MARTINS UNICORN LTD is created by acquisition in 1967, and becomes one of the major success stories of the bank. By the end of 1967 there are around 250,000 unitholders in the seven Martins Unicorn Trust Funds. Trustee Offices around the UK give that “personal touch” to many investors. In 1968 Martins Unicorn begins a TV advertising campaign, and its name is also displayed on the “news ticker” in Piccadilly Circus.
Missing: These five still images are all that remain of Martins’ 1968 TV Advertisement for the Martins Unicorn Assured Savings Plan. You can read more about this from someone who was there during filming, by clicking HERE. The advert might be lost, but the Unicorn brand is so successful, it lasts until 1997, when “Barclays Unicorn” becomes (part of) “Barclays Funds”… In 1969, when Barclays takes over, the continuance by change of name to BARCLAYS Unicorn is a measure of the true value of these products, and Barclays is widely acknowledged to have struck GOLD. Martins Unicorn is introduced to the staff in Martins Branches by the following article in Martins Bank Magazine, in the Winter of 1967…
On the ground floor (left to right): M. B. Bailey, M. C. Ludbrook, D. King, B. Doubek, N. Sault, A. Day, W. Sandford, W. Whitford, J. Palmer Seated: L. W. Lofts, J. W. Hankin
... …where you can put your eggs into 500 baskets
With Mr AW Fowler (seated) are from left: L White, Mrs M. Cook, R Hopper, Mrs E Lufflum, B Smith, S Lloyd, Mrs M Tierney, TD Chitty, Mrs A Lewars, J Davis, Mrs J Renn,Mrs D Longstaff, Commander JA Burnett (Secretary of Martins Unicorn Ltd)		Those who see Head Office circulars and the financial pages will already know that the Bank this year entered the unit trust field by acquiring control of Unicorn Securities Ltd. and Dillon Walker & Co. Ltd. Unicorn Securities, the management company now renamed Martins Unicorn Ltd., have joint ownership with Warburg's of a registration company—Unicorn Registrar Services Ltd.—whose staff also work at Unicorn House.
Dillon Walker, whose name is unchanged and who also have small offices in Edinburgh and Dublin, are primarily the dealing company and undertake the work at Unicorn House for the children's gift plan, the savings scheme and insurance.
we must start by going back a bit - about 400 years - to the time when Sir Thomas Gresham had his goldsmith's business at the sign of the grasshopper in Lombard Street. The adjoining premises, the Unicorn, were bought by him and later incorporated in what is now our office at 68 Lombard Street. Ten years ago the Right Honourable Edward du Cann, m.p., and Mr A. W. Fowler pooled their financial knowledge to start a Unit Trust with comparatively meagre resources but with a lot of courage and confidence.	From left: W Turner and L Cross (standing at back) B Parker, Mrs J Peters, Miss P Alger, Mrs J Smith, Mrs V Sorrell, C Musk, SH Steele, K Rickard, Miss M Chittleburgh, B Harrington, Miss C Campion, NI Couchman, Miss J Wilkinson, D Satchell, (seated) Miss P Hubbard and Miss C Andrews.
Unicorn Trust, born in 1957, has now been acquired by the Grasshopper's inheritors. If this second union of the Grasshopper and the Unicorn proves what is so often claimed - that history repeats itself - there is already every reason to suppose it will repeat itself yet again in the years ahead by proving this new link a sound, profitable and friendly venture.
From left: C Ivey, DH Haylett, DJ Garwood, G Smith, J Barratt (in front), Miss P Brownlee, D Cahill, H Cross, Mrs P Surridge, Mrs KJ Baldwin, Mrs K Bottjer, Miss TK Flusk, Mrs IC Peacock, C Turner, Miss V Conway (seated), Mrs JC Chapman, C Quantick, Miss JLM Randall, F Baynes, Mrs J Lamper, DW Morter, H Perry, Mrs J Rogers.		Historically one cannot imagine a more appropriate alliance and, since an insect and a horned horse are unlikely to produce any ghastly hybrids such as Marticorns or Unihoppers, the ingenuity of the College of Arms is unlikely to be tested. And now, what is Unicorn all about ? This is not the place to reprint circulars, pamphlets and leaflets but a mini-repeat is justified.
The number of companies in which each of the seven Martins Unicorn Trusts is invested varies from 60 to 500, so one can put one's monetary eggs into all those baskets to minimise risk and provide the chance of capital growth to counter inflation.One thus gets a steady half-yearly income with the chance of income growth and with no worries about management or bonus issues, dividends or share certificates. One can buy or sell easily and enjoy savings schemes and linked assurance. End of mini-repeat.	From left: Mrs H Shead, S Morgan, B Quelch, M Davies, Mrs J Nevill, Mrs J Bullard, J Miller, Mrs M Moore, C Carleton, Mrs E Yager, Mrs M Flavin, J Murphy, A Holden, T Bamford, B Apicella, G Lord
Please note this. The ten-year-old Unicorn has been pretty shrewd. £100 invested in 1957 would now be worth £276, or £348 if the income had been ploughed back. Gross income on that £100 has risen from £4.13s.1Od. to £10.13s..1d. and £50 million worth of investments and a quarter of a million unitholders are additional proof that there is a wealth of know-how at Unicorn House. To supplement that wealth of money sense and common sense there is a computer in the enormous display window on the ground floor.
Tea Break in the Punch Room: Miss K Davis, Mrs M Cook, Mrs K Gosling, Miss J Assenheim, Miss V Stacey, Mrs M Keefe, Mrs Ivy Sadd.		It deals with all purchases and issues of shares, with repurchasing and with all income distribution: it handles the savings accounts, life insurance policies and company registrations and then, with time to spare, takes on a lot of work for outside companies and business concerns. The people at Unicorn House think the world of it. It is four years old and were it a real unicorn it would no doubt justify the claim so often seen in Horse and Hound 'Absolutely reliable and free from vices.
Quiet in traffic and to clip, box and shoe'. In twelve hours it does everything that required ten working days with the old equipment.
Clearly its presence and its capacity are reassuring to the staff, where the number of resignations is only 0.02 % per annum, but with all due respect to that machine a much more likely reason for this low turnover is that they are all under one roof so there is no 'communications problem'. If one seemed likely to arise it would certainly be dealt with well before it became a problem, for the Unicorn practice is to make certain the staff know what they are doing and why, and where they fit in.	In the Punch Room (from left): Miss F Collins, Mrs K Ridge, Miss R Dudman, Miss N Kelly, Miss H Harding, Mrs M Maker (in front), Mrs P Sullivan, Mrs V Carson, Miss S Nicholson, Mrs J Northeast, Miss S Woodruff
Before the computer was introduced the addressograph girls were told it would take over their job within a year; they were advised to take a course in punched card operating, which they did, and most of them are still there today. Despite the theories and what the books say, good staff relations have always been a blend of understanding, humour and common sense, but it may sometimes be necessary to work seven miles from a city centre to appreciate this.
Left to right: HT Potts, AR Dunkley, Miss P McKenna, RD Cross, Miss M Poyton, R Nimmo, Miss M Paul, G Creedy, Mrs O Thornton, GO Hearne, T Davis.		Most of the staff, by the way, live in the north and east of London and are thus spared the wear and tear and cost of long hours travelling. Here and on adjoining pages you will see them. We hope the computer won't take offence at being omitted but it just is not photogenic. It does, however, have plenty of spare capacity and as there is additional space for staff if required all that is needed now is for the Grasshopper to keep the Unicorn really busy.
© gut informiert! 2007 to date