London and Provincial Bank Ltd

Formed in 1864, this bank was originally known as the Provincial Banking Corporation. It grew steadily, taking over the firm of Day, Nicholson and Stone in 1864, and the Bank of Wales in 1865. At the end of 1870 the bank was reconstructed to reflect its widely scattered business, being renamed as the London and Provincial Bank Ltd with an authorised capital of £1,000,000. In 1871/72, further branches were opened and the firm of Fincham and Simpson acquired. The bank mainly catered for small tradesmen and private customers with limited means and confined its attention to the London suburbs, South Wales and the Eastern Counties. It was not until 1891 that a branch was opened at an English commercial centre outside the London area, namely Bristol.

At the end of 1917, the bank proposed amalgamation with one of its formidable rivals, the London and South Western, to form the London, Provincial and South Western Bank, which in turn was acquired by Barclays on 2 October 1918.

Material available at Group Archives:

• board and committee minutes
• shareholders' registers and minutes
• correspondence
• premises records
• staff report book 1879-1917
• staff registers
• branch record