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BROOKVALE
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13
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51st
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SW
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SE
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290 Brookvale Road, Erdington, Birmingham, B23 7RT
021-356 4629
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BR
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1935
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The Bank's 1926 Annual Report states that land is owned in Brookvale (a district in the Erdington area on the north side of the city).
This land was situated at the corner of Brookvale Road and Brookvale Park Road, and on this plot, business was conducted from a substantial
wooden building from June 26th 1926. By November 30th, Deposit balances were £2,526. The address at this time is stated as 292
Brookvale Road, and the opening hours are 18:00 to 20:00 on Mondays and Saturdays. In these temporary facilities, the branch opened
1,357 accounts with credit balances amounting to £32,265. From July 31st 1931, the Saturday opening was switched to Fridays.
Progress
was slow and a move to the Stockland Green area was contemplated. The opening of Short Heath branch and residential development near
the Bank's site resulted in a decision to build a permanent branch in 1935. Utilising the large corner plot, a shop was incorporated
into the design by the Architect - John Surman.
Full-time daily facilities were made available when the new building was completed,
which was opened by the Chairman (Councillor A H Cooper) at 5:30pm on Saturday, October 5th
1935. The new premises had a flat
attached, and the building also incorporated a shop with flat above. The building contractor was E Crowder, with the internal fittings being
supplied by Messrs Harris and Sheldon. Before the
official opening ceremony, there was a tea in the Marsh Hill Junior-Infants' School.
The Lord Mayor (Alderman S J Grey) presided, and presented Councillor Cooper with a silver cigarette box as a souvenir of the occasion.
Councillor Cooper stated that the Bank Committee's decision to open permanent premises followed the very great housing activity that
had taken place in the area.
Due to staff shortages during the
Second World War, the branch was only open on Thursdays,
Fridays, and Saturdays. This restriction applied from March 1943, and appears to have ceased following the presentation of the following
report by the General Manager to the Bank's Committe in July 1945.
This branch was open for evenings only from June 1926
to October 1935, when daily facilities were provided. In March 1943 openings were reduced to half-week, and the branch run in conjunction
with Newtown Row. This was done to ease staffing difficulties.
Although progress at this branch has not been as rapid as some branches,
there has been a steady building up, and the branch has reached a stage where there is no ground for prolonging half-week openings.
The
following figures show the position of the branch year by year:
below:
The newly constructed premises in 1935.
Unusually, the Bank's name is affixed above the first floor windows and not at the top
of the Hollington stone that surrounds the entrance.
below:
October 5th 1935: The crowds assembling for the official opening of the permanent branch, and then entering to hear the Lord
Mayor's speech. The Mayor's official limousine (Registration ON 1) awaits his departure.
right:
The branch's opening ceremony.
On the door step are the Lord Mayor
(Alderman S J Grey, JP) and the Bank's Chairman
(Councillor
A H Cooper)
below:
The branch interior - the Lord Mayor speaking to the assembled guests
2008:
the very large building that used to house Brookvale branch is now occupyed by a servicing agent for
vacuum cleaners. Brookvale
Park Road is on the left of the photograph.
Workmen demolish the temporary building used for the branch prior to the opening of the new premises.
The temporary wooden building appears to have been placed in front of the new entrance doorway.
I recommend a return to daily openings.
The decision to return to daily openings was subsequently proved to be justified by a
continuing increase in business over the following two years:
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Year Ended
March 31st
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Balances
£
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Open
Accounts
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Transactions
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1927
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4,841
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375
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3,033
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1928
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7,454
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588
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5,678
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1929
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10,602
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706
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5,989
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1930
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13,216
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921
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6,468
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1931
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14,684
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997
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7,051
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1932
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16,818
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1,026
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6,818
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1933
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20,582
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1,094
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7,561
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1934
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23,577
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1,215
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8,609
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1935
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29,079
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1,379
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10,427
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1936
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51,530
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1,888
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15,412
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1937
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73,210
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2,284
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22,259
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1938
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90,403
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2,542
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25,059
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1939
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104,404
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2,727
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26,535
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1940
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115,635
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2,785
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26,384
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1941
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146,850
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2,962
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27,321
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1942
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185,948
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3,172
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28,776
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1943
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238,548
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3,332
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26,902
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1944
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282,162
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3,383
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20,220
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1945
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317,702
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3,405
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19,023
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Year Ended
March 31st
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Balances
£
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Open
Accounts
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Transactions
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1946
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335,580
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n/a
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n/a
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1947
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351,937
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3,487
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24,488
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= location of the branch at the corner of Brookvale Road and Brookvale Park Road.
Nearby, to the west, are Witton
Cemetery and the M6 Motorway.
Managers:
1934 - A F Lambeth
1958 & 1959 - H E Whitehead
1960 to 1969 - R J Fryman
1970 to 1971 - A E Young
1972 - I L Galloway
1976
- R N Moll