11-18-90 Liverpool Springwood

Springwood Branch is built by Martins Bank and opened in 1930. As a self accounting sub-Branch to Liverpool Garston, Springwood has its own clerk in charge and looks after the processing of its own days work. Given full banking hours, including Saturday mornings, the branch provides a complete banking service. To see examples of other branches of a similar distinctive design, why not visit AINSDALE, PRENTON, CRAYFORD or SPEKE & HUNTS CROSS. There are no visits to Springwood by Martins Bank but we do have the story of someone whose services to the branch became essential during the Second World War…

In Service: 18 August 1930 until 10 October 1986

Image © Barclays Ref 0030/1684

An idyllic retirement for a special colleague…

This cartoon was the first to feature in Martins Bank Magazine, when the publication launched in Spring 1946. Printed inside the front cover, even before the contents page, it was a statement of gratitude to the small army of female clerks who stepped up to the post and took over the running of branches whilst the male clerks were away on duty in the Second World War.

At Liverpool’s Springwood branch, was one of those women who effectively took on the management of their branches. Miss B C Coller was Clerk in Charge at Springwood from 1940 until 1944. In 1951, now retired, she writes a letter to Martins Bank Magazine’s “Pensioners’ Corner” feature to let her friends and former colleagues know that she is enjoying an idyllic – if somewhat unusual – retirement…

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Description automatically generated In a letter recently received from Miss B. E. Coller, we were pleased to know that she is enjoying what seems to be a perfect retirement. Many people will remember Miss Coller who was Clerk-in-Charge at Springwood branch during the war, following which she became senior clerk at Woolton for three years. It was while she was at Woolton branch, shortly before her retirement, that Miss Coller spent a holiday in Truro under the Voluntary Agricultural Scheme, a holiday which she enjoyed so much that she arranged to go there again for five months when she retired the following year. During this period, agricultural work being short, she was sent to the flower farm at Helston, where she made friends with the farmer, a widow, who asked her if she would return each year. This lady succeeded in finding the ideal accommodation for Miss Coller, a doctor's bungalow which is only required for three months of each year by its owner. The bungalow has a sun veranda, immersion heaters for bath and kitchen, and an electric cooker. Miss Coller spends nine months of each year at the flower farm. The flowers grow in the open on the hillside by the edge of the English Channel—fields of violets, anemones, wallflowers, forget-me-nots, marigolds, and daffodils in season. Picking starts about the end of September and finishes at the end of April, and each day large quantities of flowers are sent to Covent Garden by the special Cornish Flower Train. “The little fishing village is lovely, the people very friendly”, says Miss Coller, ending on a triumphant note with, “and I am thoroughly enjoying my retirement”.



*Miss B C Coller* *Clerk in Charge* *1940 to 1944*	*Mr A H Jones* *Clerk in Charge* *1944 to 1953*	*Mr H F Gibbs* *On the Staff* *1946 to 1947*	*Mr B Woods* *On the Staff* *1949 to 1950*	*Mr D W S Wilson* *Clerk in Charge* *1961 to 1965*	*Mr N E McCormack* *Clerk in Charge* *1965 to 1969*



*Mr E G Shaw* *Clerk in Charge* *1969 onwards*