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Martins Bank’s Milnthorpe sub-Branch is one of the offices of Messrs
Wakefield Crewdson, the Kendal Bank, which amalgamates with the Bank of
Liverpool in 1893. Opened in May 1883,
and closed in November 2018, it is also one of the longest serving Branches
in Westmorland. Although Martins Bank Magazine never visits Milnthorpe, we do
have two features below, including recollections of working there, and the
retirement of a long serving Clerk in Charge.
Born in Milnthorpe, John Mashiter recalled the Branch, and the local
working conditions in his contribution to Volume II of FOUR CENTURIES OF BANKING.
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In
Service: 18 May 1883 until 30 November 2018
Milnthorpe Branch ca.1960.
Image © Barclays 0030-1915
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  After the
amalgamation, banking conditions for the staff in the various areas served by
the Kendal Bank continued to retain a local and highly individual flavour.
John Mashiter, a member of the History of Martins Bank Committee, has
contributed some lively reminiscences which reveal this in detail: 'I was
born in the village of Milnthorpe in South Westmorland in 1908. This was
Wakefield Crewdson territory and the local agent in Milnthorpe, John Webster,
was regarded as a power in the place although I realise now that he was no
more than a sub-Branch clerk. This system of agencies was peculiar to the
North West and agents frequently combined their banking duties with other
business activities. 'At 16, with a
choice of teaching, banking or farming, I chose banking as the least of three
evils. I was interviewed in Kendal by Thomas Randall, a very urbane and
rather frightening gentleman, and supported by W. Peart Robinson, a
descendant of the founders of the Craven Bank, who happened to live at Dallam
Tower, our local "Big House" . . .
'After nearly two years I was sent to Lancaster Branch for discipline.
Conditions here were such as would not be tolerated today. The manager was
quite incredibly parsimonious. The heating was put on only for a short time
each day even in mid-winter. The hot tap was removed from the single
wash-basin: only the commonest kitchen soap was provided and the only toilet
was a bitterly cold place out in the back yard. The diamond-paned windows had
many quarrels missing through which the wind blew merrily. The rest of the
men like myself were in need of discipline and we got it. Because I refused to lodge in Lancaster, I
had to get up before 6 a.m. each morning and run two miles to Milnthorpe
station to be at work by 8.a.m. and if the manager could make me miss the
train home at 5.30pm he would…
 There
are Premises and then there are “Premises”…
 A GREAT deal of publicity is
afforded to the new branches of the Bank, some of which have earned high
praise in architectural, publications for excellence of design, creation of a
new tradition in bank architecture, etc., etc. None of their managers is
likely to have the experience of the Clerk in Charge of our Milnthorpe
branch, however, who recently received a notice from the Licensing Justices
requesting him to appear at the next Brewster Sessions for renewal of the
Liquor Licence. The explanation is that our building at Milnthorpe was
a public house until about sixty years ago, called the King's Arms. What our
correspondent does not reveal, however, is whether the licence has been
maintained and whether it has now been renewed. This branch is clearly due
for a social visit from the Editor of this Magazine!
  on 21 April a wide section of Tom Wood's
colleagues past and present met at Kendal to wish him well in his retirement
after 46 years' service, during the last 21 of which he had occupied the
enviable position of Clerk-in-Charge at Milnthorpe. Mrs Wood and their
daughter Penny were also present. Mr Clark (Manager, Kendal) introduced Mr
Buchanan, who spoke of Mr Wood as the 'Laird of Milnthorpe' and 'the country
Branch manager par excellence' and illustrated the pleasant if somewhat
informal surroundings of Mr Wood's last 21 years by referring to his
sprouting potatoes beneath the counter, and holding the record in the village
for the first new potatoes each year. He referred to Mr Wood's career at
Keswick, Carlisle, Kendal and Milnthorpe, thanking him for his outstanding
help to the Bank and the community, cementing the Bank's image in the very
special way only a country Branch manager can. He then handed to Mr Wood a
cheque representing the goodwill of all his colleagues and Miss J. M. Scott
presented Mrs Wood with a very fine spring bouquet. Mr Wood surprised us with
the fluency and ease of his response. He welcomed his friends old and new and
regaled us with many amusing stories of banking in the old days, including a
1.30 a.m. finish with the advent of mechanisation. He thanked Mrs Wood for
the way in which she had helped him by entering into the life of the village
and he referred also to the efforts of his daughter in furthering the Bank's
interests evidenced by the 100% Milnthorpe University students' accounts on
our books. Perhaps Tom's statement that in the whole of his service he had
never had a single quarrel with another member of the staff and that he had
enjoyed every minute of his banking life explains the high regard in which he
is held by all his colleagues and by customers for his ever-helpful and
friendly manner. The proceeds of the cheque are to go towards a summerhouse
at the bottom of his garden, where we hope he may spend many happy hours.
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