11-15-00 Alnwick

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A’s and B’s in Northumberland…

For a branch the size of Alnwick, we don’t seem to have very much information to relate about either the building or indeed those who worked there. Despite this, out staff gallery does contain fourteen faces, and we have been able to include those snippets of news and information about Alnwick that appear either in the pages Martins Bank Magazine, or in the official history of Martins Bank – Four Centuries of Banking Volume II.

Our Archive has a number of Alnwick cheques – there are four different styles – ranging from the 1920s to the computerised 1960s, and these are shown further down this page.

In Service: May 1858 until 11 January 1978

1960 ish Alnwick Exterior Close Up BGA Ref 33-17.jpg

Image © Barclays Ref 0033-0017

The Alnwick & County Bank was founded by Messrs. William Dickson and William Woods in May, 1858, at Alnwick, advantage having been taken of the opportunity afforded by the collapse of the Northumberland & Durham District Bank in the previous year. Mr. Dickson was a solicitor in Alnwick, Mr. Woods a banker in Newcastle. It is of interest to note that this connection is still maintained.

In the Autumn of 1965, Martins Bank Magazine does a lightning tour of the branches in Northumberland, whose names begin either with A or B. It seems there is little more time used than that needed to photograph the staff, write a quick sentence or two, and move on…

1965 03 MBM.jpg At Alnwick we found a branch which retains the appearance, charm and individuality of the original Alnwick and County Bank even to the coach house, the walled garden, and a bank house worthy of a country gentleman – a role befitting Mr J W Garbutt whose geniality survived unperturbed our broad hints that we wouldn’t at all mind having his job…

Alnwick adapts to change…

The Alnwick and County Bank is taken over by the North Eastern Banking Company in the Summer of 1875. The hand-written circular seen here (below) informs managers of the Bank’s Branches somewhat curtly of this latest development in their lives:

“You are doubtless aware that the Alnwick and County Bank has been amalgamated with this company. I beg to annexe signatures of the General Manager and Officers, which please honour. I am, Sir, your most obedient servant, Hugh Rose, Secretary”…

1975 Aug 31 NEBC Amalgamation Circular re Alnwick & County Bank.jpg

From this point, Alnwick’s cheques will bear the name of the North Eastern Banking Company as successors to the Alnwick and County Bank, until 1914 and the next amalgamation – this time with the Bank of Liverpool.

We hold a number of Alnwick Branch cheques in the archive, and those shown below enable us to chart the way in which cheques have had to evolve in order to keep up with changes in banking practice and the technology of branch accounting.

Images: Four Centuries of Banking Vol II © Martins Bank Limited 1968

and Martins Bank Archive Collections

March 1926

This bank of Liverpool and Martins Cheque bears only a serial number, and the amount is written in figures at the BOTTOM of the cheque. A watermark provides a basic security feature.

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

April 1935

Now MARTINS BANK Alnwick, the Branch has been given a NATIONAL NUMBER – 11026 – this is to assist with the sorting and payment of cheques, and is two three four or five digits in length. The watermark remains the only security feature.

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

Late 50s early 60s

Gradually evolving into the style we recognise today, the amount box moves to the right hand side of the cheque. The letters “AL” in the top left are to assist with sorting cheques. For a time, all Branches showed the first two letters of their name on cheques. For security, the words MARTINS BANK LIMITED are printed in tiny rows across the entire face of the cheque…

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections

1963 Onwards

The National Number is replaced by the SORTING CODE NUMBER - a standard six digit code. Sophisticated security features and markings have also been added. The amount box moves up and to the right to make way for magnetic encoding to be printed by machine underneath. The cheque number appears only as magnectic ink encoding. By the end of the decade most cheques will be printed in this way.

Image © Martins Bank Archive Collections



Mr J H Ritson Joined the Bank Here 1911 to 1914	Mr D T Hall Joined the Bank Here 1914 to 1916	Mr J W G Nelson Joined the Bank Here 1918	Mr A W S Mackay On the Staff 1937 to 1939	Mr C O Kennedy Joined the Bank Here 1938 to 1939	Mr A Cummin Manager 1943 to 1959



Mr R D Dawson On the staff 1946 to 1947	Mr J W Garbutt Manager 1959 onwards	Miss I Sisterson On the Staff 1965	Mr J Gascoigne On the Staff 1965	Miss M P Robinson On the Staff 1965	Miss J Burn On the Staff 1965



Mr C L Basey On the Staff 1965	Mr P R Murrie On the Staff 1965