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This imposing
building at 28-30 Park Row, is both the ‘Leeds City Office’ Branch of
Martins Bank, AND the Leeds DISTRICT Office, from where the business of the branches in the
Leeds District are monitored and controlled…
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1940
Image: Martins
Bank Archive Collections
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2013
Image © Martins
Bank Archive Collections - Dave Baldwin
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 The Bank of
Liverpool and Martins appoints it first Leeds District General Manager, Mr
J C Kerr, in 1920. In 1926, it opens
this somewhat scary looking building in 1926, and 28/30 Park Row leeds goes
on to become the Leeds District Office of Martins Bank. When comparing how the Bank’s buildings
used to look, with how they look now, we are always delighted when there
has been minimal change. Whilst Park
Row may no longer be giving out the orders to local branches, it is serving
up pints and meals to its customers as “Beckett’s Bank”, part of the J D
Wetherspoon® group of pubs and restaurants.
Although Becketts is an old banking name in Leeds, we can’t help but
feel sorry that no one thought to name the building after Martins! 
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28-30 PARK ROW LEEDS
The principal office of the Bank in Leeds.
“As in the case of the principal offices in Manchester
and Newcastle upon Tyne, the principal Leeds office is the administrative
headquarters of the district
which surrounds it”
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A
Faithful Servant…
  To mark his retirement at the end of August Mr Servant, Local
Director and Leeds District General Manager, invited all the managers and
staff of the District, past and present, to an informal cocktail party at the
Metropole Hotel, Leeds, on August 25.
Every branch was represented and the very large gathering included
many retired colleagues, one of whom was Miss B. G. Nettleton who worked with
Mr Servant for 29 years. Mr Servant had already received from his
co-directors on the Leeds District Board an inscribed silver salver, and at a
dinner in his and Mr Bond's honour given at Head Office the following day by
the Chief General Manager he was presented with a silver cigarette box. He
had, however, vetoed any presentation within his own District and Mr P. M.
Lister, the Assistant District Manager, told his listeners that this
decision had been respected although it had caused disappointment to many
colleagues. He was certain, however,
that everyone wished Mr Servant a long and happy retirement with a
continuation of his usual good health. The choice of the side room at the
Metro-pole was a particularly happy one. From there Mr Servant had watched,
over many years, the members of his District and of other Districts enjoying
themselves at almost every social event held during his period of office.
After entering the Bank at Bradford in 1922 Mr Servant moved to Leeds
District Office in 1927 and was soon proving himself an able banker. His
appointment as Inspector at Leeds in 1939 was followed a year later by
promotion to Inspector at Head Office and at London District Office in 1944.
After two years as Assistant Manager at 68 Lombard Street he returned to
Leeds in 1947 as Assistant District Manager, rising to District General Manager
in 1956.
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