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Fairly unassuming for an area as “fashionable” as London’s Kensington, Martins Bank’s new Branch arrives with little fanfare and no frills. Kensington High Street is one of ten new branches to be opened in 1936, two of which are in London.

A number of photographs of this branch have survived in the Barclays collection, including interiors of which we have a gallery below, along with a short feature about the exam success of a member of the Branch Staff…

In service: 1 July 1936 – 31 July 2009

Image © Barclays Ref 0030/1465

Images © Barclays Ref 30-1465
Business as usual! We are indebted to our friends at www.afterthebattle.com for this photograph of 208 Kensington High Street Branch after it fell foul of a German V series rocket bomb at lunchtime on 28 July 1944. This particular attack was the worst in the West End of London, with 44 dead and over 100 injured, many seriously. The photograph was released by the official censor, and the full name of the bank – both the signage and the front door plaque – along with the nature of business shown on the lorry on the right of the picture were redacted to prevent the details falling into the hands of the enemy. To this end, the street name board has also been covered up. After the Battle has a wealth of information, and hundreds of images (with contemporary comparisons) of places bombed during the Second World War. Martins Bank lost seven branches, and a further 153 were damaged by enemy action. See also MARTINS AT WAR.	Image Courtesy www.afterthebattle.com
Examination success… The 1954 list of successful candidates in the Institute of Bankers’ Examinations is a long one, and is a satisfactory reflection of the seriousness with which our young men are applying themselves to the task of qualifying themselves for their jobs. It is especially pleasing to be able to record successes in the Prize List once again. Dennis J Webber of Kensington High Street Branch, is the winner of the Whitehead Prize for Commercial Law in the Associate Examination, Part Two.
1965 – Introducing: Martinplanning… Continuing the trend for going to extremes to be helpful, Martins launches a new set of services in 1965, under the general summary title of “Martinplanning”. As well as co-ordinating a number of the Bank’s travel and savings services, the scheme provides customers with a pack in which is contained all manner of leaflets designed to help with a variety of needs. One of these, is the need to know where each of Martins’ London branches is located, and a cardboard booklet with a series of elaborate maps is provided to help you do just that. Of the thirty or so branches in Central London, Kensington High Street is number twenty-nine, and is found almost off the edge the map! With no recorded visits to the branch by Martins Bank Magazine, and not even any retirement party reviews for any of the staff, all we have from Kensington High Street is this short congratulatory piece for Mr D J Webber’s achievements in the Examinations of the Institue of Bankers for 1954…
All change for 1970s… After thirty years of dark wood panelling, it is time for a change at Kensington High Street. In 1968 with the Barclays Merger well under way, the branch has what we would now term an internal “makeover”. Out with the old dark traditional feel, and in with something alittle more up to date for “Swinging London”…

Mr E C Shaw Manager 1936 to 1939	Mr R A Machell Manager 1939 to 1946	Mr G K Turner On the Staff 1946 to 1948	Mr D E Vaux On the Staff 1946 to 1950	Mr M G Pinks Joined the Bank Here 1947 to 1948	Mr W F Ardley Joined the Bank Here 1947 to 1948
Mr R W G Harvey Joined the Bank Here 1948 to 1948	Mr A S Potts On the Staff 1948 to 1949	Mr Norman A Beet On the Staff 1948 to 1952	Mr D S Gibbens Joined the Bank Here 1951 to 1953	Mr A N L Broderick Manager 1952 to 1960	Mr D J Webber On the staff 1954
Mr P W Sylvester On the staff 1954 to 1961	Mr C C Willis Joined the Bank Here 1960 to 1961	Mr H K Williams Manager 1960 to 1964	Mr N G Willis Limited Authority 1960 to 1965	Mr A Taylor Manager 1964 to 1966	Mr D A Wright On the Staff 1966
				coa
Mr G V Murphy Manager 1966 onwards	Mr R C Baker Pro Manager 1966	Mr J A Richards Pro Manager 1967	Mr W A Davidson On the Staff 1969

Title: Type: Address: Index Number and District: Hours: Telephone: Services: Manager:

Martins Bank Limited 11-08-51 London Kensington High Street Full Branch 208 Kensington High Street London W8 437 London Mon to Fri 1000-1500 Saturday 0900-1130 01 937 7131/2 Nightsafe Installed Mr G V Murphy Manager

Kensington High Street is included in Martins’ London Account Number Allocation, where Branches due for automation are given “significant digits” to identify them at the London Computer Centre by account numbers issued. The Branch Customer Accounts will be identified by the significant digits 62.

London 20-23 Holborn

1 July 1936 15 December 1969 31 July 2009

Opened by Martins Bank Limited Barclays Bank Limited 20-45-49 208 Kensington High Street Closed and moved to 132/134 Kensington High St

London Kingsway