Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank Ltd

This bank evolved out of the Alliance Bank of London and Liverpool, an enterprise established in 1862 which was keen to expand into the provinces. A branch was opened in Manchester on 1 January 1864 at 73 King Street. In 1871, the board of the Alliance Bank decided to close the Manchester branch, but its manager, John Mills, drew up a scheme to form a new bank: the Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank Ltd. The new bank had capital of £1m, and most of the directors were prominent Manchester businessmen. In the first six months, nearly £4,000 profit was made.

Over the next few years, there was a gradual extension of business throughout Lancashire and Yorkshire, with profits exceeding £53,000 in 1882. Some of the bank's deposits were used to finance the construction of the Manchester Ship Canal opened in 1894. The Bank went on to absorb various other northern banks including Bury Banking Co (1888), Adelphi Bank (1899), West Riding Union Bank (1902), and in 1904 the Mercantile Bank of Lancashire which had a presence on the Isle of Man. In 1928, the Lancashire and Yorkshire was acquired by the Bank of Liverpool and Martins Ltd.

Material available at Group Archives:

• board minutes (including lists of advances)
• private minutes
• shareholders' minutes
• register of shareholders
• management correspondence
• branch records including premises plans and drawings
• staff photographs
• amalgamation papers