers' Club. The Birkbecks, who came from Westmorland to Settle a century before, were wool staplers, leather workers and general merchants; the Alcocks were solicitors. William and his cousin John Birkbeck, William Alcock, John Peart, a Skipton solicitor, William Lawson of Giggleswick and Joseph Smith, a London banker, were the original partners and it is known that the Birkbecks and William Alcock had for some years been lending money against securities before any bank was opened in the area. In 1837 the Craven Bank, having already acquired the assets of Chippendale, Netherwood and Carr (the Skipton Bank) moved into their premises adjoining the present branch site which, as the offices of the Wharfedale Railway Company, was purchased in 1847 and on which our branch was built in 1860. Twenty years later the banking firm was incorporated as the Craven Bank Limited and, as Skipton had then become the chief town in the Craven District, the Head Office was moved there from Settle. The amalgamation with the Bank of Liverpool came in 1906 but in and around Skipton one will still hear our Bank referred to as the Craven Bank.
The Skipton Staff Left to right: G. Wiseman, D. V. Smith, R. Newton, Miss A. Anderson, Miss S. M. Oldfield, Mrs L. Monk, Miss J. Whitton, M. Rhodes, R. M. Carr, J. Mashiter (Manager), A. Struthers (Assistant Manager), Miss D. Geldart, Miss B. Peacock, Mrs E. J. Metcalfe, B. Horn, Miss A. Tomlinson, Miss M. Beadnall, Miss M. E. Hill
The first General Manager was George Robinson, a militia colonel, whose eldest son, Geoffrey, changed his name to Dawson on receiving a legacy from a relative on his mother's side and later became the editor of The Times. George Robinson, with mutton-chop whiskers and heavy tweed cape and deerstalker hat, was a familiar and revered figure in the town. Although he had entered the bank as a clerk he was related to William Robinson, one of the partners. By the turn of the century the bank had 15 full offices and numerous sub branches; Welbury Kendall was Manager at Skipton and acted as A.G.M., and there was an inspector, J. H. Bramwell, whose clerk, Tom Kidd, made a loud buzzing noise when adding a column of figures. In those days the strong room was lit by a gas jet and had an outer and an inner door—each with three keys. Gold was in common use and as the cattle market was held in the High Street bovine entries were not uncommon in the banking hall. The half-yearly balance often lasted until 2 a.m. but Colonel Robinson's store cupboard was thoughtfully left unlocked on such occasions and the staff, other than juniors, refreshed themselves from the directors' stock of beer and whisky. George Robinson's successor in 1901 was J. F. Ponting, formerly Manager of the Keighley branch, whose stringent policies reduced much of the over-optimistic lending and no doubt made possible the amalgamation with the Bank of Liverpool in 1906. The impetus of the Industrial Revolution was waning, three directors of the Craven Bank joined the board of the Bank of Liverpool—W. Peart Robinson, Samuel Catlow and Arthur Slingsby— and for a time R. H. Gardner, Superintendent of Branches, lived in Skipton and organised the new Craven District.
The Craven Heifer Whose glassy stare greets the customers of our Skipton Branch
Mr John Mashiter came to Skipton as Manager in 1947 after nine years in Liverpool where he had been Inspector, but he is a native of Westmorland and though his banking life began in Manchester most of his time had been spent in the north. One could fill a page with his interests and services to the community covering church, hospital, housing, drama and savings, but he is at heart a countryman, vice-president of the Skipton and District Young Farmers' Club and a member of the Skipton District Committee of the Yorks (W.R.) County Agriculture. Executive Committee. His absorption in the traditions of the Craven Bank and the area it has served so well has enabled him to provide valuable material for the Bank's history. Like so many of our branches today, Skipton has a predominantly young but none the less capable staff. Whether young and old, those who have been there throughout the structural changes in recent years have come through them very well. Three years ago a tedious task was undertaken to provide a strong room extension and a staff room at the back of the office, but the subsequent complete reconstruction of the interior has resulted in the old office being unrecognisable though the exterior remains unchanged. One feature which particularly invites comment is the figured glass window depicting the Craven Heifer, symbol of the former Craven Bank. The Craven Heifer, an enormous beast bred by the Rev. William Carr of Bolton Abbey, achieved fame through being exhibited widely and, depicted against the ruins of Bolton Abbey, it displaced the Castleberg Rock, Settle, as a symbol on Craven Bank notes in 1817: subsequently it appeared on cheques. 'The notes with a coo on' were easily recognised, particularly by illiterates, and always accepted by the prudent in the days when many bank notes were suspect.
