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This, is
London…
Beautifully appointed, Kingsway is one of Martins Bank’s
most attractive London Branches. Not
far from the studios of Rediffusion London, the branch will surely have
witnessed many of swinging London’s personalities making their way to and
from the weekly live transmission of “Ready Steady Go”. A variety of international artistes and
visitors will also have passed by on their way to the BBC World Service at
Bush House. Kingsway really does seem
to be very much at the centre of modern broadcasting! Kingsway is an original Branch of Martin’s
Private Bank, which can trace its origins back to 1563 when Sir Thomas
Gresham traded at the Sign of the Grasshopper in London’s Lombard Street.
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In Service: Pre 1918 until 11 September 1992
 Image © Barclays Ref 0030/1508
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By 1958 the interior of the Branch at Africa House is
showing its age, and a bold modern new look is commissioned from Architects
Michell and Adams. The redesigned interior employs a number of modern
building techniques and an array of construction materials, which together
bring about a light, airy, welcoming yet still businesslike feel to
Kingsway Branch. A feature in “The Architect and Building
News” provides us with a wealth of detail and images:
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The Bank is an existing branch situated in Africa House and has undergone considerable alteration.
The main object of the improvement was, generally, to create a branch which
would reflect the forward-looking ideas of the bank, and to provide a
higher standard of accommodation. Replanning has given the manager and
assistant manager quieter and better rooms, accessible to the general
public without going through the clerks' space. A comfortably fitted out
staff room has been provided, with cloakrooms and facilities for tea
making. The main interior is fitted with modern desks and counters and has
a greatly improved standard of lighting. A new waiting room is also
provided for the private use of customers. This additional accommodation
is made possible by closing one of the two entrances from Kingsway and by
adding a room at the-rear, previously used as storage space. The central banking
hall, with its 22ft long counter and public space, was regarded as the core
of the interior, and the offices to each side as subsidiary parts.
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The Interior of the New Banking Hall
Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
These effectively reduce traffic noise
from Kingsway, and act as a stop at the head for receiving the suspended
ceiling. The partition dividing the banking hall from the manager's room
and waiting room was designed as a double-glazed screen, so that the
afternoon light from Kingsway would penetrate to the banking hall, and,
also, that the view from the banking hall should be as extensive as
possible. The windows in the -screen were purpose-made aluminium sections,
painted white and united into one screen by architraves of wide planks of
polished teak. In order to underline the importance attached to the main
hall, the walls are lined with 7in polished Afrormosia tongued and grooved
boards, while the walls surrounding the typists' area and vestibule are
plastered and painted. A fibrous plaster suspended ceiling is used to mask
the large variety of beam depths and a totally illuminated ceiling is
installed over the banking hall. All windows have been double glazed by
means of additional sets of windows.
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Opposing views of the corridor serving the offices of the Manager and
the Assistant Manager
Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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Specification of the Counter and the Cashiers’ tills
Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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The Manager and Assistant Manager’s desks
Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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Close view of Counter Front
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The Customers’ Writing Desks
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Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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Plan of the new ground floor layout
Image –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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The Manager’s Office
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The Typists’ Area
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Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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Above and Below: Details of the Glazed Screening to the Managers’
Offices
Images –
Martins Bank Archive Collections © Architect and Building News and
Successors
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 In 1962 Martins Bank publishes this
artist’s impression of the Banking Hall at Kingsway. In the past the Bank
has often employed the services of Geoffrey Wedgwood – who creates drawings
for many of the Bank’s advertisements - to provide an illustration for
publication in a glossy booklet about the history and modernity of Martins Bank. In the simply named “Martins Bank
Limited”, published in 1962, Mr Wedgwood provides his own take on a number
of the Bank’s offices, including Liverpool Head Office, London 68 Lombard
Street, Banbury and Colchester branches, and of course London Kingsway. He
is to be congratulated on his interpretation of the nightmarish wallpaper on the right of the
picture – it must have driven him mad! At the end
of March 1965, it is time for Kingsway’s popular Manager of the previous
twelve years, Mr Edwin St G Tyrrell to retire. A large number of friends,
and colleagues past and present gather at Kingsway to wish him well, and as
usual on these occasions, Martins Bank Magazine is there to record the
proceedings…
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Image ©
Martins Bank Archive Collections
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  nearly one hundred friends and
colleagues gathered at Kingsway branch on March 31st to wish well to Edwin
Tyrrell ('George' to many) on his retirement as Manager. On the previous
Monday he had been entertained to luncheon by the General Management at
Head Office and, a few days earlier, by the General Management at Lombard
Street. Mr H. Ryder
(London District General Manager) made the presentation to Mr Tyrrell of a
cheque and a book containing 180 signatures. In a witty speech, after
referring to Mr Tyrell's long service in the Bank, Mr Ryder mentioned his
success in doubling the profits of Kingsway branch, and amused his
listeners with references to some of the difficulties Mr Tyrrell had
encountered when buying a house in Sussex for his retirement. In conclusion
Mr Ryder said he was pleased to see both Mrs Tyrrell and their daughter,
Christine, and he asked Mrs Bone to present a bouquet to Mrs Tyrell.
In his reply Mr Tyrrell laid at the contractors'
door the blame for his housing difficulties, but he extended an open
invitation to all to call on him. He paid warm tribute to his staff, past
and present, including four assistant managers who, he said, had kept him
in order. Among those present were Mr C. Whiteley
(Joint General Manager), Mr D. C. Bardsley (Assistant General Manager),
and the two Assistant District Managers, Mr F. C. Hardman and Mr S. W. P.
Barter. The several branch managers present included Mr H. Q. Atkinson,
former Manager of Sidcup branch and the Bank's oldest pensioner. Mr Tyrrell entered the Bank at 68 Lombard Street in
1923 and received signing authority at Brighton in 1937 and then at
Southampton. Shortly after returning from 3 years' war service he was
appointed Manager of Dartford and in 1953 became Manager at Kingsway
branch.
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