Map of Former Bank and Building Society Branches

[mhoulden]

This is a project I've been working on for a while. I'm interested in local history (which is why I'm here), maps, and the structures and institutions in communities. While I was looking up something in the Ancestry British phone book collection I noticed older directories include the Yellow Pages. I knew there was an old bank in Holbeck and I wondered which one it was. There are others in places like North St and Regent St where the building is the only remnant of a former community.

There are maps of other things like old cinemas and lost railway lines. I decided to have a go at creating one for former banks and building societies. So many have closed in recent years that it puts them on record. The map is on my website at https://houlden.org/old_leeds_banks/.

Addresses are mostly taken from the 1972 and 1984 telephone directories. I've cross-checked them with the NLS maps site and local history sites to get the location right. It's a work in progress and I'll be adding more in due course.

[mhoulden]

Actually a couple of questions. The Leeds Permanent Building Society and Midland Bank are listed as having branches on Sweet St. I've seen discussion about it on here before. I'm just wondering where exactly they were. The only place I can think of is what used to be the Fernway building. It was demolished somer time around 2019 but it's on Google Streetview here: https://maps.app.goo.gl/qrhMGuj3rxXhR6c36.

Also, there were a pair of banks on Newmarket Approach near the old wholesale markets. HSBC made a planning application in 1993 to replace the Midlands Bank signs. Again, the buildings are long gone and there's no trace on Leodis that I could find. The oldest Google Streetview is from 2008: https://maps.app.goo.gl/AKPAvxPeQEf6uutJ6. There's a gap between the postbox on the right and the substation on the left where they were located. Would it be fair to say they were a similar design to this building across the road? https://maps.app.goo.gl/tRy6g4RRQRg8rE8S8

[Brunel]

The original Midland Bank at Oakwood, now SALT, adjacent to the Oakwood Fish Bar. slightly misplaced on your map: https://tinyurl.com/mtbda74v

The 2008 view when it was changed to HSBC: https://tinyurl.com/z62e85zx

[warringtonrhino]

I worked above a bank at the junction of The Headrow and Vicar Lane the North West corner

[Brunel]

North West corner was "Lloyds Bank"

[mhoulden]

The eagle above the door on the Headrow branch of Barclays looks the wrong way compared to the current logo: https://maps.app.goo.gl/pfTBPzsC5neM4zFD6. When I asked them about it they said it was because they were a bit less fussy about branding in the 30s when it was built. Martins Bank on the other side of the road was one of the few that never got turned into a Barclays when they were taken over: https://www.martinsbank.co.uk/11-88-80% ... 20Lane.htm

I might also see if I can get lists of post office branches to add to the map. They're not all grouped together in telephone directories so I'd need to put in a Freedom of Information Act request.

[Brunel]

EX. NATWEST. HARROGATE ROAD L.S.7

OLD VIEW 2008 : https://tinyurl.com/5ypjz5j3

[mhoulden]

I've added in banks in Todmorden and the Bradford telephone directory. I think that's most of the old West Riding apart from what's now South Yorkshire. Altogether that's about 450 - 500 of them. The locations are approximate as the directories often didn't give the full address. I was surprised that Kettlewell used to have a branch of Barclays. The building is still there and it's not much bigger than my kitchen: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fVbehnQhvkLiPeWa7

I'll add in building societies in due course.