797 Stratford Road, Birmingham, B11 4DA 021-777 1226

In 1922, the premises situated at 797-799-801 Stratford Road were purchased by the Bank, possession of the small shop at number 801 was obtained, and a full-time, daily branch opened on December 1st. The three shops purchased by the Bank, were located on a valuable corner plot at the junction of the Stratford Road and Springfield Road. 797, the largest of the three units (a drapers) fronted the junction and boasted twin spires above the first floor rooms. The rapid growth of the branch required additional accommodation to be provided, but the existing leases on the properties owned (797: to September 1927; 799: to June 1928) precluded any reconstruction being carried out immediately. A substantial wooden building was erected on vacant land across the road to provide more room pending the release of numbers 797 and 799. This building must have been located at 874 Stratford Road - the address listed in the 1928 Annual Report. The Annual Reports from 1923 to 1926 titled the branch at 801 Stratford Road as Sparkhill, but amended it to Springfield in 1927 following the purchase of 482 and 484 Stratford Road - ¾-mile nearer the city centre, and nearer to the centre of the Sparkhill area. The reconstructed premises at 797 Stratford Road were formally opened by the Bank's Chairman (Alderman Sir Percival Bower) on June 29th 1929. Number of Open Accounts at March 31st: 1923 - 1,078 1927 - 6,057 Average Weekly Transactions: 1923 - 256 1927 - 682 Managers: 1928 - W L Hannah 1929 to 1931 - R H Earp, ALAA 1963 to 1966 - E R Jennings 1967 to 1970 - H Wheelock 1972 - G J Sherborne The premises at 797 to 801 Stratford Road, purchased by the Bank in 1922. The temporary branch (then known as Sparkhill branch) is on the left of the photograph Temporary premises at 801 Stratford Road, with the door marked 'SPARKHILL BRANCH' Springfield branch following reconstruction of 797 to 801 Stratford Road Official branch opening ceremony: June 29th 1929 Branch interior, 1929