York Union Banking Company
York Union Banking Company was established as one of the early joint stock banks in March 1833 with capital of £600,000 in 6,000 shares of £100 each. Of the five original directors perhaps the most famous was George Hudson, otherwise known as 'The Railway King.' The bank quickly opened branches at Driffield, Bridlington, Malton, Market Weighton, Pickering, Pocklington, Scarborough and Thirsk, as well as agencies at Easingwood, Helmsley and Kirby Moorside. The business prospered and expanded with the acquisition of Simpson, Chapman and Co of Whitby and Pease and Co of Hull and Beverley, in 1892 and 1894 respectively. The bank benefited from its relations with farming interests in the North and East Ridings and was commonly referred to as 'The Farmers' Bank.' In 1902, when the bank amalgamated with Barclay and Co Ltd, a local head office was created at York. It was the merger of the York Union with Barclays that led to Barclays' shares first being listed on the London Stock Exchange.
Material available at Group Archives:
- a complete run of directors' minutes
- deeds of settlement
- shareholders' registers
- balance sheets
- statistics of note circulation
- memorandum books
- correspondence