|
NW
|
NE
|
WELLS GREEN
(later SHELDON)
|
66
|
61st
|
|
SW
|
|
2136 Coventry Road, Birmingham B26 3JA
021-743 2389
|
WG
|
1957
|
The branch was subsequently transferred to a substantial, freestanding building, on the site that the Bank had originally secured in
1936. This permanent office was formally opened by the Chairman (Councillor I L Morgan) on March 15th 1957.
The name of the branch
was amended from Wells Green to Sheldon in 1970; the new name being that used for the area locally, although Sheldon is a short distance
away.
below:
new permanent premises, formally opened by the Bank's Chairman
below:
branch interior in 1957
below:
Interior, looking towards customer entrance
below:
depositors transacting business in the new premises
2008:
the branch is located in an office block (the nearest corner in the photograph) that is
used by Lloyds TSB
The ancient village of Sheldon in Warwickshire (5 miles east of the centre of Birmingham) lies just to the north of the Birmingham
to Coventry highway. The part of the Sheldon parish north of that road, amalgamated with Birmingham in 1931, when the village's population
was just 526. Substantial areas of private and council house building then commenced in both Sheldon and the nearby Wells Green; the
latter becoming the area's shopping centre due to its location on the Coventry Road. Most of these areas were covered by housing by
1939, but more housing followed after the War, in order to accommodate people from the clearance of inner-city slum dwellings.
Wells
Green branch was opened as a part-time office, in a temporary building, on January 3rd 1938, opening on Mondays and Fridays from 18:00
to 20:00. The address of this office was 2144 Coventry Road. In 1940 or 1941, the hours of business were extended to:
- Monday to Wednesday
.... 10:00 to 15:00
- Saturday ............................ 10:00 to 16:00
Following the removal of building restrictions, a report, dated December 7th 1954, by the Bank to Birmingham City Council stated:
In
January 1938, a temporary branch was opened in a wooden hut at 2144 Coventry Road, Wells Green, to provide savings facility for Sheldon
on the north side of Coventry Road, and part of Solihull on the south side. The business of this branch has steadily increased, and
the accommodation for the public and staff is very restricted. Now that building restrictions have been removed your committee have
decided to erect a permanent branch building on this site, the cost, as estimated by the City Architect being £10,200, which will
be defrayed out of the Bank's funds.
|
Year Ended
March 31st
|
Balances
£
|
Open
Accounts
|
Transactions
|
|
1938
|
15,139
|
444
|
1,367
|
|
1939
|
41,898
|
1,178
|
9,072
|
|
1940
|
69,719
|
1,816
|
15,622
|
|
1941
|
112,982
|
2,511
|
21,885
|
|
1942
|
178,329
|
3,185
|
|
|
1943
|
265,237
|
3,879
|
32,927
|
|
1944
|
356,271
|
4,439
|
34,708
|
|
1945
|
430,002
|
4,897
|
34,838
|
The branch appears to have become a full-time office in
1942, (however, see
Combination of Branches) but was still trading from a
temporary building (left). The General Manager submitted the following report to his Management Committee in July
1945:
This branch
is conducted in a wooden building, and has made rapid progress. Accommodation is proving inadequate, and steps should be taken to
erect a permanent building as soon as possible. Mr Surman [an architect] has been asked to prepare a plan for a suitable building
with dwelling accommodation, and in my opinion, we should press for early priority.
Figures given below show the progress which has
been made at this branch:
The General Manager's reference to 'early priority' refers to the post-War restrictions on the use of building materials and labour,
but permission to build a permanent branch was not obtained during the period of building restrictions. By March 31st 1946, the branch's
deposit balances had grown to £480,368. The branch's statistics for the following year were:
|
Year Ended
March 31st
|
Balances
£
|
Open
Accounts
|
Transactions
|
|
1947
|
518,499
|
5,753
|
41,161
|
In September 1955, building contractors were invited to submit tenders for the construction of branch bank premises including a flat
above to the City Architect, A G Sheppard Fidler. Depositors were advised that, from November 7th, business would be conducted from
16 Sheaf Lane (below).
A customer leaves the temporary premises at 16 Sheaf Lane.
Managers:
1958 to 1961 - G W Thomas
1961 to 1966 - H E Forman
1967 - J W Smith
1969 to 1972 - N A Worwood
= location of permanent branch at 2136 Coventry Road
A couple of years later, the branch was demolished after the site was sold to Severn-Trent Water. The water company then utilised
the site to build themselves a large office block. In accordance with the agreement with the Bank to purchase the site, a small branch
area (2136 Coventry Road) was provided in a ground floor corner of the building. The photographs below (taken in February 2008) show
the office block and the branch's frontage.
By a strange twist of fate, the site came back to the Bank in 1984. Following the
amalgamation of TSB of Birmingham and the Midlands with TSB of Wales and Border Counties and North Staffordshire TSB (November 20th
1983) a large building was required to house the new Bank's Regional Administration. With Severn-Trent moving out, the TSB took over
the whole building. The block was then named TSB House, but was later renamed Ariel House when it was occupied by Lloyds
TSB.
below:
after the formal opening, Alderman Mrs Hyde presents a bouquet to the Lady Mayoress (Mrs J J Grogan)