Martins Bank
In 1918, the Bank of Liverpool merged with Martin's Bank of Lombard Street under the title Bank of Liverpool and Martins Ltd. The Bank of Liverpool benefited from joining with a clearing bank and Martins benefited from the substantial branch network of the joint stock company. The original title was found to be clumsy, and was shortened in 1928 to Martins Bank Ltd.
The new company pursued a policy of expansion by taking over a number of banks including Cocks, Biddulph and Co of London, and in the industrial north the Palatine Bank and Halifax Commercial Bank (all these in 1919), Halifax Equitable Bank (1927), and the substantial Lancashire and Yorkshire Bank (1928). In 1968, Martins announced its merger with Barclays, becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Barclays Bank Ltd on 1 November, and was fully absorbed on 15 December 1969.
Material available at Group Archives:
- board and committee minutes including standing committee minutes (details of advances) 1933 onwards
- annual reports and accounts
- shareholders' minutes
- head office instructions and circulars
- local board records
- examples of advertising
- branch records
- amalgamation papers