The Skipton area has enjoyed its boom periods, providing clothing and food in two world wars. The textile side has declined as man-made fibres have developed but the sheep and cattle of the West Riding are very much as they used to be— except, of course, for the Craven Heifer. It seems appropriate that a man-made portrait should remain where everyone entering our branch can see it.
Mr Demain Smith Joined the Bank Here 1904 to 1906	Mr C C Russell Joined the Bank Here 1910			Mr W Slayden Joined the Bank Here 1915 to 1945	Mr E Riddiough Joined the Bank Here 1916 to 1918
Mr C Tindall Joined the Bank Here 1918	Mr W S Moorhouse Joined the Bank Here 1920 to 1935			Mr E D R Whittaker Joined the Bank Here 1921	Mr J H Spensley Joined the Bank Here 1921 to 1929
Mr H Dickman On the Staff 1927 to 1929	Mr L S Lucas On the Staff 1932 to 1940			Mr D Mellin Joined the Bank Here 1933	Mr M Coates On the Staff 1936 to 1937
Mr B E Jones Manager 1936 to 1947	Mr F Bamford Joined the Bank Here 1940 to 1941			Mr T E Green Limited Authority 1940 to 1945	Mr F Shuttleworth Joined the Bank Here 1941 to 1943
Mr John Mashiter Manager 1947 to 1969	Mr A S Tillotson Assistant Manager 1949 to 1953			Mr G H M Clayton Asisstant Manager 1953 to 1955	Mr E C Ellison LD Assistant Manager 1955 to 1959
Mr R Newton On the Staff 1956 to 1960	Mr H Lofthouse Assistant Manager 1959 to 1963			Mr A Sturthers Assistant Manager 1963 to 1969	Mr E Fewson Messenger 1965
Miss Sheila Storr Accounts 1966	Mr A J Huck Assistant Manager 1969 onwards			Mr J M Bainbridge Manager 1969 onwards
<,,Title:		11-90-70 Skipton
Type:		Full Branch
Address:		PO Box 1 49 High St Skipton Yorkshire
Hours:		Mon-Fri 1000-1500
		Sat 0900-1130
Telephone:		Skipton 2509
Services:		Nightsafe Installed
Manager:		J M Bainbridge Manager
Title:		11-90-70 SKIPTON AUCTION MART
Type:		Sub to 11-90-70 Skipton
Address:		Auction Mart Skipton
Hours:		Monday 1200-1400
		No Saturday Service
Telephone:		Skipton 3809
Services:		No Nightsafe
Manager:		J M Bainbridge Manager (Skipton)
Title:		11-90-70 COWLING
Type:		Sub to 11-90-70 Skipton
Address:		153 Keighley Road Cowling
Hours:		Thursday 1100-1300
		No Saturday Service
Telephone:		Cross Hills 2678
Services:		No Nightsafe
Manager:		J M Bainbridge Manager (Skipton)
Title:		11-90-70 GARGRAVE
Type:		Sub to 11-90-70 Skipton
Address:		48 High Street Gargrave
Hours:		Wednesday 1000-1330
		No Saturday Service
Telephone:		Gargrave 463
Services:		No Nightsafe
Manager:		J M Bainbridge Manager (Skipton)
Title:		11-90-70 GRASSINGTON
Type:		Sub to 11-90-70 Skipton
Address:		Main street Grassington
Hours:		Tuesday 1015-1245
		Saturday 1015-1245
Telephone:		Grassington 228
Services:		No Nightsafe
Manager:		J M Bainbridge Manager (Skipton)
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