PLYMOUTH |
The Encyclopaedia of Plymouth History |
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NATIONAL PROVINCIAL BANK A Mr Thomas Joplin was the originator of the National Provincial Bank of England, although in 1828 he had wanted it to go under the grandiose title of the Royal Bank. The revised title was adopted in 1833 and a deed of settlement in that name was signed on Monday September 23rd in that year. The Bank's policy was to open branches outside the 65-mile limit around London so that it was able to issue its own bank notes. However, its head office was in London. The first branch was opened on January 1st 1834 at Gloucester and was followed by ones at Brecon, Walsall, Birmingham, Wotton-under-Edge, Boston and Wisbech. Many of its branches were established by acquisition of smaller private banks and that was how the National Provincial arrived in Plymouth -- by acquiring Messrs Husband and Company's Devonport General Bank in 1839. In 1866 the National Provincial Bank was obliged to give up issuing its own bank notes. It acquired limited liability in 1880 as the National Provincial Bank of England Ltd. On Thursday April 16th 1903 the Bank moved into premises within the brand new Prudential Building at the junction of Bedford Street, Frankfort Street and George Street. Read description ..... Merger in 1918 with the 230+ branches of the Union of London and Smiths Bank Ltd brought a new title -- National Provincial and Union Bank of England Ltd. The Union Bank had taken over the Borough Arms Coffee Tavern premises at 35 Bedford Street, Plymouth, sometime around 1900. In 1924 the Bank's name was shortened to just the National Provincial Bank Ltd. By 1935 there were three branches in Plymouth: at 35 Bedford Street; 24 Fore Street, Devonport; and 63 Mutley Plain; along with one at Fore Street, Plympton. [1] During the March air raids of the Blitz in 1941 the Bedford Street premises were badly damaged but the branch was kept open until 1948, when they moved to the Bank of England premises in Bank of England Place, Union Street [2]. The Fore Street branch was destroyed and a temporary one was opened by 1951 at 24 Marlborough Street [3]. In 1956 work started on providing them with a new building at the top of Royal Parade, on St Andrew's Cross. It was constructed by Messrs Humphreys Ltd, of London, Chester and Plymouth. The granite portico, facings and paving were supplied by the Dartmoor Granite Company, of Merrivale Quarries, near Princetown, while the clock tower, counters and bank fittings were installed by the Maple/Martyn Organisation, of London and Cheltenham. [4] On Monday September 8th 1958 a buffet luncheon was held in the banking hall at which both the Lord Mayor, Alderman G J Wingett, and the Deputy Lord Mayor, Mr G F Drake and their wives, were present. The local manager was Mr G A Blakey. [2] The bank was opened to the public at 9.30am on Monday September 15th 1958. [4] National Provincial acquired the District Bank Ltd in 1962, although it continued to trade separately. A merchant banking arm, the County Bank Ltd, was formed in 1965. A merger with the Westminster Bank Ltd was announced in 1968 but it did not take effect until January 1st 1970, when the National Westminster Bank came into existence. Sources:
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