Broad Street Head Office - Safe Deposit
The first three photographs show the Safe Deposit when the facility was first opened
in 1933. Two wide-angle views illustrate how the fifty feet square open space is surrounded by 4,640 individual safes installed on
the four walls.
above: view from the Safe Deposit's entrance door; the far (south) wall has grille gates at each end - these give access
to the 'Special Deposit' secure rooms. A motto (PRUDENT PEOPLE SEEK A SAFE PLACE WHEREIN TO LODGE THEIR SECURITIES) is worked into
the frieze above the individual safes.
below: view across the Safe Deposit to the western wall - the entrance door is on the right
edge of the photograph.
below: the southwest corner of the facility in 1933
An original plan of the Basement (below) shows the Safe Deposit with eight blocks of safes allocated to the central space. These were
not installed until 1947 when the total number of individual safes was increased to 10,528.
below: the remaining two photographs show the Safe Deposit after the 1947 installation of additional safes. The first of these images
shows one of the central lighting pillars; in the left background, a member of staff can be seen outside the Safe Deposit in
the Custodian's Office. The nearest block shows that safes numbered 7217 to 7584 are on this side of the block. The second photograph
shows the northeast corner of the facility, with the entrance door visible in the far wall of safes.