21 Birmingham Street, Oldbury, Warley, West Midlands, B69 4DT 021-552 1011

The town of Oldbury is located about five miles to the west of Birmingham city centre. The rapid growth of Oldbury during the Industrial Revolution resulted in it being given the status of an Urban District Council in 1894, followed by the granting of borough status in 1935. Oldbury joined with the nearby Smethwick and Rowley Regis in 1966 to form the County Borough of Warley. In 1974, the Metropolitan Borough of Sandwell was created when Warley merged with West Bromwich County Borough. Oldbury branch was formally opened on April 30th 1932, by the Chairman of the Oldbury Urban District Council (Councillor H Edwards). This was the first branch to be established outside Birmingham's boundaries, under the provisions of Sections 56 and 57 of the Birmingham Corporation (General Powers) Act, 1929. Negotiations were conducted between the Bank and Councillor Wallace (Chairman of the Finance Committe) and Mr A Culwick (Clerk) of Oldbury UDC to enable the branch to be established in premises situated at the corner of Birmingham Street and Church Square. The premises were previously occupied by HM Office of Works as a Labour Exchange; they were purchased and refurbished for joint use by the Bank and the District Council. Number of Open Accounts at March 31st: 1932 - 911 Managers: 1963 to 1969 - G A Ridley 1970 - D Crowley 1972 - R C T Wozencroft The reconstructed premises: April 1932 The Chairman of Oldbury Urban District Council (Councillor H Edwards) performs the opening ceremony for the new branch: April 30th 1932 The crowd assembled for the opening ceremony Depositors crowd into the branch on its first day of opening Interior of the branch in 1932